The mystery in New Orleans will be resolved sooner than expected.
Instead of keeping everyone guessing until days before the Week One regular-season opener against the Packers, coach Sean Payton hopes to name his starting quarterback before the final preseason game, on Saturday against the Cardinals.
That’s what Payton told Peter King for the latest edition of Football Morning in America.
Payton’s plan raises the stakes for Monday night’s preseason game against the Jaguars, making it essentially the closing argument for Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston. A key question is whether Payton would be tempted to go with Winston if it’s close, given that the Saints could put Hill on the field, too.
Regardless of whether Hill or Winston win the job, it’s safe to assume Payton will find a way to use both of them. He had no qualms in recent years to periodically take the ball out of the hands of one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history. The starting quarterback post-Drew Brees shouldn’t expect to be treated any differently.