It was a bit of a surprise on Friday when it was reported that New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton would start Taysom Hill and not Jameis Winston at quarterback in place of the injured Drew Brees. Winston is the backup and was the primary replacement for Brees after he left the game in Week 10.
So why not Winston, who has five seasons as a starter under his belt? Why did Payton choose Hill, who has never started an NFL game? The reported answer to those questions is simple: curiosity.
Planning for the future
Starting Hill now is a way for Payton and the Saints to figure out for sure if Hill can be Brees’ eventual successor.