The New Orleans Saints will likely start Taysom Hill at quarterback again on Sunday, and could be doing it a lot more in the coming years.
According to Jeff Duncan of The Athletic, Hill's performance in his three games under center has “bolstered the confidence internally” that 30-year old dual-threat will succeed Drew Brees as the team's long-term QB.
Hill will get the fourth start of his career in a Week 14 road matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles at Century Link Field (4:25 p.m. ET).
The former BYU star is 3-0 as a starter, including two victories over the Atlanta Falcons and a 31-3 win over the QB-less Denver Broncos. Overall, Hill has completed 54 of 76 passes (71%) with two touchdowns and an interception and has carried the ball 34 times for 176 yards (5.1 YPC) and four scores.
Brees broke multiple ribs and suffered a collapsed lung in the Saints' Week 10 win over the San Francisco 49ers. He is eligible to practice this week, though a Week 15 return seems more likely for the future Hall of Famer.
Brees, 41, signed a two-year, $50 million deal with New Orleans in March. Should he elect to retire prior to the 2021 season, the Saints will suffer a cap hit of $36.15 million, per Spotrac.
Hill is signed through the 2021 season.
As efficient as Brees still is at quarterback, Hill's athleticism and versatility undoubtedly provide another element to the offense. In fact, New Orleans is 8-0 without Brees over the past two seasons.
On ESPN's “Get Up” this week, analyst Dan Orlovsky argued that Hill has earned the future gig in New Orleans.
The Saints (10-2) enter Week 14 as the no. 1 seed in the NFC playoff picture, with a red hot defense that has allowed an average of 9.6 points per game over the past five weeks.
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