New Orleans Saints: Best Quarterback Options for 2021

New Orleans Saints: Possible Quarterbacks Next Year

Should Taysom Hill Play Quarterback for the Saints in 2021?

When Brees got sidelined through injury, Taysom Hill became the starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. Hill is Coach Payton’s pet project, as the Saints head coach fell in love with Hill after a pre-season game against the Green Bay Packers. Since then, Payton’s spent a ton of time grooming the BYU alum for the quarterback role. The Saints went 3-1 in Hill’s four games as the starter. That was more than good enough for a quarterback like Hill.

Hill is a fascinating player. He is a rampaging bowling ball when he elects to run the ball. In the age of dual-threat quarterbacks, Hill is the ultimate weapon. Hill’s size and speed make him a tough man to tackle. He can flat-out run over defenders. That is a valuable asset in an era where pure pocket passers are getting phased out.

Hill bounces from quarterback to tight end due to his versatility. Despite that, he showed that he could play quarterback for the New Orleans Saints in 2021. He knows the playbook better than anyone else, he is strong with a powerful arm, and he provides a different dimension to the Saints offense. New Orleans paid him for a reason. They feel he is the next in line to succeed Brees. Sean Payton is an offensive genius as he will design an offense for Taysom Hill. The former BYU Cougar is the favorite for the job.

What About Jameis Winston?

Jameis Winston will surely stay in New Orleans. Despite his age, Winston owns plenty of experience in the NFL. That is an excellent thing to hold in the quarterback room. Winston and Hill aren’t going anywhere. Winston’s arm is a cannon, and he can throw deep and all over the field. That is a marked difference from Brees’ last year, who could barely throw beyond the line of scrimmage.

Nobody ever questioned Winston’s talent, instead, they questioned his decision-making. Hopefully, after spending a year with Brees, Winston’s decision-making process improved. He is more experienced than Hill, although Winston is less dynamic as an athlete. However, if Payton wanted to use Hill as the Swiss-Army knife, Winston could find himself playing quarterback for the Saints in 2021.

Jameis Winston is the safer option. He will take a spot on the New Orleans Saints roster on a cap-friendly deal. Winston will need to impress in the offseason if he is to take the job. For New Orleans, Winston checks a lot of boxes to be the starting quarterback. He’s experienced, talented, and a hard-worker. That can take him a long way.

Somebody Else?

The Saints are in a difficult cap situation. The organization is cutting players rapidly to make the salary cap number of $182.5 million. Therefore, it is almost impossible for New Orleans to trade for a veteran quarterback like Russell Wilson. The only other option to find a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints in 2021 is the draft. Sadly, they are not in a position to draft a top quarterback. New Orleans could trade up, although the cost would be enormous.

There is one quarterback that could fall to New Orleans and still provide immediate production. His name is Mac Jones. Although he is an excellent pocket passer with high accuracy and good leadership skills, the Alabama quarterback is a polarising player. That is a recipe for success in the NFL. Mac Jones can play quarterback at a high level in the NFL. The New Orleans Saints could draft him without necessarily committing to him as the day-one starter. Jones could become Payton’s new project while the other guys play quarterback for the Saints in 2021.

The Bottom Line

Ultimately, one of Taysom Hill or Jameis Winston will play quarterback for the New Orleans Saints in 2021. It is almost impossible for anybody else to take the starter’s role. New Orleans entered a pact with Taysom Hill as they believe in him. And Jameis Winston is no scrub. Out of those two players, I’d opt to play Hill, as he proved so much more dynamic in an offense loaded with weapons.

Thanks for reading my article on the New Orleans Saints quarterback options. For more great content follow me on Twitter @TayyibAbu1, also, follow @OT_Heroics and @OTH_Fotball for all of your NFL needs.

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