The Odd Man Out: The Kansas City Chiefs Waived Former New Orleans Saints Fourth-Round Pick Jake Haener.

Lessons from the New Orleans Depth Chart

This isn't the first time Haener has been squeezed by a youth movement. Just last year in New Orleans, Haener found himself caught in the crossfire of a shifting regime.

The emergence of Spencer Rattler and 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough effectively ended Haener's path in the Big Easy. In New Orleans, he was the "safe" developmental pick from the previous era. With Rattler and Shough, the Saints saw higher ceilings and bigger arms. Haener’s inability to leapfrog those names on the depth chart forced him to the practice squad and eventually to free agency.

What’s Next for Haener?

Is this the end of the road? Not likely. Haener showed flashes of competency during his eight appearances for the Saints in 2024, including a gritty performance in his lone career start.

Haener remains a "high-floor" backup candidate. He is the type of quarterback coaches love in a meeting room, but in a league increasingly obsessed with elite physical traits (the Fields and Shoughs of the world), "smart and steady" sometimes isn't enough to hold a roster spot.

As he heads to the waiver wire, Haener will be looking for a team that isn't currently undergoing a quarterback identity crisis. He needs stability. He needs a place where he can settle in as a true QB3 and wait for a break. For now, the "Mahomes University" dream is over, serving as a reminder that in the NFL, your spot is only as secure as the team's next transaction.