Haener is slated to remain the Saints' No. 2 quarterback for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers with head coach Dennis Allen announcing Wednesday that rookie Spencer Rattler will start the Week 6 contest in place of the injured Derek Carr (oblique), Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.
Haener has served as the Saints' top backup all season while Rattler has been inactive as the No. 3 quarterback in each of the team's first five games, but the fifth-round pick out of South Carolina will leapfrog Haener on the depth chart with Carr set to miss at least one start. After Carr was injured in Monday's loss to the Chiefs, Haener directed the offense for the final drive of the night but didn't impress in his limited action, completing two of seven pass attempts for 17 yards and carrying twice for 11 yards. Other than stating that Rattler gives the Saints the best chance to win, Allen declined to provide many specifics regarding why the rookie was chosen to start over Haener, who is only a year older than Rattler and was actually drafted higher (fourth-round choice in 2023).