Team Profile
New Orleans Saints
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48.2% 1stOff DVOA
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81.5% 2ndPassing DVOA
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35.5% 1stRushing DVOA
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-35.3% 3rdDef DVOA
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-31.1% 4thDef Passing DVOA
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-44.1% 1stDef Rushing DVOA
2024 Team Stats
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Points For45.5 1st
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Points Against14.5 4th
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Yards Per Game406.0 2nd
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Yards Allowed Per Game273.0 7th
New Orleans Saints veteran running back Jamaal Williams played early on, toting the ball six times for 20 yards on the ground. Following a disappointing 2023 campaign after leading the league in touchdowns in 2022, Williams is looking to mix into the backfield more in 2024. The 29-year-old is currently running behind Alvin Kamara with Kendre Miller (hamstring) on the shelf. He will likely see more preseason action in weeks to come.
New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler strung together an impressive showing in Saturday's 16-14 preseason win over Arizona. Rattler was third in the pecking order behind Derek Carr and Jake Haener, but was able to play the entire second half. The rookie completed 9-of-17 passes for 70 yards while also rushing twice for eight yards and a touchdown. The game-winning drive was strung together in the game's final minute, which was capped off with a Charlie Smyth field goal. Rattler will continue to compete with Haener for the backup job.
New Orleans Saints second-year quarterback Jake Haener was the first quarterback off of the bench behind Derek Carr in Saturday's preseason victory. Haener had a cancerous spot removed on Monday and impressively returned to play the same week. The 25-year-old completed 9-of-13 passes for 107 yards, playing the entire first half aside from the first two drives. He led New Orleans to a 6-0 halftime lead, converting two field goal drives. The Fresno State product will continue to compete with rookie Spencer Rattler for the backup job.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr started on Saturday in the 16-14 preseason win over the Arizona Cardinals. Carr didn't have a great showing, completing 2-of-6 passes for 12 yards prior to being pulled for second-year quarterback Jake Haener. The 33-year-old is locked in as New Orleans' Week 1 starter and it is unclear if he will see any more preseason action prior to the season opener against Carolina.
New Orleans Saints quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener (skin cancer) "are in a true battle for QB2," according to Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. While some teams say the role is up for grabs but have a clear favorite, that doesn't appear to be the case in New Orleans, where it truly is up for grabs between Rattler and Haener. "The key is, do we have a [QB2] or do we have two [QB3s]?" head coach Dennis Allen asked. "Two [QB3s] doesn't help you. So you want to see who steps up and earns the job. And that's what training camp is all about." In terms of the competition, Rattler has draft capital on his side; the Saints spent a fifth-round pick on him less than four months ago. Haener, meanwhile, has experience in the New Orleans system after spending all of 2023 in their organization. It's also worth noting that Haener, a fourth-round pick last year, recently underwent treatment for a rare form of skin cancer on his cheek, but it's not expected to impact his playing ability. This will be a fascinating positional battle to watch, though neither quarterback has much redraft appeal.