Why Taysom Hill is Saints backup QB over Tyler Shough

Why Taysom Hill is Saints backup QB over Tyler Shough originally appeared on The Sporting News

It's an exciting Sunday for the New Orleans Saints: Taysom Hill is back.

The multi-talented QB/TE/everything player hasn't played yet this season after sustaining a season-ending injury late in the 2024 season.

But now, Hill is off the Physically Unable to Perform list and ready to suit up in Week 5.

There's a curious aspect to this, though, shared by beat reporter Jeff Duncan in a new article: Hill is expected to be backup QB behind Spencer Rattler, which means Tyler Shough is bumped down to third quarterback.

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Why is Taysom Hill backup QB over Tyler Shough for Saints?

This seems to be a strategic decision by the Saints.

Using Hill as the backup QB, and Shough as the emergency QB3, means Hill just takes up the roster spot of the backup quarterback on the gameday roster while being used all over the field, and Shough doesn't take up a spot in the emergency role.

This lets the Saints keep someone else active that would've had to be out if both Shough and Hill were active.

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It still isn't a great look for the second-round pick Shough, but he'd almost surely be the starter in future weeks if Spencer Rattler got hurt Sunday.

But if Rattler leaves Sunday's game and Hill is healthy, the Saints can't leapfrog Hill and put in Shough. He'd be in there at quarterback, which is always an entertaining sight.

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