Chris Olave is as excited as anyone to see where Tyler Shough takes the New Orleans Saints in 2026, but he won’t let Spencer Rattler be forgotten. He made sure to lobby for the prospect of Spencer Rattler as the starting quarterback, almost simultaneously with making the case for Shaw to be named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.
“Spencer is a great quarterback,” Olave told reporters in the locker room Monday. “I don’t believe he’s a backup quarterback in this league. In today’s world, when something goes wrong, people always want to point the finger at somebody. I feel like Spencer did a great job getting back out there and being the quarterback. He deserves another chance to be the starting quarterback in this league.”
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This year’s draft class features two deep spots between Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) and Dante Moore (Oregon), and there aren’t many viable options on the free agent market. So unless a team wants to trade an expensive reclamation project like Tua Tagovailoa or Kyler Murray, we could see a healthy market for Rattler developing. Quarterback-needy teams like the Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings will be in the mix this spring, and we can’t rule out teams with aging starters like the Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Some fans point to the value Rattler brings as a high-end backup on his rookie contract, and there’s some truth to that. But there are only two years left on the deal, and his 1-13 record as a starter doesn’t inspire as much confidence in reality as it does on paper. Don’t be surprised if he ends up competing for a starting job with a new team in 2026. Teammates like Olaf will say he deserves it.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Chris Olave: Saints QB Spencer Rattler deserves another start
