The biggest question facing the Saints this offseason is whether Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill will be the team’s starting QB come Week 1. Mike Triplett of ESPN.com believes Winston may be the frontrunner given that he is younger and has more upside, but the turnover and accuracy problems he had as a member of the Buccaneers are still major issues that he will need to clean up.
Of course, the club has been publicly complimentary of both players, and it was Hill — who also offers dynamic ability as a runner — who got the nod during Drew Brees‘ injury-related absence last year. Hill and Winston will be eligible for free agency following the 2021 campaign, so in addition to the starting gig, there is a lot of money riding on the outcome of this battle.
New Orleans selected former Notre Dame passer Ian Book in the fourth round of this year’s draft, and Book will learn behind Winston and Hill before perhaps getting a chance to throw his hat in the ring in 2022.
Now for more from the Big Easy:
- The Saints’ record-setting extension for RT Ryan Ramczyk cleared about $5.5MM off their books, leaving them with $10-11MM of cap space. That number could increase if the club extends franchise-tagged safety Marcus Williams, a proposition that we recently discussed. Triplett believes New Orleans will put that money to use by signing a veteran or two, and he suggests that a big name like corner Richard Sherman — who has been connected to the team this offseason — remains a possibility.
- GM Mickey Loomis is often credited as the man behind the Saints’ aggressive manipulation of the salary cap, and while Loomis has final say over the club’s transactions, Triplett also shines a light on a less recognizable member of the New Orleans front office. In examining the team’s use of backloaded contracts, restructures, and void years, Triplett describes vice president of football administration Khai Harley as one of the most innovative pioneers of those types of cap machinations, and he suggests that Harley could become a GM candidate in the future.
- Linebacker Zack Baun, who generated some first-round buzz in the 2020 draft before ultimately falling to the third round, played in just 82 defensive snaps in his rookie season. But a hamstring injury suffered in training camp and the lack of a true offseason program hindered his development, and he will have the opportunity to make a bigger impact in 2021. As Sam Shannon of the team’s official website writes, Baun is transitioning from strongside linebacker to the weakside, which will require him to perform well in coverage. His projected ability to thrive in space is what led the Saints to draft him in the first place, and he will compete with second-round rookie Pete Werner for snaps alongside middle linebacker Demario Davis.
Thanks for the posts on the holiday weekend PFR!
Both the Saints and Flacons seem to be hesitant to commit to a full purge and new faces. Carolina waved every flag for a headliner QB and needed up w/ a sub 500 one. TB’s division once again in my estimation.
The Saints won the division, were ranked 5th in both points scored and points allowed, and won a playoff game. If Hill starts at QB, they’ll have two starters on offense and three on defense who are thirty or above. Why the hell should they commit to a full purge?
And beat TB twice H2H in the regular season!
Of course, that was with Brees running the offense. The Saints’ biggest need, though, was at receiver. That was why they couldn’t move the ball in a playoff game that was tied at the half against Tampa. Whomever starts will have to get the calls right at the line, but also will need to find a set of receivers to develop a rhythm with. Thomas also was absolutely awful last year, so hopefully for them he recovers, but he may not get be enough to carry them.
And granting all that, I still wouldn’t commit to a “full purge” of that offense. The receiving corps could definitely be an issue, though, even if Winston or Hill are playing at their best (or if the late Winston Hill rises from the dead, RIP, to bolster their OL depth).
I agree with that take. Especially with all the money and picks invested in that line (I still regard the Peat pick and subsequent exrension as a big mistake, but the line is overall strong. With that money invested, and picks invested, a rebuild is not really in the cards.
It will be interesting to see if Sean Payton can tame Winston’s turnover habit enough for the Saints to compete effectively.
Agreed. I’d be compelled to watch at least.