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Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer reported for The Athletic that he fully expects Taysom Hill to take over at quarterback once Drew Brees has hung up his cleats. That’s what Glazer wrote in his latest mailbag, echoing the same take he made back in January, on Colin Cowherd’s radio show.
Glazer is tight with Saints coach Sean Payton. He’s broken stories before like Payton’s five-year contract extension with the team, and put the nail in the coffin for Antonio Brown signing with the Saints after his bizarre free agent workout and high-profile fallout. Whenever Payton is seen on a parade float at Mardi Gras, Glazer is usually right there with him as his guest.
So it shouldn’t be a surprise that Glazer has rare insight into Payton’s thinking. And when asked by a reader if the faith the Saints have shown in Hill so far is genuine, he was quick to confirm it.
“No smokescreen, he’s the guy. Sean Payton loves him but it’s not just him, the whole team loves him, not just Sean Payton. Watch a Saints game,” Glazer wrote. “When he’s in the game, watch the other players on the sideline, watch their reaction. They all get up and stand on the sidelines to watch him.”
This is exactly what Glazer is talking about. Terron flexes, JT and Barrett and Teddy laughing, Drew is woooing like Ric Flair. Dudes are pumped on the field/sideline https://t.co/3KlchPFCJx
— Just A Guy (@Champ_Ian33) May 20, 2020
Glazer continued, “I think Sean was always hoping to unleash him on the league without anyone seeing him before but now we’ve seen it with Lamar Jackson. He’s a bigger Lamar Jackson. No, it’s not a smokescreen. He likes him that much, he’ll be the guy. He’s with the perfect coach for that.”
Comparing Hill to the reigning league MVP is bold, especially considering how much more progress Hill has to show as a passer before he can run a full game script. And unlike Jackson, Hill doesn’t have time on his side — he’s seven years older than the Baltimore Ravens superstar, and will be forced to rely more on his arm than his legs as he continues to age.
But stranger things have happened than a 30-year-old quarterback taking over for a year. And that’s what the Saints have prepared for by inking Hill to a contract extension, penciling him in as the heir-apparent for 2021. He’ll probably have to compete against Jameis Winston for that job (should he re-sign with the Saints after riding the bench this season), but Hill’s heightened salary reflect what the Saints and those close to the organization have said about him. Whatever the case, it’ll make for must-see TV whether he flames out or rises to the occasion.
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