Saints' Tyler Shough Addresses Potential Distraction

Will the New Orleans Saints start a rookie at quarterback in Week 1 action in 2025?

That only will happen if Tyler Shough can win the starting job from Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. It sounds like he’s doing everything possible to put himself in a position to do so. He recently took part in a throwing with a good chunk of the playmakers on the roster, per NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill.

"Many of the Saints receivers worked in Beaverton the last two days with Tyler Shough, Jake Haener and Hunter Dekkers. Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Cooks, etc. were all there," Underhill said. "Brandin Cooks organized the session and get everyone out here. Shough scripted the throwing sessions. Spencer Rattler was hosting his camp in South Carolina otherwise he would have been out there."

Shough is working hard and has impressed, but there is still one lingering question for him ahead of camp. When will he, and other 2025 second-round picks sign deals? As of writing the vast majority of second-round picks haven't signed deals yet. This has to do with the amount of guarantees in deals. Shough was taken with the No. 40 overall pick in the second round, so it's a waiting game.

To some, that could be a distraction. But, it sounds like Shough is in a good place, as shared by The Times-Picayune's Matthew Paras.

"The whole second round, (we’re) just seeing kind of where things lie,” Shough said. "There’s not like a demand or — obviously, you’re super optimistic. That’s just part of it, this whole process, so yeah, we’ll see...

"I want to fight for as much as we can get, but at the same time, there’s a lot of things that have yet to unfold with other guys ahead (of me). For me, the biggest thing was getting here, learning the playbook and doing everything I can."

Training camp is quickly approaching. Will a deal get done before?

More NFL: Saints Insider Shuts Down QB Controversy Before It Starts