Zach Wilson and Spencer Rattler push for New Orleans’ backup quarterback role as Saints head into a second preseason test

The New Orleans Saints’ quarterback competition is moving into its next evaluation window, with Zach Wilson and Spencer Rattler both seeking to solidify the team’s backup quarterback spot as the Saints prepare for their second preseason game. The team’s message is straightforward: the names may shift from one week to the next, but the mission for the coaching staff remains the same, to identify who can consistently operate the offense when starter-game reps are not available.

In a preseason update posted by the Saints, the focus is on the level of play from both Wilson and Rattler as they continue to earn reps and build chemistry with the units around them. Saints personnel point to the quality of the work on the field, encapsulated in the team’s comment that “Both those guys are playing some good ball.” That assessment frames the competition as ongoing, rather than settled, and it underscores that both quarterbacks are being viewed as active parts of the team’s preseason picture.

Preseason quarterback battles often come down to details that are easier to see than to measure. For a backup role, coaches want answers across a range of tasks that do not show up the same way in highlight reels. That includes whether a quarterback can recognize pressures quickly, whether he can keep the offense on schedule after the first read is taken away, and whether he can coordinate timing with receivers who may be running different routes than the starters do. The Saints’ continued attention to Wilson and Rattler suggests the coaching staff wants evidence of repeatable decision-making rather than one-off stretches.

For Wilson, the preseason represents an opportunity to demonstrate command of the system and readiness to execute under game-speed conditions. For Rattler, it is a chance to show that his development and learning of the professional scheme is translating into effective drives when the supporting cast is in flux. Because both quarterbacks are competing for the same roster purpose, the Saints’ second preseason game becomes an important checkpoint, even if the broader preseason slate still includes additional evaluation.

The Saints’ approach also reflects the practical realities of building depth at the position. The team does not simply need a quarterback who can throw; it needs a quarterback who can run an offense with enough accuracy and tempo to keep possession-ending drives from stalling, particularly when other rotational players are also trying to prove their roles. A backup quarterback is often asked to handle a mix of scripted sequences and late-clock situations, and those moments can separate “promising” from “reliable” in a staff’s day-to-day planning.

What to watch next is how the Saints deploy Wilson and Rattler in game situations that test both process and poise. That includes whether the offense looks organized when the first wave of planned plays is gone, whether the quarterbacks protect the football under pressure, and whether the drives conclude with sustained execution rather than short, stop-start movement. If one quarterback shows more consistency, the Saints could carry that momentum forward into subsequent roster decisions.

Even with a competitive camp, the Saints’ stated framing implies a continuing internal debate, not a conclusion. As Wilson and Rattler each get their shot in the second preseason game, the competition will likely remain central to the team’s day-to-day storyline, because preseason quarterback decisions do not end with a single performance. They accumulate into a clearer picture of who can best support the team if the starter’s situation changes, and who can best represent the offense when backups are on the field.