What Saints drafting QB Tyler Shough could mean for Derek Carr - ESPN

New Orleans Saints coach Kellen Moore cracked open the door to quarterback speculation in February when he didn't appear to make a firm commitment to Derek Carr.

And in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft, the Saints kicked that door wide open.

The team selected Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough with the No. 40 pick on Friday night after bypassing the position with their first-round pick (New Orleans selected Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. at No. 9).

Shough will arrive in New Orleans amid questions about Carr, who has not been in attendance during the voluntary part of the offseason program.

The Saints confirmed Carr has a shoulder injury during a pre-draft press conference on Wednesday but did not provide any further clarity about the veteran quarterback, with Moore saying the team will «let that process play itself out.»

If Carr elects to stay away from the team when offseason practices begin in May, Shough will be sharing time with Spencer Rattler, the primary starter as a rookie when Carr was injured last year, and Jake Haener, who started one game in 2024 but was benched for Rattler after a half.

«My goal is to come in there and compete and do everything I can to make the team better,» Shough said Friday after being drafted. «And I think for my situation, that's my whole goal and I'm just really excited to work with the coaches and see a lot of my close friends and teammates that are already there. So, just super fired up for the opportunity and obviously a great franchise and a great history of quarterbacks.»

With a potential quarterback controversy brewing in New Orleans, Saints reporter Katherine Terrell answers the biggest questions about the situation with help from NFL insider Dan Graziano, plus