This wasn’t supposed to be a quarterback draft for the Saints. They’d already made their bet, reshuffling Derek Carr’s $150 million contract in February to keep their veteran starter in place, stabilizing the position while first-year head coach Kellen Moore installed his system. The plan, if not ideal, was clear: ride out 2025 with Carr, develop around him, and revisit the position in a year. But plans tend to buckle under the weight of uncertainty. And right now, nothing in New Orleans feels settled.

On April 12, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Carr is now managing a shoulder injury that could jeopardize his availability for the season. Surgery is reportedly on the table. And internally, league sources say the Saints have already begun pivoting—quietly re-evaluating quarterback options in this year’s class, some of which wouldn’t have been on their board just a month ago. With the No. 9 pick and no guarantee one of the top signal-callers will fall to them, New Orleans is widening the search. They may not be chasing a star, but they’re looking hard for answers.

A columnist for NOLA.com, Jeff Duncan, reported that Louisville QB Tyler Shough visited the Saints on Friday. Now, this could be just a formal visit to the Saints’ headquarters. As Shough falls under one of the top 30 visits teams are allowed to make before the NFL draft. But this could be more than just a formal trip to Louisiana. Quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien was in attendance at Shough’s Louisville Pro Day. More notably, Saints offensive assistant Jordan Traylor coached Shough during the Senior Bowl in Mobile. Those relationships matter, especially with a prospect whose value lies less in upside and more in readiness. So, it was definitely more than just a top-30 visit. It could be a premeditated draft plan the Saints are looking to pull to solve their QB woes.

Shough’s resume is a unique one. He has seven years of college experience across three programs: Oregon, Texas Tech, and finally Louisville, where he posted a career-best 3,195 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2024. In total, he’s accounted for 59 career touchdowns and logged more college snaps than any quarterback in this class. That kind of sample size, paired with the pro-style concepts Jeff Brohm runs at Louisville, offers rare clarity for NFL teams typically starved for full-season tape on prospects.

Now, those aren’t the numbers enough to make NFL teams drool on the prospect of adding Shough. What Shough lacks in flash, he compensates for with poise and pattern recognition. In clean-pocket scenarios last season, he ranked 12th nationally in Expected Points Added (EPA) per dropback. The downside? When pressured, he cratered, falling to 49th in EPA and accounting for four of his six interceptions in those scenarios. His drop in play under heat is a known issue—and one the Saints would need to scheme around or coach out.

But fit matters, and Moore’s offensive history suggests he doesn’t require generational arm talent to build a functional attack. He’s built systems for quarterbacks who win with timing, not chaos. Think: Prescott’s 2019 breakout. Shough won’t scramble his way out of third-and-9, but he can execute rhythm throws, read full-field progressions, and reset his feet mid-progression. That’s what Moore wants.

Derek Carr’s unclear NFL future pushes the Saints deep into the QB market

On April 12th, one major news sent the Saints’ draft plans off the rails. “Starter Derek Carr is now dealing with a shoulder injury that threatens his availability for this season,” Rapoport reported. He also added that Carr is weighing up his option of whether to have surgery or not. After the Saints reworked his $150M contract that ties him to the franchise for at least another year, this news could come as a wrecking ball. Considering his backup, Spencer Rattler, went 0-6 last season, the Saints have to find a solution.

Picking a QB at No.9 was always going to be a tough ask. But right now, the Saints have to do what’s an absolute necessity. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders could be an option if the Browns, Giants, and Raiders pass him on. But will those 3 really pass on a young signal-caller with no one in their QB room? Well, that could be impossible, but not completely. If not Sanders, the Saints could, of course, look at Ole Miss Jaxson Dart or Alabama’s Jalen Milroe. Dart threw for 4,279 passing yards for 29 TDs and just 6 INTs last year. He remains one of those QBs who have continued to rise on the NFL draft board.

Then, there’s Milroe, whose explosiveness speaks for itself. Having pulled comparisons with former Alabama alum Jalen Hurts, Milroe could blend in with Moore’s run-heavy offense. Banking on his 726 rushing yards and 20 scores on the ground, Milroe could be an instant hit in NOLA. Now it totally depends on the Saints, who they would want to possibly replace Carr. Whoever it is, whether it’s Shough, Dart, Sanders, or Milroe, they are gonna have to bring their A-game. Otherwise, it would be hard to turn around the Saints’ fortunes that saw them finish with a record of 5-12 after scoring over 90 points in the first two games.