What’s there to say at this point? On Monday night, the Packers are hosting the New Orleans Saints, who have seen a decent number of starting quarterbacks duck under center over the past 20 seasons…especially in recent years. Since we’ve done this for nine other teams at this point and people seem to enjoy it, we figured we’d bypass the usual Wisconsin sports coverage this week in favor of ranking the 14 starting quarterbacks the Saints have fielded since the 2005 season. And yes, after crunching the numbers, we’re just as surprised by some of these rankings as you’ll be. But we stand by them. Go Pack Go!
14. Ian Book
Somebody needs to be at the bottom of the rankings, and Ian Book is the guy. After being taken by the Saints in the 4th round of the 2021 draft, the Notre Dame standout made his NFL debut and first career start in a December matchup against the Dolphins that season. Two interceptions, 135 passing yards, and a loss later, New Orleans closed the book on Book. He was waived prior to the 2022 season.
13 Jake Haener
While there’s still time for Jake Haener to climb this list, the second-year quarterback is currently near the bottom. He didn’t log any regular season stats during his rookie year. He’s played a little more in 2024, including his first career start in Week 15…which he was yanked from in favor of Spencer Rattler after two quarters of substandard play.
12. Mark Brunell
With all due respect to guys like Byron Leftwitch and David Gerrard, it’s safe to say Mark Brunell is the best Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback of all time. The same can’t be said for the accomplished QB’s brief and forgettable tenure with the Saints. During the final game of the 2009 regular season, Brunell got his only start for the 13-win New Orleans team that wanted to give Drew Brees some extra rest before the playoffs. He managed 15 completions, 102 passing yards, and an interception in a losing effort against the Panthers, which would be the final start of his career.
11. Luke McCown
Much like his older brother Josh, Luke McCown was also a journeyman quarterback who managed a long NFL career, primarily in a backup capacity. During the 2015 season (his third with New Orleans and his final year of his career), McCown started one game, which the Saints lost. During the entirety of his New Orleans tenure, McCown tallied 32 completions (in 39 attempts!) for 335 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception.
10. Todd Bouman
Whether part of the 53-man roster or a member of the practice squad, Todd Bouman was on a lot of NFL teams (and one World League team) during his 14-year pro career. The longest stint anywhere was with New Orleans, where Bouman mostly served as a backup from 2003 through 2005. During his final Saints season, he did get three opportunities to start. However, New Orleans would go winless in all three of those games, during which Bouman would manage 722 yards through the air along with two touchdowns and seven interceptions.
9. Spencer Rattler
Monday night’s starting quarterback will be Spencer Rattler. As noted in the Haener blurb above, the rookie was brought into the game by the Saints partway through the team’s last game, and he nearly helped lead New Orleans to a come from behind win. In addition to last weekend’s relief appearance, Rattler started three games for the Saints to this point. Despite the 0-3 record in games he started, Rattler’s stat line—706 passing yards, two touchdowns, two picks, and 61 rushing yards—isn’t too bad.
8. Trevor Siemian
After earning the Broncos starting job that came available when Peyton Manning retired after the Super Bowl-winning 2015 season, Trevor Siemian has bounced around the league. Though largely a backup QB (including his current position with Tennessee), he’s gotten to start a few games along the way…including some games with the Saints in 2021. That season (which consists of six total games, four starts), Siemian totaled 1,154 passing yards, 11 touchdowns through the air, three interceptions, and a rushing TD. Despite his respectable performance, New Orleans went 0-4 in games started by Siemian.
7. Andy Dalton
Following nine seasons as one of the best Bengals quarterbacks of all time, Andy Dalton has turned up with a few other teams (including the Panthers, where he’s currently the backup). In addition to stints with Carolina, Chicago, and Dallas, Dalton was under center in New Orleans for one season. In 2022, he started 14 games for the Saints. During that span, the team posted a 6-8 record, with Dalton throwing for 2,871 yards and 18 touchdowns (compared to nine interceptions).
6. Jameis Winston
Former No. 1 overall pick and longtime Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston wound up in a Saints uniform after his time in Tampa Bay was through. During his four-season stint there, Winston mostly served as Brees’ backup. In 10 total Saints starting opportunities in 2021 and 2022, Winston led New Orleans to a 6-4 record. In his entire Saint tenure, he managed 2,367 passing yards, 21 total touchdowns (20 passing, one rushing), and 11 interceptions.
5. Teddy Bridgewater
Unfortunately for Vikings fans, 2014 first rounder and 2015 Pro Bowler Teddy Bridgewater suffered a horrific leg injury that essentially ended his career in Minnesota (excluding one offensive series late in the 2017 season). Thankfully, he eventually recovered and wound up in New Orleans during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Though mostly backing up Drew Brees, Bridgewater actually started six games and the Saints won five of them. During his entire two-year Saints stint, Teddy threw for 1,502 yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, and just three interceptions. Not incredible by any means, but efficient and ultimately effective nonetheless.
4. Derek Carr
We’ve already named Derek Carr the best Raiders starting quarterback of the last 20 seasons, but—believe it or not—he’s also a top-five Saints quarterback of the last two decades. Carr willed New Orleans to a winning record in his first season with the team last year and, despite missing ample time this season, he’s put up more than 6,000 passing yards, 40 passing touchdowns, and just 13 interceptions in two partial seasons as a Saint. He also added a rushing score for good measure.
3. Taysom Hill
Okay, so this one is weird, but hear us out. Taysom Hill might currently be a tight end on the Saints. However, this hybrid player has also logged considerable snaps in the backfield and under center during his eight seasons with New Orleans. All told, Hill has 2,437 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns, 943 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns, and 2,369 passing yard with 11 passing touchdowns (compared to nine interceptions) at this point in his unconventional Saints career. It’s also worth noting New Orleans went 7-2 in games where Hill was the team’s starting quarterback.
2. Aaron Brooks
Twenty years ago, Aaron Brooks was in his final season as the starting quarterback of the Saints. Despite the 38-44 record New Orleans posted in games Brooks started, the QB’s six-year Saints experience was statistically impressive, including 19,156 passing yards, 120 passing touchdowns (plus 13 rushing TDs), and more than 1,400 yards rushing.
1. Drew Brees
Of course the top spot was always going to be Drew Brees. The future Hall Of Famer is one of the best quarterbacks of all time. His career started in shaky fashion with the Chargers, but everything clicked once Brees wound up with the Saints. During his 15 seasons in New Orleans, Brees threw for more than 68,000 yards through the air, tallied 190 passing touchdowns (plus 21 rushing TDs), made 13 Pro Bowls, and led the Saints to a 142-86 record in games he started. Oh, and he was instrumental in helping the team to a Super Bowl win in the 2009 season.