Grading the Performance of the Saints Quarterbacks in 2021

Not even the most pessimistic New Orleans fan could envision what the team would go through at quarterback in 2021.

Bob Rose | Feb 5, 2022

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New Orleans Saints

For 15 years the New Orleans Saints had no worries or questions at the quarterback position. Drew Brees was one of the best to ever play the game. His mere presence gave the Saints a chance to win every game.

An obvious decline in Brees' abilities over his last two years surrounded the team with questions about his successor until he retired at the end of the 2020 season. Sixth-year veteran Jameis Winston beat out Taysom Hill in training camp for the first chance at replacing him.

Not even the most pessimistic fan could have envisioned what awaited the Saints in 2021. Injuries, ineffective play, and Covid forced New Orleans to start four different quarterbacks during the year. It was the first time since 1998 and the abysmal era of Mike Ditka that the Saints started four quarterbacks in the same season.

Coach Sean Payton's usually prolific offense plummeted to 28th in total yardage and 32nd in passing production. Injuries to the offensive line, a lack of weapons at receiver, and a yearlong absence of WR Michael Thomas were big contributors to the struggles.

We also saw struggles that we were unaccustomed to during Payton's tenure.

Saints 2021 Position Grades

Quarterback

The top overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay, Winston was always productive but prone to critical turnovers. After a year behind Brees in Payton's system, he showed he could take care of the ball. However, he was guilty of holding on to the ball too long at times, causing additional sacks.

Winston completed 59% of his passes, slightly below his career average. He threw for 14 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions, but averaged just 185 yards per game.

Showing better command of the offense with each game, Winston went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 8.

The 28-year-old Winston is a big, strong-armed passer with good mobility. He can make any throw and has shown improved ability to read a defense. His most productive outings were in the last three weeks before his injury.

Winston will be an unrestricted free agent next month. He accepted a lesser deal to return to the Saints last season. With Sean Payton gone and after proving he can take care of the ball, it’ll take a bigger contract for Winston to return.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Trevor Siemian (15) throws on the run against Atlanta. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Five-year journeyman Trevor Siemian stepped in for Winston when he was injured against the Buccaneers. After an impressive outing in the victory over Tampa Bay, he’d start the next four games.

New Orleans lost all four of Siemian's starts. He got off to a slow start in each of those contests, but had strong second halves against Atlanta and Tennessee. The Saints scored 75 points in his first three starts, but only 13 in the first half.

The bottom dropped out in a 31-6 home loss to Buffalo on Thanksgiving night. After that, the Saints turned to Taysom Hill to run the offense.

Siemian was pressed back into duty when Hill was injured in the season finale. He played well again in relief duty, leading the team to a win against Atlanta.

Siemian threw for 1,154 yards with 11 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, completing 57.4% of his attempts.

Like Winston, he is also a free agent next month. There's a slight possibility he returns as a backup because of his experience, but the offense was limited with him at the helm.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill (7) makes a throw against the Carolina Panthers. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Thirty-one-year-old Taysom Hill saw his second stint at quarterback with the Saints. Hill had mixed results in 2020 when he went 3-1 as a starter in place of an injured Drew Brees.

Hill missed two games with a concussion early in the year, then sat out two of Siemian's starts with a foot injury.

Hill’s best attribute to the team is his versatility and running ability. That was on full display when he rushed for 101 yards in a Week 13 loss to Dallas. Hill also threw for 264 yards in that game, but tossed 4 interceptions and broke a finger on his passing hand.

As a passer, Hill still faces questions about his ability to read defenses and downfield accuracy. He averaged 195 yards/game through the air, completing 58% of his throws with 4 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Hill added 374 yards and a team-high 5 touchdowns on the ground.

New Orleans signed Hill to a lucrative contract extension during the season. He'd receive a hefty bonus as the starting quarterback, but his best value to the team is in his ‘‘jack-of-all-trades’’ role.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Ian Book (16) looks on against the Miami Dolphins. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Both Siemian and Hill were unavailable to the Saints for a Week 16 Monday night game against Miami. As a result, rookie fourth-round pick Ian Book saw his first NFL action. New Orleans went into that game with more than 20 players sidelined because of Covid protocols.

Book and the shorthanded Saints were pummeled by the Dolphins. The rookie completed 12 of 20 passes for 135 yards and threw two interceptions. He was also sacked 8 times by a Dolphins defense that recorded 15 QB hits in a 20-3 loss.

Book is an undersized quarterback at 6’0” and 206-Lbs. He has good athleticism, but below average arm strength. Book's NFL debut was under impossible circumstances, but his longterm future with the team likely depends on the coach hired to replace Payton.

Unbelievably, the Saints were the only NFL team without a 300-yard passing outing in 2021. Twenty-seven other teams had at least two such performances. New Orleans failed to throw for 200 yards in nine contests this year.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) throws a pass against the New England Patriots. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY

Several factors played into the downfall of the Saints offense in 2021. Their performance would've undoubtedly been better if Winston had stayed healthy for the year as well.

With Winston a free agent and a new coach pending, New Orleans will have the same quarterback questions and concerns entering the second year of the post-Brees era.

Grading the Performance of the Saints Quarterbacks in 2021

Bob Rose | Feb 5, 2022

Saints 2021 Position Grades

Quarterback

Quarterback Grade = C-

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