Saints set to start QB Rattler; Kamara likely out

METAIRIE, La. — New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler will start on Monday night against the Green Bay Packers if Derek Carr misses a second game with a hand injury, interim coach Darren Rizzi said Thursday.

Rizzi said that Rattler gave the team a spark after playing the second half of a 20-19 loss to the Washington Commanders last week and he was impressed by how he led the team down the field to score in the final two minutes. The Saints initially went with Jake Haener as their starter before switching to Rattler after halftime.

Rattler previously started three games when Carr was out with an oblique injury.

The Saints could be without both Carr and running back Alvin Kamara this week. Rizzi said running back Kamara’s groin injury is more serious than initial tests revealed. A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the injury is still being evaluated but it is potentially season ending.

Rizzi said Kamara is considered “week-to-week” but “it doesn’t look great” for his chances to play Monday.

“The initial tests were, it wasn’t really going to be that bad and it’s just a little bit more significant, so a little bit more missed time,” Rizxi said. “I think with the type of injury that he has, there’s multiple opinions, there’s different ways you can handle it, it can heal. … All of us medical staff, Alvin, everyone’s going to just kind of take a deep breath here and kind of see what the best option is for him moving forward. … Hopefully we can get him back here by the end of the year, but we’ll see what happens.”

Rizzi disputed reports that Carr is potentially done for the season and said, “by no means is it a reach that he’ll be back at some point.” Rizzi said Carr wants to play again this season and has been rehabbing his injury, a fractured non-throwing hand, to try to make that happen.

“If he was done for the season, we would’ve put him on IR by now and we would’ve shut him down. It’s just not the case,” Rizzi said. He’s working his tail off every day. He’s frustrated by some of the reports. Quite frankly, we’ve had multiple conversations about it and he’s in here every day. … He had one of his best days today, so as soon as he’s able to function and as soon as he’s able to go out there and get some functionality back in his hand, we’ll do that.”

Functionality would be the key to Carr’s return at some point this season, although the Saints have only three regular season games left and a slim chance at the postseason. Carr, who is currently sporting a brace on his hand, did not practice last week and Rizzi said they would need to see him go through a practice on Saturday in order to play.

“I appreciate and respect the fact that he wants to come back and play and so therefore that’s why this thing’s day-to-day, we’re not going to put him in harm’s way,” Rizzi said. “We’re going to make sure that he’s able to go out there and function. That’s really what it comes down to right now. When he can fully function and go out there and function [on] all the duties as a quarterback, he’ll be back on the field.”

Rizzi said that an injury guarantee in Carr’s contract is not a barrier to him returning this season.

“I’m not speaking for [general manager] Mickey [Loomis] or [Owner Gayle] Benson, but I think if the organization was concerned about that, the easy thing to do would’ve been to shelve him for the year, put him on IR, let him get healthy, let him pass the physical” Rizzi said. “… I certainly am not the salary cap guy or the contract guy. I’m the coach. But at the same time, I understand that that plays into it, and I understand that that’s happened in Derek’s past. The fact that he wants to come back, the fact that he’s not on IR, I think kind of, in my opinion, answers those questions. But that’s not an issue at the moment.”

The Saints, meanwhile, opened up the 21-day practice window for wide receiver Chris Olave, who was cleared to return to football activities this week.

Olave was placed on IR in November after sustaining two concussions this season. Olave changed his helmet to a safer model before sustaining the second concussion, which caused him to be taken out of a game against the Carolina Panthers on a backboard.

Olave has missed a total of six games this season while in concussion protocol, including the last five. He sought out several opinions and saw specialists regarding the concussions before making his return.

“I’m super, super happy for Chris,” Rizzi said. “It’s great news for him and so he resumed practice today. He was limited today. … Obviously he had significant time off, so we’re going to kind of take it step by step with him, but I couldn’t be happier for him and more as a person than a football player. Really, really excited about him. He was in a great mood today, all smiles.