The Saints have a significant upcoming challenge in figuring out the best player to replace Drew Brees as their starting quarterback.
The competition between Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill has already begun through the offseason program. But the reps both players accumulate during training camp and preseason games will solidify who will take over as QB1.
Late last week, Saints head coach Sean Payton addressed the competition during an interview on NFL Network, noting that both Winston and Hill picked things up from Brees.
“I think both of the players we’re talking about have had the benefit of training, being in meeting rooms with him, and seeing the daily grind. And I think we go from there,” Payton said on NFL Total Access. “Obviously, there’s a high bar for our team. ... And I think both of those guys will rise to the challenge. They both understand the importance of the reps that we’re going to have in this upcoming training camp. And there is a little bit of a standard and it’s kind of high, and so that’s OK.”
Payton also said that there’s a part of him that appreciates the challenge of having to find another franchise quarterback after 15 years of partnering with Brees in New Orleans.
“You think about it and you feel that responsibility to everyone else on the team,” Payton said. “We feel like we’ve got a real good football team. Both of those guys have done a great job this offseason in what was kind of a little unique offseason, I would say. But yeah, I think there’s that challenge of winning each year. And especially with our current roster, it’s important you get good, solid play at that position. We know that. Fortunately, we’ve been able to do that in the prior two years when Drew’s been hurt.
“But replacing someone like Drew and the career he’s had, it really falls on all of us. It falls on the coaches, it falls on the other players. And we look forward to really having a good training camp.”
