Saints buy time as Hill, Winston compete for quarterback job

The old axiom “the proof is in the pudding” is an analogy for the fact that you have to have to try the food, to sample the product to determine if it is good.

The sample size of Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston is too small, at least from the Saints perspective and donning a Saints uniform, to determine whether if the chef has whipped up a delicacy or a dud.

In the case of the 30-year-old Hill (31 in August) the sample size is the intrigue of taking select snaps and making both good and bad plays.

It includes four starts with a solid 3-1 record which included a mixed bag of good recipes and a few sour grapes. Becoming a starter at quarterback in the NFL for the first time at 31 is certainly an oddity.

Hill has a good arm and can make all throws necessary and he has much desired mobility and speed to make plays with his legs, the trend of the new breed of successful young quarterbacks in the league (Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Deshaun Watson, Dak Prescott, Kyler Murray).

On the surface, it appeared that the Saints invested in Hill, indicating that he was their man by giving Taysom a four-year, $140 million extension last Sunday.

Of course, upon further review, the contract numbers are not worth the paper they are written or printed on.

What matters in NFL contracts is the guaranteed money. Ask any number of players who were under contract and had deals voided as they were released.

The move was all about saving the Saints approximately $7.5 million against the salary cap as the team scurries in frantic, frugal but fine fashion to get to the prescribed NFL salary cap imposed limit of $182.5 million for the 2021 league year.

As Adam Schefter of ESPN reported, Hill’s contract included a signing bonus of just under $10 million, a $1.439 million guaranteed roster bonus and a $1.034 guaranteed base salary with incentives built in.

Those are the figures that matter, not the $140 million.

All years of the Hill deal are voidable.

Basically, Hill is on a one-year deal and has 2021 to prove himself as a starting NFL quarterback. We know what Hill can do in other facets of the game and he is of great value to the Saints in the other capacities.

Hill fumbled an alarming 10 times a year ago, a genuine concern with ball security. Hill has just four games as a starter, a very small sample-size. He has completed a desirable 70.1 percent of his passes with four touchdown passes and three interceptions. He holds the ball too long at times and his decision making must improve.

In the case of the 27-year-old Winston, the sample size is larger, with six years in the league, including five as a starter with Tampa Bay, covering 76 games total with 70 starts, all with the Buccaneers.

Winston is 28-42 as a starter. He has a less than desirable 61.4 percent completion percentage.

Winston has a big arm and can make all the throws. Winston has thrown 121 touchdown passes but also has 88 interceptions and an alarming 50 fumbles.

Winston was considered good enough to make the Pro Bowl in 2015, his rookie season.

Winston has signed a one-year contract worth up to $12 million, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

According to Spotrac.com, Winston’s deal includes $5,5 million guaranteed and a $4.5 million signing bonus.

When crunching the numbers, the actual money paid out to Hill and Winston in 2021 will be quite similar, an indication of how the Saints view both players in virtually equal fashion.

Hill and Winston are the answer to the equation, the solution in the short term.

It is also an indication of how the Saints view both players and the position in the long term.

That is, of course, a willingness to commit for one year but not beyond that time frame.

For Hill and Winston, the proof will have to be in the pudding.

One or the other must seize the day, grab the bull by the horns, take control of manning the ship as its leader.

That’s enough tired clichés.

The Saints hope they do not grow tired of mistakes and turnovers by either Hill or Winston or both in 2021. The Saints hope that both have learned from mistakes and that either or both display their vast skills while their vast ball security issues diminish.

Is it possible for the latter to occur?

Most certainly, it is.

Hill has only had a four-game audition but there are no concerns about his character or competitive spirit.

Winston is in a better system, with better coaching and he has clearly matured as a person, moving past a few off-field issues of real concern dating back to his college days.

Has either player matured enough as a player?

Winston is the more talented passer.

Hill is the more talented athlete.

Can you combine the two?

Perhaps that will be the answer.

Perhaps we will see Winston as the starter with Hill continuing in his role to take offensive snaps at quarterback as he did behind Drew Brees.

If that is the end result, my guess is that Hill may take more snaps at quarterback as a backup than he did behind Brees.

What is clear is that there will be a competition for the starting position. Sean Payton combined as much on the Dan Patrick Show, saying it would be an open competition between the two.

What is not clear is whether Hill or Winston will be a starter for more than one year.

Can the Saints move up in the draft to get a quarterback in 2021? Can the Saints spin magic and find a way to acquire Russell Wilson?

That remains to be seen.

If New Orleans cannot make a move to get another proven quarterback or to get into position to draft a potential 10-year starter this year, there is always the opportunity to go in either of those directions in 2022 after Hill and Winston have had their chance to make the pudding taste sweet, rather than sour.

Give Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton credit.

They have positioned themselves well to give Hill and Winston a shot at being in the unenviable position of succeeding a legend on a long term basis, at least for the short term. It is a one-year trial which could end quickly or could lead to a long term marriage with one of the two.

Many times, succeeding a legend is difficult, hard, nearly impossible.

Often times, the second person to succeed a legend is the one who succeeds.

For Hill and Winston, the task is daunting but it is possible.

As for which flavor I will choose, give me banana with vanilla wafers and whipped cream.

Hopefully, either Hill or Winston will be the cherry on top and the dessert of 2021 becomes the main course of 2022.

Otherwise, it will be back to the drawing board.

Replacing Drew Brees was never going to be easy.

It may just be one year but that is all Hill or Winston could ask for and receive to prove themselves as the new leader of the black and gold.