Who Should I Start? Jake Haener or Bucky Irving

Thursday, May 22, 9:20 AM

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener (oblique) reportedly was injured while throwing extra passes after practice on Wednesday. He underwent an MRI which revealed a strain, but luckily Haener avoided an oblique tear. The expectation is that Haener is going to be shut down until the start of training camp. The Saints want to give him time to rest and want to avoid making this a bigger injury than it is. Haener is currently in a three-way competition for the starting quarterback gig with Spencer Rattler and second-round pick Tyler Shough. Honestly, Haener was probably already third on the depth chart, so this injury isn't going to help his chances. However, Haener should get a chance to prove himself in camp.

Thursday, June 26, 6:10 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving, who is expected to see more opportunities in 2025, has improved his footwork and pass protection, according to head coach Todd Bowles. "He got to where he needed to be, but his footwork wasn't always the cleanest last season," Bowles says. "He's cleaned that up." Despite only "starting" three games in 2024, Irving finished as the RB13 in point-per-reception scoring in fantasy in his rookie season by racking up 1,122 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 207 rushing attempts. He added 47 receptions on 52 targets for 392 yards through the air. The 22-year-old makes up for his lack of size and athleticism with excellent vision and a knack for breaking tackles in open space. The primary concern with Irving as it pertains to being a true RB1 is the question of whether he can be a true workhorse back and withstand all the physical punishment between the tackles.