​Since Drew Brees retired in the 2021 offseason, the New Orleans Saints have shuffled through nine different starting quarterbacks. I thought it would be interesting to look back at the last five years and rank those who have taken the field for the Saints, from worst to best.
Ian Book started only one game as a Saint, Week 16 of the 2021 season. It was a Thursday Night Football clash with the Miami Dolphins that quickly became a 20-3 defeat in the Superdome. Book finished his Saints tenure with an 0-1 record as a starter, totaling 135 passing yards and throwing two interceptions, including a pick-six on the opening drive. I was in the stadium for that game, which is why I placed Book at the bottom of the list.
Jake Haener also has a single-start credential. He started Week 15 in 2024 against the Washington Commanders, but was benched at halftime in favor of Spencer Rattler. Rattler sparked an almost comeback, steering the Saints into a late opportunity to tie the game on a two-point try. In the end, Haener’s line showed 49 passing yards and an interception, and the Saints fell short. Haener’s position above Book on this list is largely a matter of personal memory; I still remember the Dolphins game vividly, and that sting lingers.
Taysom Hill is cherished by Saints fans as a legendary figure, but he isn’t typically regarded as a premier starter. Still, he did finish with a 3-1 record as the Saints’ starter. His stat line across those starts included 815 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions on about 55% completion. The standout moment of this era was unquestionably the Week 15, 2021 masterpiece—a 9-0 win over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That game remains a defining “Who Dat Nation” moment for the defense, largely independent of Hill’s own efficiency. Still, Hill can proudly claim a 1-0 mark against Brady as a starter.
Trevor Siemian entered the 2021 season as the fill-in solution for the injured Jameis Winston. He initially relieved Winston during Week 8 against the Buccaneers, helping the Saints move to 5-2. But the following weeks were rough, and Siemian went 0-4 as a starter. He compiled 995 passing yards with a TD-to-INT ratio of 10-to-3 over that stretch, and the season’s early promise collapsed under his watch.
Spencer Rattler, prior to 2024, was viewed as the most volatile of the Saints’ quarterback options, thanks to a wide variance in potential outcomes. By the end of 2025, his record sat at 1-13 as a Saints starter, a metric that underscored an uneven path through his tenure.
As I compile this ranking, I’m mindful of the shifting dynamics at the position in New Orleans and how different eras have shaped the Saints’ approach to quarterback development and competition. The quarterback carousel that followed Brees’s retirement has provided plenty of material for reflection, debates, and hopeful anticipation for the next era.