Saints Facing Backlash Over QB Decision After Week 1 Loss
The New Orleans Saints lost veteran quarterback Derek Carr in the offseason and didn't do much to replace him.
The Saints were left with Spencer Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough in the quarterback room. They opted to start Rattler in Week 1, and he was quietly impressive. But there are still members of the media who believe the Saints should have added more to the quarterback room.
FanSided's Zachary Rotman recently suggested the Saints would regret missing out on New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields in free agency after Fields was impressive in Week 1.
Saints may regret not adding to the quarterback room
"Rattler wound up going 27-for-46 for 214 yards in a 20-13 loss in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals. He didn't turn the ball over, only took one sack, and actually nearly led the Saints back in the waning seconds, but I'm not sold that Rattler is the future by any means," Rotman wrote. "The Saints selected Rattler in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He started six games for them last season and didn't show much. Why exactly did New Orleans feel the need to stick with him instead of taking a shot on a former first-round pick in Fields, who is only two years older than Rattler?
"Similar to Cleveland, New Orleans didn't have much to lose here. The Saints could easily end up in contention for the No. 1 overall pick when all is said and done, and I'd argue Fields is better now and has far more upside than Rattler. If Fields didn't work, the Saints could've then turned to Rattler or Shough. Fields would've given this team more to dream about now and in the future than Rattler."
The Saints likely never had much of a chance at landing Fields either way. Fields was much more likely to land with the Jets or back with the Pittsburgh Steelers rather than the Saints.
Fortunately for the Saints, Rattler was very impressive at times in Week 1. He didn't score, but the young signal caller flashed signs of promise. It's still unlikely he's the quarterback of the future, but it feels like a stretch to suggest the Saints regret passing on Fields, especially since it's unclear if they actually passed on him rather than the other way around.
Eagles’ Bold Play for Micah Parsons Rejected as Cowboys Opt for Packers Deal
More details are emerging about the weeks leading up to the Dallas Cowboys’ decision to trade Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. As fans would expect, the Packers were not the only team interested in striking a blockbuster deal for Parsons.
The Philadelphia Eagles pushed to land Parsons, but the Cowboys had no interest in moving the star pass rusher to a rival inside the division.
“One team that made a strong play this summer to try to trade for All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons was none other than the Philadelphia Eagles, per league sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter detailed in a September 4, 2025, message on X.
“The Eagles called the Cowboys to see if they could acquire Parsons and bring him back to Pennsylvania. But the Cowboys had no interest in trading Parsons in the division, especially to the defending Super-Bowl champion Eagles…”
All the latest details about the Cowboys squashing the Eagles’ push to acquire Parsons.
The Eagles Offered Cowboys a Haul in a Potential Micah Parsons Trade
A strong argument can be made that the Eagles’ offer was more enticing than the deal that landed the Cowboys two first-round picks and Kenny Clark. Not as enticing is facing Parsons two times every NFL season as a division rival as the Eagles stand in the Cowboys’ way in attempting to win the NFC East.
Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported that the Cowboys’ initial goal was to trade Parsons to an AFC team. The NFL insider also revealed new details on the Eagles’ offer to the Cowboys.
“Micah Parsons asked for a trade about a week or so into the camp, but what nobody knows is that Dallas actually made the decision to trade him (and) about a week or so before that started putting feelers out,” Glazer detailed on “FOX NFL Sunday” on September 7. “What they were hoping to do was trade him to an AFC team.
“I think they were shocked they could not get any traction anywhere from an AFC team. The team actually threw in the biggest offer is the Philadelphia Eagles for 2-1s, a three, a five (two first-round picks, a third rounder and a fifth-round selection) amongst other things,” Glazer continued.
“Obviously didn’t want to trade him in the division, but the Green Bay Packers, they chimed in early, they kept with it, and Kenny Clark is what made the difference for Dallas.”
Packers Star Micah Parsons Labeled the Offseason With the Cowboys as ‘Super Toxic’
The Cowboys clearly valued getting a veteran in return for Parsons instead of simply stockpiling picks. Acquiring Clark proved to be a major factor in Dallas’ decision to make a deal with the Packers.
Parsons ended up signing a new four-year, $186 million contract with Green Bay. The pass rusher labeled this offseason in Dallas as “super toxic.”
“These last six months was super draining, super toxic for everyone,” Parsons said on September 7, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. “It’s something that I don’t think no player should have to go through.
“… The fact that I was traded a week before the season was really outrageous and rough. It’s something where I could’ve been with these guys getting better and better and we could’ve had probably (an) even more dominant start.”
