While unlikely, Taysom Hill as the New Orleans Saints' quarterback is an intriguing possibility

New Orleans Saints jack-of-all-trades/backup-backup quarterback Taysom Hill is set to become a restricted free agent, and whether it’s with New Orleans or somewhere else, his current coach Sean Payton thinks he will be a franchise quarterback down the line.

Payton has been Hill’s biggest hype man during his time in the NFL, with comments ranging from comparing him to Hall of Famer Steve Young, to suggesting he was as valuable as gold bullion.

If you listen to Payton talk about Hill for any length of time, you’ll be convinced he’s a franchise quarterback in waiting, but is there any actual evidence to back that up, or is this all just based around the feel-good story of his NFL career?

The first point to make is that for all the playing time Hill has received, very little of it has been as a quarterback. When Drew Brees injured his thumb this season, opening up an opportunity for quarterback reps, Teddy Bridgewater became the starter while Hill remained the gimmick changeup. Not to be cynical, but if you were looking for a way to get the next Steve Young on the field, an injury to your current Hall of Fame quarterback would seem like an excellent opportunity. Unseating Brees for playing time is one thing, jumping Bridgewater should be something entirely more manageable.