New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener completed 9 of his 17 pass attempts for 122 yards and gained 10 rushing yards on two carries in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The second-year man out of Fresno State was brought in with just under five minutes left to play in the third quarter. Starter Spencer Rattler's inconsistent play demanded a change be made while the Saints were still in range of a comeback. Unfortunately, Haener was not able to spark the offense as was hoped and the team managed to add just another field goal with him under center. With three weeks of Rattler's struggles in the books and Haener not offering much of an improvement it is unclear who will be under center in Week 9. In postgame comments to the media, head coach Dennis Allen acknowledged Derek Carr (oblique) may be ready to play which would stamp out any brewing quarterback controversy in New Orleans and make both backups obsolete in fantasy.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener was probably not expecting to be on the field for Thursday's game against the Denver Broncos. Even with Derek Carr (oblique) needing more time to heal, Spencer Rattler (hip) was the expected starter and it was made clear by the team that the rookie would be given a long leash. As it so happened, Rattler himself was forced to the sidelines after falling awkwardly when he was sacked with just over four minutes left in the game. The play resulted in a fumble that the Broncos returned for a touchdown, putting Haener under center on short notice. The second-year quarterback from Fresno State looked better than he did when he relieved Carr in Week 5. Haener completed 3-of-4 passes for 38 yards and a touchdown, the first of his career. It is too soon to tell if Rattler's injury is enough to keep him out of action but if he is held out of Week 8 then Haener would be the next man up. Whoever draws the start won't have it easy as the Saints next face the Los Angeles Chargers, who have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game in 2024.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener will open the season as Derek Carr's backup. He's officially active for Week 1 while rookie Spencer Rattler is a healthy scratch. The Saints' depth chart generated some buzz at the quarterback position, where Haener and Rattler were listed as co-backups, but it appears we now have a firm answer, at least for the start of the year. Haener was a fourth-round pick in 2023 and spent all of last season developing in the Saints' roster, but he has yet to appear in a game. Rattler was the team's fifth-round pick this year after he put together a couple of solid seasons at the University of South Carolina. Both players remain off the redraft radar as long as Carr is healthy.
The New Orleans Saints have listed quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener as co-backups on their first official depth chart for the 2024 season behind starter Derek Carr. The Saints apparently couldn't decide on either Rattler or Haener as the primary backup behind Carr after they competed all throughout training camp and the preseason. Neither signal-caller stood out over the other during preseason games, so it's anyone's guess who will be active behind Carr this Sunday for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the division-rival Carolina Panthers. Rattler was a fifth-rounder back in April, and the Saints want to develop him for a potential starting role down the line. Haener, 25, was a fourth-round selection back in 2021 but has yet to make his NFL debut.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener started in Sunday's 30-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans. The second-year pro completed 8-of-17 passes for 87 yards while also gaining six yards on a scramble. Haener was outplayed by rookie Spencer Rattler in a pivotal game for the backup quarterback job. The backup will likely be named this week with roster cutdown day on Tuesday. Haener finished the preseason with 270 passing yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions.
New Orleans Saints' quarterback Jake Haener led the team in passing with just 76 yards in Sunday night's loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Haener completed 7-of-13 passes and also scrambled once for two yards. The second-year quarterback closed the game out a week after playing ahead of rookie Spencer Rattler. The two appear to be entrenched in a battle for the backup quarterback job, with neither player taking a clear lead thus far.
Jake Haener Throws Together Modest Preseason Showing
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.
Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener Battling For Backup Role
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.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener was diagnosed with a rare form of skin cancer on his facial area and is scheduled to have a procedure performed Monday to address the issue. Reports say Haener should be expected back on the field for practice on Wednesday following the regularly scheduled off day for the Saints on Tuesday. The former fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft is set to compete for the backup role behind incumbent starter Derek Carr with 2024 fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler. The second-year signal-caller is a Fresno State alum -- like Carr -- and enjoyed a breakout season in 2021, where he tossed 4,096 yards, completing 67% of his passes with a 33:9 TD: INT ratio. Carr is locked in as the starter, but it's anyone's game behind him. Haener presents as little more than a deep-league dynasty stash until he proves himself as the backup in question.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener said he learned just before training camp that he had a rare form of skin cancer for his age pop up with a bump on his face, and he plans to follow up with another evaluation on an off day on Aug. 1. It remains to be seen if the 25-year-old will delay treatment for his skin cancer so that he can compete with rookie fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler for the backup QB job this summer behind starter Derek Carr. A fourth-rounder last year out of Fresno State, Haener was suspended for six games in 2023 and has yet to make his NFL debut. He has a shot to become the team's backup now that Jameis Winston is no longer in town, but there's no fantasy value here unless he wins the job and is thrust into the starting gig if Carr misses time with injury.
Spencer Rattler
• QB
•
Saints
|
