Days after Derek Carr's retirement, Chase Daniel makes feelings known on Tyler Shough as option for Saints HC Kellen Moore

Former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel believes Tyler Shough represents the best immediate solution for the New Orleans Saints' quarterback crisis. On Friday, Daniel offered his perspective during his appearance on Scoop City.

Coach Kellen Moore inherited a quarterback room with minimal NFL experience after Carr's abrupt exit from professional football.

"I think that Tyler Shough walks in, and I think that he is a day one starter based on the team that they have around him and the quarterbacks they have in their room," Daniel said. "Let's be real about this. Between Shough, Haener, and Rattler, the Saints have seven career NFL starts and zero NFL wins.

"A guy that I'm close with, Kellen Moore, who took the job down there in New Orleans, that was the number one question he had: who's going to be the quarterback? Derek Carr got hurt last year, didn't play a lot, and everything that happened with him, I don't know if you can walk into a better situation for Tyler Shough than the New Orleans Saints actually to go out there and start right away."

Daniel's assessment highlights the stark reality facing the Saints organization. The quarterback room features Spencer Rattler entering his second year, Jake Haener in his third season recovering from an oblique injury, and rookie Hunter Dekkers alongside Shough. None of these players has recorded an NFL victory.

Saints' quarterback vacuum amidst Tyler Shough prospects and Derek Carr's retirement

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While Pro Football Focus analyst John Kosko ranked the Saints' quarterback room last among all 32 NFL teams, Chase Daniel sees an opportunity for Tyler Shough to establish himself immediately.

The 26-year-old rookie was picked as the third quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft, leaving many analysts surprised. However, the Saints' investment in him with a second-round pick shows organizational confidence in his abilities.

Shough paints a modest picture of his rookie season potential. Chris Trapasso's analysis suggests a best-case scenario of 61% completion percentage with 13 touchdown passes and eight interceptions, while the worst-case scenario projects just seven touchdowns against nine interceptions.

The Saints' situation represents what Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine described as the team "finally" entering a rebuilding phase after years of salary cap management. Carr's retirement accelerated this timeline, forcing Moore to work with a quarterback room that combines inexperience with unproven ability at the professional level.