Bullet point summary by AI
- Spencer Rattler finds himself on the edge of his NFL career after losing his starting job in New Orleans.
- His best remaining path forward centers on landing in a system known for developing mobile backups into valuable contributors.
- The Green Bay Packers are a franchise needing insurance at quarterback.
Spencer Rattler doesn’t have too many lifelines left in the NFL. He had his golden moment to be the starter in New Orleans and he didn’t answer the call, which is why New Orleans turned to Tyler Shough. With that, Rattler’s best chance at surviving in the NFL is getting traded to a new team. There have been rumblings that he could end up in Denver to be Bo Nix’s backup. That’s not a bad move for Denver with Rattler and Nix having eerily similar play styles.
What if there’s another option out there?
The Green Bay Packers would be the obvious destination. They just let Malik Willis go and Jordan Love needs a better backup than his current options. Matt LaFleur has been a bit of a quarterback guru and Rattler would simply be his next project. It might just work for both sides too.
Green Bay Packers find perfect Malik Willis replacement with this trade
Love has had some injury problems throughout his NFL career so the Packers getting insurance would be a smart move. Rattler makes a lot of sense because in a way, he could contribute in the same way Willis did. LaFleur didn’t put pressure on Willis to be an elite passer. He was primarily a runner when he did come in, which is exactly what Rattler could offer. Along with that, if Rattler does need to pass, the system would be simple for him and not require him to do a whole lot.
It almost feels too obvious of a move for Green Bay to make. LaFleur took Willis and in three seasons turned him into nearly a $70 million quarterback. If he can resurrect Rattler’s career, which is literally hanging by a thread, it might just save both Rattler and the Packers.
Why Spencer Rattler’s perfect landing spot is in Green Bay and not Denver
ESPN’s Dan Graziano teased the idea that Denver could be in play for Spencer Rattler. It’s a long shot, but something to monitor if the Packers are considering Rattler for their backup position. Jarrett Stidham is the backup in Denver and truthfully, he’s been everything you want out of a veteran backup. The only way Denver decides to go a different route is if he’s injured or for some reason he gets traded.
Rattler is better suited for Green Bay just off the strength that he’ll actually get a chance to play whereas in Denver, Stidham hadn’t taken a meaningful snap in two years before playing in the AFC championship game against New England last year. Willis played in 11 games over his two seasons in Green Bay. Rattler could be set up with that kind of opportunity to prove he deserves to be a starter in the NFL again.
Spencer Rattler needs the right backup job if he wants to play in the NFL
Green Bay is the perfect backup job, not just because he’d get a chance to play, but because he needs to be in a low-pressure situation. In New Orleans, he was essentially forced into the starting role and he has just one win as a starter in 14 games. When you dive into the stats a little more, though, you see he’s not completely part of the problem.
According to Pro Football Reference, 74.7 percent of Rattlers’ throws in 2025 were on target and just 11 percent of them were considered bad throws — both stats exclude throwaways and spikes. He also had just 2.2 seconds in the pocket. For a young quarterback, it’s going to be hard to succeed with just over two seconds to make a decision. Getting paired with LaFleur can help him learn how to make quick decisions.
He’s accurate enough that he shouldn’t be a major drop off from what Willis was able to provide. While New Orleans did start to win with Shough, I think this is less about Rattler as a quarterback and more about the system he was in. In Green Bay, he’ll be able to learn and develop behind Love and with one of the top offensive minds in the NFL.
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