The oblique injury Derek Carr suffered last night could hinder the Saints’ offense for the time being. The team’s starting quarterback is expected to miss multiple games, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. 
New Orleans is set to play the Buccaneers on Sunday followed by a Thursday night matchup with the Broncos. That quick turnaround will make it challenging for Carr to suit up for each (or potentially either) game during that span, meaning the Saints will likely need to turn to a new starter under center. The team’s offense has generally outperformed expectations to date in 2024, so Carr’s absence will be notable.
The four-time Pro Bowler – much like the Saints themselves – had a middling campaign in 2023, his first in New Orleans. Klint Kubiak was brought in as offensive coordinator this offseason, and his work in installing a scheme much different than the one dating back to the Sean Payton era has paid dividends. Carr has posted a passer rating of at least 82.8 in four of his five games this year, with the team’s first two outings in particular yielding a major offensive output. For now, though, a contingency plan will need to be in place.
As Carr begins a multi-week rehab process, the Saints have Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener in place as quarterback options. The former impressed during the summer, one which included a direct competition for the QB2 gig. Rattler was the seventh quarterback to be selected in April’s draft, hearing his name called with the No. 150 pick (after the first six signal-callers were drafted with the opening 12 selections).
Rattler, 24, had a strong season with Oklahoma in 2022, but after a poor follow-up season he transferred to South Carolina. He eclipsed 3,000 passing yards in both of his years with the Gamecocks, but his 20 total interceptions during that span point to the issues related to turnovers which hurt his draft stock. Rattler could nonetheless be viewed as having more upside than Haener, who was drafted in the fourth round last year and did not see the field as rookie after his six-game PED suspension to open the campaign.
The Saints sit at 2-3 on the year, and last night’s loss was their third in a row. Rebounding over the next few games will be key to the team’s playoff chances as a result. That stretch will likely not include Carr, however.
Not that Carr going down isn’t a big problem, but I do like Rattler as a prospect. It’s ridiculous that six QBs went in the first twelve picks and Rattler fell to 150.
Yeah this draft was very odd for sure. Rattler has some talent though I agree.
Supposedly, his draft stock fell because of how he came across on that Netflix QB show. I can’t remember what it is called. Who knows if that’s true or not. If a team had two QBs rated equally, I could see using it as a tiebreaker. It’d be a little silly to be heavily influenced by that, but who knows.
That show was from when he was in high school
All the interceptions he threw in college probably had a lot to do with it. Poor decision making.
He’s improved though
Wonder if his nickname will be “Snake”.
I think we can rule out the possibility that your a Raiders fan…lol.
Stabler has passed, long live THE Rattlesnake!!!
Can’t wait to see the Rat Man in action
Too bad for Carr, yet these things happen to him. Every time he takes a step forward, he ends up taking two steps back. Can Rattler show enough poise to keep them in games?
Rattler is gonna be an interception machine.
The Buccaneers are gonna eat Rattler alive…
Let’s give Rattler a chance to show what he can do before we embark on the venomous comments.