The Saints have spent enough time living through quarterback uncertainty to recognize it when they see it. That’s part of what makes the Falcons’ latest report on Michael Penix Jr. so easy for New Orleans fans to enjoy from a distance.
Atlanta reporter Josh Kendall didn’t exactly paint a rosy picture of Penix’s future. As Kendall put it, "Fair or not, the decision clock on his future is already ticking," and he went on to explain that Penix still hasn’t shown enough to make a long-term commitment feel like the right move. The optimism in the building may not be gone, but the pressure is clearly building.
Kendall’s bluntest line says plenty: "Penix has done nothing to justify picking up his fifth-year option, much less offering him a long-term deal" in his view. For a quarterback taken in the top 10, that’s a rough place to be. If a team is already wondering about a fifth-year option - or whether a player could be replaced after Year 2 - that’s a failure by any standard.
That’s where Tyler Shough changes the mood in New Orleans. The Saints still have plenty to learn about him, but he’s already given the fanbase something tangible to hold onto. After just 9 games, he has earned a level of trust that Penix is still chasing in Atlanta.
Shough has shown enough to suggest he could be a franchise quarterback, and that matters. It’s why the idea of the Saints making a move like signing Tua Tagovailoa after next season feels hard to imagine. Even if Shough hits a sophomore slump, the foundation of belief he’s built doesn’t disappear overnight.
Penix, meanwhile, has another hurdle before any of that even matters: staying healthy. Despite having an extra year, both of his seasons have ended with season ending injury.
The Saints know this territory well. After Drew Brees retired, they spent time in that uneasy middle ground, not sure if they had the guy who could carry them forward. Now that Shough has at least started to answer that question, New Orleans can look at Atlanta’s situation and laugh a little louder.
In Other News...
Saints Camp Battle Could Force A Defensive Line Shakeup
The Saints have spent back-to-back drafts reinforcing the middle of their defensive line, taking Christen Miller in the second round this year after adding Vernon Broughton in the third round last spring. That kind of investment usually means training camp is going to be crowded, and this one figures to be no different with Miller and Broughton joining a group that already includes Bryan Bresee, Davon Godchaux and Nathan Shepherd.
What makes the battle even more interesting is that the numbers may not tell the whole story once Brandon Staley starts sorting through personnel and game plans. New Orleans wants to keep tightening up its run defense and has already shown progress there, but the way the Saints deploy their interior linemen could change enough that the real competition is not for every available job, only for the spots that truly matter. [Read more 🡒]
Spencer Rattler Enters A Preseason That Could Change Everything
Spencer Rattler heads into the preseason with more than a backup job at stake. The Saints are sorting out the quarterback depth chart behind Tyler Shough, and Rattler is in direct competition with Zach Wilson for the No. 2 role. For a player still trying to carve out his place in the league, those snaps matter not just for New Orleans, but for anyone around the NFL looking for a young quarterback with something to prove.
The preseason also gives Rattler a chance to show what he can do in limited work, which is exactly the sort of window teams use to reassess a players standing. New Orleans views him as a valuable piece, so there is no urgency to move him, but the way he performs over the next few weeks could shape how the Saints think about their quarterback room and whether another club starts asking the right questions. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Camp Could Flip Three Key Position Battles Fast
Training camp always has a way of turning the Saints depth chart into a moving target, and this summer could be especially revealing in a few spots. The backup quarterback job, the last receiver seat on the roster and the right side of the offensive line all carry the kind of uncertainty that makes preseason reps matter a little more than usual, especially for players trying to turn offseason opportunity into something real.
Brock Rechsteiner is one name worth watching in that receiver mix, particularly if the Saints staff sees enough to trust him as the roster starts to take shape. Up front, Jeremiah Wright also has a path to force his way into the conversation at right guard if he develops quickly enough, which would be a notable swing for a team still sorting out how its best 53 might come together. [Read more 🡒]