The New Orleans Saints plan to start Taysom Hill at quarterback on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons following Drew Brees' injury. However, it sounds like head coach Sean Payton had a difficult time making the decision to start his "Swiss Army knife" over Jameis Winston, who is more proven at quarterback.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Payton struggled in his decision to start Hill over Winston. He adds that multiple players within the organization thought the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal-caller would've been the starter this weekend.
Payton's decision to start Hill over Winston, however, didn't surprise the QB's former coach, Bruce Arians. The Buccaneers boss said that Hill "throws the ball a lot better than people think."
With Brees aging and on his way out the door, it makes sense that the Saints opted to start Hill. New Orleans likely views this as an opportunity to see what the jack-of-all-trades can do under center. If he fails, the team might have to reevaluate their future at the position in the coming weeks and months.
That's where Winston comes in. While he struggled with the Buccaneers, Winston could very well have his Teddy Bridgewater moment with the Saints in the coming weeks. He filled in for Brees last weekend, completing 6-of-10 passes for 63 yards, leading the Saints on a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to help them win the game.
If Hill fails this weekend, it seems like Payton won't hesitate to give Winston a shot after making the difficult decision to let him sit.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!