Quarterback Update! Saints Have Starting QB For Week 15 Matchup Against Washington

Per Thursday reports, the Saints have made a decision on who will start at quarterback against Washington in Week 15.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener (3) during pregame announcements against the Tennessee Titans / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr will miss this Sunday's game against Washington. Carr suffered a concussion and fractured left (non-throwing) hand during the fourth quarter of last week's win against the New York Giants. With Carr out, there has been a lot of debate whether the Saints would go with rookie QB Spencer Rattler or second-year QB Jake Haener in his place.

On Thursday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football was the first to report that New Orleans will start Jake Haener against Washington. Rattler will presumably be the backup, with newly signed Ben DiNucci serving as the emergency quarterback.

Haener, 25, will get the first start of his two-year NFL career. A fourth-round choice in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Saints out of Fresno State, Haener didn't see a snap as a rookie behind Carr and backup Jameis Winston. During training camp and preseason, he waged a close battle for the #2 job with Rattler, a rookie fifth-round pick from South Carolina.

Haener opened the regular season as the backup behind Carr. When Carr missed three games between Weeks 6 and 8 with an oblique injury, the Saints instead turned to Rattler for all three starts. Over those three starts, Rattler completed 59.6% of his throws for 571 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions, and 14 sacks.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener (3) throws a pass against the against the Los Angeles Chargers / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

After Carr returned, Rattler reverted back to emergency third string status as Haener has remained in the #2 spot all year. Haener has appeared in seven contests this year.

Most of that action was in mop-up duty, but he did replace an injured Carr in Week 5 against Kansas City and last week against the Giants. He'd also replace an ineffective Rattler in back-to-back losses against Denver and the Chargers.

In those three games, Haener completed 14 of 28 throws for 177 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. His first career touchdown toss was a 12-yard score to WR Cedrick Wilson during the fourth quarter of a 33-10 loss to the Broncos.

Haener will lead a 14th ranked New Orleans offense that is 19th in passing production. However, he'll be without injured weapons Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and Taysom Hill. The 5-8 Saints try to keep faint playoff hopes alive against an 8-5 Washington team that ranks 12th in total defense but fifth against the pass this season.