Jake Haener Backs Derek Carr for Saints’ First Game | Saints

We finally have an answer to the question of who will be the New Orleans Saints’ backup quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.

This is Jake Haener.

After coach Dennis Allen declined to reveal the pick following roster cuts, the Saints declared rookie Spencer Rattler the team’s emergency quarterback when they announced their inactives 90 minutes before kickoff.

That means Haener, a fourth-round pick in 2023, will serve as a backup behind starter Derek Carr. The Saints opted to bring in Haener after a fierce battle between Haener and Rattler in training camp and the preseason.

In three exhibition games, Rattler has been slightly more productive than Haener. Rattler, a fifth-round draft pick out of South Carolina, has a passer rating of 76.9 to Haener’s 74.8.

Rattler also led a two-minute game-winning drive against Arizona and a spectacular 21-yard touchdown run in New Orleans’ final preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.

Haener, however, had the better completion percentage (55.8% vs. 52.6%), threw for more yards (270 vs. 202) and suffered fewer sacks (one vs. three).

Rattler, meanwhile, will technically be inactive against the Panthers. He could still play if Carr and Haener both suffer injuries due to the league’s emergency quarterback rule.

In addition to Rattler, the Saints declared the following players inactive: