The 2024 NFL Draft saw six quarterbacks come off the board in the top 12 selections. Fans had to wait a record 138 picks later to see the seventh signal-caller come off the board.
That would be Spencer Rattler. The South Carolina product came off the board with the 150th pick to the Saints, who ended his slide over the final two days of the 2024 NFL Draft.
New Orleans was an interesting landing spot for Rattler. The team has Derek Carr entrenched as its starting quarterback, but behind him, they don't have a proven backup.
Rattler will have a chance to battle for that job, but if Carr regresses after his solid first season with the Saints, their 2024 fifth-round pick could put himself in the front of the line as a potential replacement for the 33-year-old veteran.
Here's a breakdown of how Rattler fits in on the team's depth chart after New Orleans selected him in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
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Saints QB depth chart
1. Derek Carr
Carr signed with the Saints during the 2023 offseason after the Raiders released him. He was decent during his first season with the Eagles, completing 68.4 percent of his passes for 3,878 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions while posting a 9-8 record.
Carr was graded as Pro Football Focus' 19th-best quarterback and was one of the few quarterbacks to start all 17 games for his team. His steady hand should give him a firm grasp of New Orleans' No. 1 quarterback job — provided that he can continue to avoid turnovers as he did in 2023.
2. Jake Haener
Could Rattler beat out Haener quickly for the backup job? It's certainly possible. Haener was just a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, so the two will likely be viewed similarly in the battle for the backup job.
Haener has a year's worth of experience with the Saints, though, giving him the upper hand over Rattler early in the battle. The Fresno State product didn't play during the 2024 regular season, so the gap between him at Rattler isn't too big.
MORE: Why Spencer Rattler is the top sleeper quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft
3. Spencer Rattler
Naturally, Rattler will be penciled in as New Orleans' No. 3 quarterback given how close he is to Haener on the depth chart. The South Carolina product completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 3,186 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions during his final year with the Gamecocks despite playing behind a porous offensive line.
Rattler has a solid arm, plenty of experience, and the functional mobility needed to be a good on-the-run thrower in the NFL. He will have time to develop in New Orleans, so this could be an ideal landing spot for him, especially if he can quickly dispatch Haener as the No. 2 quarterback for the Saints.
4. Nathan Peterman
Peterman is a veteran journeyman with a 1-4 record in sparing action across seven NFL seasons. He is best noted for throwing five interceptions in the first half of his first start as a rookie with the Bills and has completed 53.1 percent of his career passes for 712 yards, four touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.
Peterman is turning 30 in May but might be able to stick around with the Saints as an experienced practice-squader. For now, he is clearly behind Haener and Rattler in the pecking order.
MORE: Why Spencer Rattler fell to the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft
5. Kellen Mond
Mond is just 24, but he is on his fourth team since being a third-round pick by the Vikings in the 2021 NFL Draft. He could win a spot as a developmental quarterback, but the presence of Haener and Rattler could ultimately bump him off the roster.
