The New Orleans Saints are in for a massive organizational shift.
During the offseason, the Saints brought in Derek Carr after his long tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Many believe that Carr’s veteran presence will help the Saints take a step forward at the quarterback position, something that has lacked since Drew Brees retired.
Despite adding Carr, the Saints drafted quarterback Jake Haener in the fourth round of the 2023 draft.
When asked about Haener, Saints Assistant GM Jeff Ireland said, per PFT: “He does kind of remind you or there’s some similarities to No. 9.”
Jeff Ireland: Saints rookie quarterback Jake Haener has similarities to Drew Brees. https://t.co/ZrQiRQamfn
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 8, 2023
Number 9, of course, was Brees, a legend that will live on within the organization for years to come.
If Haener is drawing early comparisons to Brees, that could bode well for his future.
Many were surprised that the Saints did decide to draft Haener, given the capital they invested in Carr.
With any luck, Haener will be able to learn from Carr, given he has played in the NFL for nearly a decade.
Carr is under contract with the Saints for a total of four years, which could hinder Haener’s ability to see the field.
If Carr ever becomes injured, however, Haener could be the presumed starter, giving him a chance to compete in the NFL.
As evidenced by the rise of Brock Purdy in 2022, in the NFL, you never know when a chance to play will come around.
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