Oct 26, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (2) throws downfield during the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Saints' Projected Trade Price to Move Spencer Rattler

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 11, 2026 9:07 AM ET

Will the New Orleans Saints make a significant change in the quarterback room this offseason?

Fortunately, the Saints are set with Tyler Shough as their starting quarterback. If the team wanted to, they could easily enter the 2026 season with Spencer Rattler as the backup. He has shown that he can play in this league and if anything ever happened with Shough, you'd have a backup who has already worked with Kellen Moore. Also, he is under contract for two more seasons and won't be a free agent until after the 2027 season. Realistically, the Saints don't have to trade Rattler at all.

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That would especially be the case if Derek Carr were to come out of retirement. Then, the Saints could trade him and get draft capital back that they otherwise wouldn't have had. Rattler's name surely will be out there this offseason. But again, the Saints don't need to do anything. "Need" is the keyword there. If the Saints want to trade Rattler, they should be able to get solid value because he's just 25 years old and a team could get him for two years. ESPN's Ben Solak threw out the idea of a Day 3 pick for him.

The Saints shouldn't close any doors

"Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints: This is the guy I'd really be pursuing if I were in desperate need," Solak wrote. "Rattler was a totally acceptable young starter during his eight games of action before Tyler Shough took the reins in New Orleans. And while Shough elevated the offense some, he enjoyed a much more successful defense than Rattler got in his starts. Rattler has great physical tools for playmaking, but he also showed he could be a more cautious and methodical player last season. I'd deal a Day 3 pick for him right now if I were looking for camp competition."

If the Saints are going to move Rattler, they should take a look back at the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles' trade before the 2025 season around Sam Howell. The Vikings traded Howell and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Eagles for a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick.

Howell has 18 starts under his belt, in comparison to Rattler's 14. Howell went 5-13 in those starts while Rattler went 1-13. Howell has thrown for 22 touchdowns and 23 interceptions, while Rattler has 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. With all of that being said, Howell was traded with just one season of control, whereas Rattler has two. If the Saints want to get a deal done, the Howell trade should be baseline, although the team should be aiming a bit higher.

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This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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