New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen has selected rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler to make his first regular-season NFL start on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Allen confirmed Rattler as the starter on Wednesday with usual starter Derek Carr to miss at least one game because of a left oblique injury that occurred in the fourth quarter of New Orleans’ 26-13 loss in Kansas City on Monday night.

The decision means that Rattler, for the time being, moves ahead of second-year pro Jake Haener on the depth chart.

Haener replaced Carr after his injury in Kansas City and also played late in a pair of lopsided victories to start the season.

“We just internally talked a lot about it and felt like in this particular game he was going to give us the best chance to win,” Allen said of Rattler. “He’s a rookie so we’re going to have some challenges that go along with that, but I think we’ll have a good plan for him.”

Rattler was selected by the Saints in the fifth round of last spring’s NFL draft out of South Carolina.

He will become the fifth rookie quarterback to start his season, joining Caleb Williams (Bears), Jayden Daniels (Commanders), Bo Nix (Broncos) and Drake Maye, who is scheduled to also make his first career start Sunday for the Patriots against Houston.

JuJu Smith-Schuster declared "the band is back together" after helping the Kansas City Chiefs stay perfect for the season with Monday's 26-13 win over the New Orleans Saints.

Smith-Schuster had seven catches for 130 yards as the Chiefs overcame the absence of injured receiver Rashee Rice to make their first 5-0 start since 2018 – the team's first campaign with Patrick Mahomes as their starting quarterback.

Kareem Hunt also excelled, rushing for 102 yards and a touchdown – his first score for the Chiefs since they released him six years ago, before bringing him back last month.

Smith-Schuster, meanwhile, returned to the team in August, having played a key role in their 2022 Super Bowl-winning season.

Speaking after the victory, the former second-round draft pick said: "It's pretty cool getting the guys back. I'd say it's like the band is back together."

The Chiefs are one of just two teams, alongside the Minnesota Vikings, to boast a 100% record for the season.

Quarterback Mahomes hailed the impact of both Smith-Schuster and Hunt after their latest win, comparing the former to his favourite target, tight end Travis Kelce.

"It's a credit to not only the guys and how hard they work, but coach [Andy] Reid and just knowing their skill sets and how to put them in great positions," Mahomes said. 

"Kareem just runs extremely hard. He gets every yard out there, catches the ball, does whatever it takes in order to go out there and win.

"[Smith-Schuster] fits in well in this offense and so he did a great job today. It was cool to get those guys going.

"Trav is kind of one of a kind, but he [Smith-Schuster] has a good feel for the entire concept of the play and so he knows how to get into the open spots.

"He did a good job today of beating man when they played man and finding windows to get big catches."

NFL tight end Foster Moreau revealed he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma during a physical with the New Orleans Saints.

The 25-year-old is a free agent following his release from the Las Vegas Raiders, who drafted him in 2019, and was diagnosed during a visit to his hometown team in free agency.

Moreau's hunt for a new team will now be halted as he prepares for treatment, though he plans to continue his NFL career in the future.

"Through somewhat of a miraculous process, this free agency period has been life changing for me," he posted on Twitter.

"During a routine physical conducted by the Saints medical team down in New Orleans, I've come to learn that I have Hodgkin's lymphoma and will be stepping away from football at this time to fight a new opponent: Cancer.

"I'm grateful for the support and thankful for the people who have stood firm with me. There hasn't been a single step I've taken without hundreds of people lighting the path before me and I will continue to seek their guidance.

"That being said, I'll go kick this thing's ass and get back to doing what I love."

In four seasons with the Raiders, Moreau had 91 receptions for 1,107 total yards, including a career-high 420 in 2022.

Michael Thomas isn't going anywhere.

Thomas is returning to the New Orleans Saints in 2023, agreeing Tuesday to an incentive-laden one-year contract.

The 30-year-old Thomas was slated to be released by the Saints and become a free agent, but will stay with New Orleans after agreeing to a $10million deal that could be worth to up to $15million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The restructured deal helped give the Saints financial flexibility, resulting in last week's signing of Thomas' new quarterback, Derek Carr.

While Carr is a significant upgrade at quarterback for Thomas over the likes of Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton and Trevor Siemian following the retirement of Drew Brees, the Saints also need Thomas to be healthy for their offense to be firing on all cylinders.

Thomas' 2022 season ended after three weeks because of a toe injury and injuries have limited him to a total of just 10 games since being named the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2019, when he caught 149 passes for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns.

A second-round draft pick in 2016, Thomas was one of the top playmakers at his position over his first four professional seasons, catching 470 passes for 5,512 yards with 32 TDs over 63 games, but in the three seasons since, he has 56 receptions for 609 yards with three TDs in 10 games.

Although Derek Carr has not known anything but the Raiders in nine seasons as an NFL quarterback, he is ready to embrace a new opportunity with the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints introduced their latest acquisition on Saturday in a news conference that lasted 45 minutes. Carr was joined by coach Dennis Allen, his family and members of the Saints front office.

New Orleans first tried to trade for Carr before the Las Vegas Raiders released him last month. That stuck with Carr as he entertained other offers.

"You're valuing me as a quarterback, me as a human, without even having to say anything," Carr said. "I'd be lying to you if I said I didn’t have a chip on my shoulder with how everything finished.

"It lit a fire in me that I’ve always had. But it just made it hotter and gave me this excitement to where I can’t wait to get to another building and just show what I’m capable of."

The Saints' brass and Allen, who was the Raiders' coach when Carr was drafted in 2014, did not need convincing. The team went all out to persuade Carr it was the best fit for him, and they agreed on a four-year, $150 million contract Monday.

"He was clearly our number one target in terms of what we wanted to do at the quarterback position," Allen said.

"We wanted to be first out there and just make sure that he knew he was the number one option."

One of several Saints players that reached out to Carr was record-setting receiver Michael Thomas, whose contract status and injury-plagued past three seasons have created uncertainty about his future with the club.

Carr sounded eager to work with Thomas, and confident he might get that chance, even though it would virtually require Thomas – the 2019 Offensive Player of the Year - and the Saints to agree by Friday on a more salary cap-friendly contract.

"He wasn’t even trying to recruit me," Carr said. "He was just like, ‘When are we getting to work, we’re wasting time, time is ticking'."

Carr is a four-time Pro Bowl selection and is the Raiders’ all-time leader in yards passing (35,222) and touchdown passes (217), but the team made the playoffs just twice with him at QB and did not win a postseason game.

The Saints have not made the playoffs since franchise all-time passer Drew Brees retired after the 2020 season. New Orleans went 9-8 in 2021 and 7-10 last season.

Quarterback Derek Carr is signing for the New Orleans Saints after nine years with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The 31-year-old Carr was released by the Raiders on February 14 – just hours before a deadline that would have paid him $40.4million in guaranteed money – and had met with the Saints, New York Jets and Carolina Panthers as possible landing spots for 2023.

With the Saints, Carr will be reunited with coach Dennis Allen, who was Carr’s first NFL coach with the Raiders and was part of the evaluation process of him leading up to the 2014 draft.

The Raiders selected Carr in the second round of the draft and Allen choose to make him the starter immediately as a rookie.

Carr is the franchise's all-time leader in passing yards (35,222) and passing touchdowns (217) but left the team in rocky circumstances after a subpar 2022 season and was ultimately benched.

In 2022, he averaged 234.8 passing yards a game while his completion percentage (60.8) and QB rating (86.3) were both his lowest since his rookie year.

He made four Pro Bowls with the Raiders but one of his biggest areas of criticism is that he never led the team to a playoff win. He lost his lone postseason start and among quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era, he has the third-most starts for one team without a playoff victory.

The Saints went 7-10 last season and have missed the playoffs each of the last two years following the retirement of Drew Brees.

New Orleans was unsettled at quarterback after Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton played the position in 2022. The unproven Winston was injured in the first month of the season and the veteran Dalton performed well as his replacement but is now a free agent.

Derek Carr has left the Las Vegas Raiders after refusing a trade to the New Orleans Saints, the franchise confirmed on Tuesday.

The Raiders and Carr parted ways after nine seasons together ahead of the February 15 trade deadline.

Carr's release was expected after his refusal to join the Saints, in a trade deal that had already been agreed between the teams, which was reported on Sunday by ESPN and NFL Network.

The quarterback's exit before the deadline meant he will not receive the guaranteed $40.4million in future earnings under his previous contract in Las Vegas.

The 31-year-old reportedly rejected a pay cut to facilitate a trade to New Orleans and will instead enter free agency for the first time in his career.

"We have a lot of respect for Derek Carr and what he has meant to the Raiders organization for the last nine years," Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Zeigler said in a statement.

"Derek has done great things in this league and we're thankful to have been able to work with him this past year.

"He is a true professional and we appreciate his hard work in striving to produce the results we all desire. We wish Derek and his family all the best in the future."

Carr's agent, Tim Younger, posted on Twitter: "We wish the @Raiders the best of luck. This is the tough part of this business. That's the point; it's just business.

"Time now to reset for both sides. Derek chooses to hold on to many good memories and friendships, without any ill will. That's who he is. Onward and upward."

Carr had been with the Raiders since he was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft and holds franchise records for his 35,222 passing yards and 217 touchdowns.

As starting QB for Las Vegas he went 63-79, but the Raiders made just two playoff appearances during his time – in 2016 when he was injured and five years later when they suffered a wild-card exit.

Las Vegas finished third in the AFC West in 2022 after struggles for Carr, who is said to be wanted by the Saints and the Carolina Panthers.

The Raiders were linked to Tom Brady before he retired and fellow veterans Aaron Rodgers and Jimmy Garoppolo as potential replacements.

The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to release quarterback Derek Carr after he informed the team he would not accept a trade to the New Orleans Saints.

Carr's refusal to join the Saints, in a trade deal that had already been agreed between the teams, was reported on Sunday by ESPN and NFL Network.

Reports earlier in the week had detailed Carr's plan to visit the Saints after he was given permission to speak to the team.

However, it is said the contract on offer in New Orleans would require Carr to take a pay cut.

That was not something the QB was willing to do, refusing to waive his no-trade clause, and with only the Saints approaching the Raiders about a trade, the obvious alternative was for the player to be released.

The Raiders would have to cut Carr by Wednesday to avoid paying his full salary in 2023 and instead allow him to enter free agency.

Carr has been with the Raiders since he was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, but he said goodbye to fans in an emotional social media post in January.

Las Vegas had hoped for a big season in 2022 but finished third in the AFC West as Carr struggled for form.

The New Orleans Saints have emerged as a candidate to acquire Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.

The Raiders granted Carr permission to speak with the Saints' front office and he will visit the team on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. It will be the first known meeting between Carr and a potential suitor.

Previous reporting indicated that the Raiders would only allow Carr to meet with teams willing to meet the team’s asking price in trade negotiations.

While there is reportedly no trade imminent, the visit firmly establishes New Orleans as a serious contender to land the nine-year veteran quarterback.

Carr, who has a no-trade clause, signed a three-year, $121.5million extension last April, but was benched for the final two games of the 2022 season in what was called a mutual decision.

Over $40m in Carr's contract becomes guaranteed on February 15, after which the four-time Pro Bowler would become cumbersome to trade.

The trigger date, which Carr has declined to renegotiate, forces the Raiders to urgently pursue a trade partner that both meets the team's asking price and pleases Carr enough to convince him to waive his no-trade clause.

The Saints are looking to improve a quarterback group that included Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton last season, with Taysom Hill continuing to take snaps as a gadget option.

New Orleans are projected to be well over the 2023 salary cap as currently constituted, and would need to restructure a number of contracts – including Carr's – if a trade were to materialise.

Saints coach Dennis Allen was the Raiders' head man in 2014 when the franchise drafted Carr in the second round and started him as a rookie.

The New Orleans Saints have emerged as a candidate to acquire Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.

The Raiders granted Carr permission to speak with the Saints' front office and he will visit the team on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. It will be the first known meeting between Carr and a potential suitor.

Previous reporting indicated that the Raiders would only allow Carr to meet with teams willing to meet the team’s asking price in trade negotiations.

While there is reportedly no trade imminent, the visit firmly establishes New Orleans as a serious contender to land the nine-year veteran quarterback.

Carr, who has a no-trade clause, signed a three-year, $121.5million extension last April, but was benched for the final two games of the 2022 season in what was called a mutual decision.

Over $40m in Carr's contract becomes guaranteed on February 15, after which the four-time Pro Bowler would become cumbersome to trade.

The trigger date, which Carr has declined to renegotiate, forces the Raiders to urgently pursue a trade partner that both meets the team's asking price and pleases Carr enough to convince him to waive his no-trade clause.

The Saints are looking to improve a quarterback group that included Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton last season, with Taysom Hill continuing to take snaps as a gadget option.

New Orleans are projected to be well over the 2023 salary cap as currently constituted, and would need to restructure a number of contracts – including Carr's – if a trade were to materialise.

Saints coach Dennis Allen was the Raiders' head man in 2014 when the franchise drafted Carr in the second round and started him as a rookie.

Sean Payton gave his first interview as head coach of the Denver Broncos on Friday, with the focus clearly on building a winning culture.

The Broncos are coming off a disappointing 5-12 season after a tumultuous campaign with first-time head coach Nathaniel Hackett.

They are hopeful Payton will be able to turn things around in a hurry, since he never went worse than 7-9 during his 15-year run as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, with an overall record of 152-89.

He finished his tenure in New Orleans with five consecutive winning seasons, and after a year off, Payton said he feels "recharged and challenged again".

"It's certainly exciting," he said. "I'm looking forward to the challenge, the tradition here is amazing.

"It's going to take a lot of hard work, but our plan is to win, and that's really begun today. We're in the midst of hiring staff – the process was outstanding… it's exciting, it's what I love to do.

"I think we were fortunate enough for a long period of time to [have a winning culture] in New Orleans, and I think it begins with the details – it really begins with the people.

"It's about finding not only the coaches, but all the people involved in this process to be successful. It's really an organisational goal.

"We're planning to win, but then 'here's how'. That involves a lot of details, and it involves a lot of hard work, and that's the exciting part about it.

"When you do this long enough, and all of a sudden you're away for a year, it's not like you jump straight back into it again, you actually start over again from the beginning.

"I'm on the grease board with coach's names up, and you're organising interviews, it can feel overwhelming, but I certainly feel recharged and challenged again."

In a statement, Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner said he appreciates the rare opportunity to hire such a decorated head coach.

The statement read: "Sean Payton is an outstanding leader and Super Bowl champion with a brilliant offensive mind. He shares our commitment to winning championships for Broncos Country and we're excited to welcome him as our new head coach.

"It is rare in any sport to hire a head coach with Sean's credentials and we appreciate the first-class manner in which the Saints approached this process. We also appreciated the opportunity to meet and learn from other highly qualified, outstanding coaches we interviewed.

"Our goal was to identify a strong leader for the Denver Broncos who is focused on winning, and we found him in coach Payton."

Payton will be tasked with getting production out of franchise quarterback Russell Wilson, who struggled with the worst season of his career after being acquired in a blockbuster trade from the Seattle Seahawks.

Sean Payton is interested in the prospect of taking over as Houston Texans head coach.

Payton is eager to get back to work after leaving his New Orleans Saints role at the end of last season and has held talks with the Denver Broncos as they look for a new head coach.

The 59-year-old on Monday revealed he is set to hold talks with the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals over their vacancies.

Houston have already started interviewing in their search for a new head coach after sacking Lovie Smith and Payton thinks that could be a good opportunity.

A deal would have to be struck for Payton's next franchise to agree a compensation package with the Saints, given he remains under contract with New Orleans.

Payton stated that he has discussed with Saints general manager Mickey Loomis what sort of compensation it would take to free him up.

Asked about the Texans job on 'The Herd with Colin Cowherd', he said: "Ultimately, the compensation for the Saints would be a mid or late first-round pick.

"Each team has different ammo or different pick selections. It could be a future one where maybe you have to throw in something."

He added: "When you practice for three days with an opponent, you get a chance to meet a lot of the different personalities and people involved in the building.

"They've got really good draft capital, really good draft capital. They're in a division that you can at least say with Indy, Tennessee and Jacksonville [are games they can win].

"There's growth potential immediately there from their two or three wins they had this year.'"

Payton had a record of 152-89 during 15 seasons in charge of New Orleans, and led the franchise to their first Super Bowl title in the 2009 campaign.

Sean Payton confirmed he has had a conversation with the Denver Broncos about their vacant head coach position.

Payton left his role with the New Orleans Saints at the end of last season, having compiled a record of 152-89 during his 15 seasons in charge, which saw him lead them to a first Super Bowl title in franchise history in the 2009 campaign.

His departure was quickly viewed as the start of a sabbatical rather than a retirement, with Payton regarded as a top head coaching candidate this offseason.

It was reported the Broncos, who fired Nathaniel Hackett following their Christmas Day defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, had asked the Saints, who still retain the rights to Payton's contract, for permission to speak with him.

Asked about his contract status as part of his role as a studio analyst for FOX Sports, Payton said: "I have two years left on a contract with New Orleans, so 23 [this upcoming year] and 24, so because of that, any team that would want to enquire and speak with me, they can do so, they just need permission from the Saints.

"Down the road, if that's something that materialises into anything else, then there would be compensation required, much like a player trade.

"Denver's the first team. I was able to have a conversation with their owner, and that's kind of protocol.

"The interview process can't officially begin until the 17th of this month, so that's really where it's at."

The Broncos are in a difficult position, having traded two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant to acquire nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson, who has subsequently endured the worst season of his career.

Pressed on whether the quarterback is the most important thing with any potential new team, Payton replied: "It's really about the triangular relationship. Ownership, front office, head coach.

"When we went to New Orleans, the quarterback was unsettled at that time. I think ownership and the functionality of the front office is most important."

Cameron Jordan reached the top of the New Orleans Saints' all-time sack leaderboard after collecting three in Sunday's 20-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jordan, 33, entered the Week 17 contest with five-and-a-half sacks for the season, but he dominated the Eagles' offensive line and made life miserable for backup quarterback Gardner Minshew.

He had two sacks in the first half – leaving him a half-sack away from Rickey Jackson's franchise record of 115 – before finding Minshew again and forcing a fumble on the Eagles' final drive to reach the summit.

Jordan reached the figure in 191 games, while Jackson played in 195 during his career from 1981-1993. The third-placed Saint, Wayne Martin, is well adrift on 82.5 sacks from 171 games.

His rise to the top is even more unlikely when taking into account that he only posted one sack in his rookie season, before putting together 11 consecutive campaigns of at least seven-and-a-half.

Speaking to the media after the win, Jordan reflected on that journey,

"If you look at the last 11 years of my career, after I earned the right to play on third down," he said. "You go from rookie year having one sack, starting 15 out of the 16 games, to where I'm at now – I just needed opportunity.

"I knew I was a pass rusher, I knew I was an edge rusher. I told them in my second year to give me a chance and you'll never have to worry about it. I told Sean Payton when I first got drafted 'let's do this'. 

"I came with the mindset to be the best that I can be – I don't want to just be a pass rusher though.

"I'll let you guys label me however you want to, but just know if there's a first down, second down, third-and-one, I'm going to be on the field. I'm not jetting up the field, I'm not turning at 12, I'm fighting for each and every yard. 

"They don't run to my side for a reason."

A three-time All-Pro selection, Jordan has also made the past five Pro Bowls, giving him seven for his career.

The Philadelphia Eagles again missed the chance to clinch the number one seed in the NFC as they were stunned 20-10 at home by the New Orleans Saints.

Philadelphia's offense was again without quarterback Jalen Hurts because of a shoulder injury and, after coming up short in a thriller with the Dallas Cowboys last week, the Eagles saw their attack sputter with backup Gardner Minshew under center.

The Saints, who went into the game still in the mix to win the NFC South, dominated time of possession in the first half and led 13-0 at the long break thanks a Taysom Hill one-yard touchdown run and a pair of Will Lutz field goals.

Philadelphia looked to have found the necessary spark when, after a Jake Elliott field goal got them on the board, Minshew and A.J. Brown connected for a 78-yard catch and run.

However, it proved a false dawn for the Eagles, whose defeat was essentially confirmed when Marshon Lattimore intercepted Minshew and returned the pick 11 yards for a touchdown as the four-time Pro Bowl corner returned from a 10-week injury absence.

The Saints' victory means the Eagles drop to 13-3, giving the Minnesota Vikings (12-3) and San Francisco 49ers (11-4) hope they could yet catch Philadelphia and win the race for the NFC's only first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

New Orleans can still reach the postseason, but the NFC South title is out of reach.

BUCS CLINCH SOUTH

The South is beyond the Saints because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinched it with a 30-24 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Tampa Bay knew they would win the division with triumph, but trailed 21-10 after Sam Darnold's third touchdown pass of the game. However, having tossed a 63-yard touchdown to Mike Evans in the first half, Tom Brady hit on two further deep shots of 57 and 30 yards to complete a turnaround for the Bucs.

Evans' decisive hat-trick came after a run of 11 games without a touchdown, exploding for 207 yards from his 10 catches.

GIANTS BACK IN THE DANCE

The New York Giants will join NFC East rivals the Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs after they clinched a postseason berth for the first time since 2016 by routing the Indianapolis Colts 38-10.

Their win leaves just one NFC playoff berth up for grabs, and the Detroit Lions will be confident of grabbing it following their 41-10 blowout of the Chicago Bears. Meanwhile, Carson Wentz threw three interceptions as the Washington Commanders' hopes suffered a blow with a 24-10 home loss to the Cleveland Browns.

On the AFC side, the New England Patriots' held a Tua Tagovailoa-less Miami Dolphins offense in check in a 23-21 win that kept their Wild Card hopes, as well as those of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders, alive.