Sean Payton thinks Jameis Winston’s time is coming.

The New Orleans head coach told the NFL’s “Huddle and Flow” podcast that Winston will have the opportunity to prove himself once 41-year-old Drew Brees calls it quits, which is expected to be as soon as after this season as Brees has already agreed to join NBC Sports as an NFL analyst once he retires.

“One of the attractions for Jameis, and I understand it, was there aren’t many places in free agency where you can go to a team and have a pretty good bet that that quarterback like Drew is going to be playing in his last year,” Payton said. “That doesn’t exist. You go to a team and … you’re going to look for that opportunity to some time be a starter. He’s going to have that opportunity the minute Drew leaves, and both he and Taysom know that.”

Winston signed a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the Saints this offseason following five years as the Buccaneers’ starter, during which time he accrued 19,737 yards, 121 touchdowns, 88 interceptions and a 61.3 completion percentage. The 2015 No. 1 overall pick is regarded as a talented but erratic passer, whose career has been marred by turnovers, most notably his final season in Tampa Bay in which he threw 33 touchdowns and a NFL-leading 30 interceptions.

At just 26 years old, Winston hopes to revive his career similar to the way 2014 first-rounder Teddy Bridgewater did after spending two seasons with the Saints under Payton’s system. Bridgewater signed a three-year, $60 million deal to become the Panthers’ starter this offseason.

Payton’s glowing endorsement may come as a bit of a surprise since he tapped Hill — not Winston — to take over after Brees was knocked out with multiple rib fractures.

“I had basically given Taysom [Hill] my word in the offseason that – hey, this is long before Jameis even arrived – that he would have that opportunity as the (No.) 2 coming back here,” Payton said.

The Saints won the first three games of that stretch without Brees (one of which was against a Broncos team that was forced to start practice-squad wide receiver Kendall Hinton at quarterback), but faltered against the Jalen Hurts-led Eagles last week and have yet to play a team with a winning record since Hill took over. The 30-year-old former undrafted free agent has completed 86 of 119 attempts (72.3 percent) for 920 yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions, and has accrued 395 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 73 attempts this season.

“I believe Taysom is ascending, getting better at this position and I believe there’s a certain skill set – they’re different players, but I believe our future quarterback sits here, and Jameis definitely is a starter,” Payton added.

Whether the decorated head coach meant Winston represents the future at quarterback for the Saints is unclear. The former Heisman Trophy winner has completed seven of 11 attempts for 75 yards this year behind Brees and Hill on the depth chart and becomes a free agent after this year.

Meanwhile, Hill is under contract until 2021 after signing a two-year extension this offseason worth $21 million. The BYU product has also expressed his desire to become a franchise quarterback at all costs on multiple occasions.

“I definitely view myself as a franchise quarterback,” Hill told the Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi ahead of Super Bowl 2020 in February. “I think as you look at, you know, the other questions, is it New Orleans? Is it somewhere else? As you go into free agency, this is the time that you start to find out how people view you. We haven’t gotten into free agency long enough to really know how guys view me and we’ll just handle it as it comes.”

Hill and the Saints (10-3) will face the Chiefs (12-1) in a marquee matchup at home on Sunday at 4:25 p.m.