With the 53-man roster crunch coming throughout the NFL, trade speculation links the New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler to the Indianapolis Colts. Rattler began the 2025 NFL Season as the starting quarterback for the Saints. While Rattler performed admirably, current starter Tyler Shough took over the position and almost won Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Prior to the 2026 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints shopped Rattler around the NFL but could not find an organization to take him. With so many teams in need of quarterbacks, he seemed expendable at the right price. Rattler is also still young and has shown respectable skills for an NFL starting quarterback.
However, the Saints also signed Zach Wilson this offseason, and he showcased some improvements in Saturday’s preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Per PFF, they gave Wilson a 81.2 grade in the contest while Rattler only earned a 49.8 grade. Wilson seems on track to earn the backup quarterback job, and Rattler could be on the way to another organization.
The Colts are a logical landing spot because they lack a proven backup quarterback. While the team has former top draft pick Anthony Richardson, the organization continues to float him in trade conversations after a failed career thus far in Indianapolis. They also have Riley Leonard, but there are concerns if he is a strong backup in the NFL. After all, the Colts preferred starting a retired Phillip Rivers over Leonard last season.
New Orleans Saints Rattler a Sensical Option for the Indianapolis Colts
The New Orleans Saints no longer need to develop Rattler with Shough as the long term focus now for the organization.
With Daniel Jones recovering from his torn-Achilles, its possible that he may miss games during the 2026 NFL Season. While the Colts expect Jones to be ready for week one, a setback seems possible, perhaps even likely. A contingency plan is necessary given the lack of reliable options on the current roster. Rattler has shown that he can operate as an average starter. Given the Colts offensive staff, Rattler would not have to drop back frequently and he can feed Jonathan Taylor. Yet, he also does not preclude the offense from taking shots down the field like what happened with Rivers in 2026.
The Saints also can acquire a day three pick for Rattler to help with their long term outlook. If Shough fails to advance his status as the starting quarterback, the Saints would need more capital in order to trade up in the NFL Draft to obtain their starter of the future. Another option would be to trade for a veteran starter if one becomes available during the offseason in 2027.
Rattler Has Run Out of Time in New Orleans
The New Orleans Saints have a 1-13 record when starting Spencer Rattler at quarterback.
Despite losing most of their games with Rattler, the New Orleans Saints were not as awful as expected because of his productive starts. Yet, its clear at this point that his place on the roster is questionable. Wilson seems to be emerging as a capable option, and teams around the NFL still respect what Rattler was able to accomplish statistically in 2025. A Rattler trade makes sense for the the Saints now that they have depth at the position, and the Colts have the positional need to want to make a deal.
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