Why Taysom Hill Isn’t the Saints’ QB1 Solution — And the Harsh Truth Fans Keep Ignoring About New Orleans’ Future Under Center
For years, Taysom Hill has been one of the NFL’s most fascinating players — a Swiss Army knife capable of lining up at quarterback, tight end, wide receiver, and even special teams. His versatility has made him a fan favorite in New Orleans, and his relentless energy on the field has inspired plenty of “Why not make him QB1?” debates among Saints faithful.
But here’s the reality: as much as Hill is beloved, the Saints have already tried making him their full-time starting quarterback — and it didn’t work. That’s not a knock on his talent. It’s just a reflection of what he truly is: a unique weapon, not a franchise QB.
The Experiment Has Been Done Before
In 2020 and 2021, when Drew Brees retired and injuries forced the Saints to reshuffle their offense, Sean Payton gave Hill a shot under center. Hill posted some respectable moments, even going 3–1 as a starter in 2020. But the longer the experiment went on, the clearer it became: Hill’s passing game was inconsistent, and his decision-making under pressure didn’t match the elite level required for a full-time QB1 in the modern NFL.
Defenses adjusted quickly. Without the element of surprise, Hill’s dual-threat capability wasn’t enough to consistently move the chains. The Saints’ passing attack became predictable, and deep-ball accuracy issues limited their offensive ceiling.
Why the Saints Can’t Afford Another Stopgap
Right now, the Saints are in a precarious position. Derek Carr is serviceable but not necessarily the long-term answer. If New Orleans falls into the trap of forcing Hill back into the QB1 role, they risk repeating history — sticking with a short-term fix instead of finding the next franchise quarterback.
The NFL is a quarterback-driven league, and the most successful teams — from Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes to Cincinnati with Joe Burrow — have a clear, long-term leader under center. New Orleans needs to be thinking about who that person is going to be for the next decade, whether that’s via the draft (names like Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler could be intriguing) or a major trade in the future.
Where Hill Thrives
None of this is to say Hill isn’t valuable — in fact, he’s more valuable when he’s not boxed into a single role. Give him designed runs when he’s hot, let him line up in the slot, sneak him into motion packages, and use him on special teams trick plays. Hill thrives when defenses can’t predict where he’ll line up or what he’ll do.
In many ways, he’s the ultimate offensive “joker” card — the one that keeps opponents guessing and adds an explosive wrinkle to the Saints’ playbook. That role is hard to replace, and it’s part of what makes him so beloved in New Orleans.
The Bottom Line
Taysom Hill is an elite weapon, but not the weapon the Saints need at quarterback for the next chapter of the franchise. Fans might love the idea of seeing him as QB1 again, but history — and the demands of the modern NFL — show that the Saints need to find their true franchise leader under center.
The harsh truth? Let Hill be Hill. Let him be the chaos factor, the spark plug, the nightmare mismatch. But if New Orleans wants to truly compete for another Super Bowl, their future has to start with a quarterback who can own the position — not just fill in temporarily.