With Brees Officially Out The Door, The Saints Have To Decide What The Best QB Option Is In 2021

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The Drew Brees fallout in New Orleans begins in earnest today, as the team has to start trying to figure out how to fill the massive shoes now left with Brees retired.

The team has to quickly shift their focus to who is going to play quarterback in 2021 on a full-time basis and whether that quarterback will be able to lead the Saints back to the playoffs.

The Saints made a roster move last offseason that some pretty much ignored, but it may turn out to be one of the biggest moves of the year: picking up former Tampa Bay starter Jameis Winston.

Winston didn’t play much for the Saints in 2020, and even when Brees went down with injury, the team shifted to Taysom Hill over Winston, giving him the starts at quarterback for the handful of games Brees missed.

Saints coach Sean Payton was very complimentary of Winston the whole season and made it well known that the team, no matter Brees’ status, wanted Winston back in 2021.

Winston getting a year off might be just what the former first-overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft needed. He can recharge the batteries, and now that Brees is retired, he doesn’t have to look over his shoulder.

Of course with Hill getting a new deal on Sunday after Brees’ announcement, it will be interesting to see whether the Saints truly are set to start Winston, or whether we will see a summer camp battle at the Saints’ QB spot.

Written by Matt Loede

Matt has been a part of the Cleveland Sports landscape working in the media since 1994 when he graduated from broadcasting school. His coverage beats include the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Cavaliers. He's written three books, and won the "2020 AP Sports Stringer Lifetime Service Award."

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  1. I like Taysom Hill and think he adds a lot of value to this offense – particularly on 3rd down, 2pt conversions, etc. but Winston should be the starter going forward. Hill is competent enough to run the offense as needed but I just don’t see him as a full-time QB. Honestly a great move by the Saints picking up Winston for next to nothing. Dude is a 5,000 yard passer, the ceiling is there.

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