Sean Payton's Comments About Jameis Winston Cloud Taysom Hill's Future

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston is headed for free agency this offseason, and it seems likely that he will move on to his third team in as many seasons with Taysom Hill being groomed as Drew Brees' successor. It was Hill who got the nod as the team's starter when Brees was out for four games in 2020, despite Winston having previous starter experience.

However, head coach Sean Payton has made some interesting comments about Winston that could affect Hill's future.

"We had enough time to see what we had with Jameis Winston as a leader. He was tremendous w/ this team, and that's hard to do new with free agency when you come in as a backup. He is a free agent. But Jameis is a guy we have a tremendous interest in." -- Sean Payton on @GMFB
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) February 3, 2021

It sounds like Winston made an impression on the team through his leadership abilities, which could be valuable to the Saints if they are faced with moving on from Brees next season. Payton also flat-out says the team is interested in bringing back the No. 1 overall pick back, so that possibly sets up a reunion.

Payton's comments, though, also raise questions about Hill.

After starting four games for New Orleans at QB, Hill made it clear that he wants to be a starter going forward. And Payton's decision to elevate Hill to starter over Winston seemed to indicate he had the inside track on taking over in the post-Brees era.

It appears Hill didn't do enough to win the role outright. Otherwise, Payton wouldn't be saying he wants to bring a big-name free agent like Winston back, which sets up a potentially intriguing QB competition for the Saints in 2021.

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