Saints May Already Have Spencer Rattler's Successor In Their Sights

Could the Saints land Fernando Mendoza to replace Spencer Rattler next year?

Oct 5, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore talks to New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (2) against the New York Giants during the second quarter at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints are one of the worst teams in football this year, which means they're likely going to land a top draft pick next winter.

The Saints might want to draft a quarterback at the top of the first round. This season, they've used Spencer Rattler as their starting quarterback, and he's been solid. Second round pick Tyler Shough hasn't looked good, and he's ended up on the bench as a result. At this point, the Saints could look to draft a quarterback if Rattler doesn't flash more potential.

FanSided's Justin Carter recently predicted the Saints would land Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft next offseason.

Saints linked to Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza in NFL Draft

"The Saints picked up their first win of the year on Sunday against the Giants, but don't expect that to mean much. I still expect New Orleans to wind up picking second or third in this draft behind the Jets and, like...the Titans, maybe? But Tennessee isn't in need of a quarterback, so barring a team trading up, New Orleans should have a chance to draft its long-term guy," Carter wrote. "(This assumes, of course, that the Saints leave 2025 convinced that Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough aren't the answers. They should be very convinced of that fact, but NFL coaching staffs have made dumber decisions than that before.)

"Mendoza is a very good pocket passer, though games like his showing against Iowa show that his game can sometimes break down a bit against better defenses. Still, this is a dude who dropped five touchdowns on 91.3 percent passing on Illinois; he can be an elite thrower in the NFL."

Mendoza has been a very good quarterback in the Big Ten this year. He's burst on the scene for the Hoosiers and, as a result, he's flown up up draft boards.

There's a chance Mendoza could end up as a top two or three quarterback in the upcoming draft, which would put him firmly in the range of the Saints' top pick.

The Saints could want to move on from Rattler this offseason. He's shown some potential, but not enough to save his job going forward.

More NFL: Saints Young LB Under Fire; Called New Orleans' 'Worst Starter'