By Jeff Howe, Larry Holder and Alex Andrejev

After dropping a 3rd straight sport, the New Orleans Saints are coping with one other loss — quarterback Derek Carr is out for a number of video games with an indirect harm, in accordance with a league supply. Spencer Rattler is a powerful candidate to start out in Carr’s place in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, the supply mentioned.

Carr, who exited within the fourth quarter of Monday’s matchup in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, mentioned after the sport he’d have an MRI on Tuesday. When requested how he felt following the harm, Carr mentioned, “Not good.”

The attainable impression of Carr’s harm on the Davante Adams sweepstakes stays to be seen. The Saints (2-3) are one of many groups within the combine for Adams, the Las Vegas Raiders’ star vast receiver who requested a commerce final week. Carr and Adams have an in depth relationship from their time with the Raiders and at Fresno State, and Adams is shut with Saints vast receivers coach Keith Williams.

After beginning their season 2-0, the Saints’ newest three losses have dropped them to 3rd within the NFC South behind the Atlanta Falcons (3-2) and Buccaneers (3-2).

Even with Carr wholesome for many of Monday’s sport, the Saints struggled, as Carr went 18-of-28 passing for 165 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Carr suffered the harm with seven minutes left within the sport after taking successful within the pocket on a failed fourth-down throw. He went to the locker room and the Saints labeled him as questionable to return, however he by no means did. Backup Jake Haener closed out the 26-13 loss.

Carr mentioned the harm occurred on a throw reasonably than any explicit hit.

“I might have executed something to remain on the market and hold preventing, however I simply, I couldn’t,” Carr mentioned. “So (it) sucks.”

Spencer Rattler or Jake Haener?

I’m undecided whether or not Rattler or Haener give the Saints the most effective likelihood to win in Carr’s absence. However there’s zero doubt who the folks’s selection could be to fill in in case you’re asking the fan base. That’s Rattler by a landslide.

Rattler landed as a second-round prospect in The Athletic’s 2024 NFL Draft information “The Beast,” which made his fifth-round choice by the Saints a simple choose. This could give the Saints an prolonged take a look at Rattler to see if the previous Oklahoma and South Carolina quarterback is perhaps the long run on the place. I’d count on bumps within the highway for Rattler, however he possesses the next upside than Haener.

If Rattler isn’t the reply and the Saints find yourself lacking the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, a first-round quarterback must be within the plans for the 2025 NFL Draft.

When did the Saints final draft a quarterback in Spherical 1? Archie Manning in 1971. — Larry Holder, NFL senior author

Required studying

(Photograph: Jamie Squire / Getty Photographs)