Taysom Hill has been a diamond in the rough for the New Orleans Saints but, now that he’s looking for more, what will his future hold?
Taysom Hill started his NFL career in 2017 with the Green Bay Packers before landing with the New Orleans Saints roster. In the past two years, Hill has become a dynamic asset and chess piece for Sean Payton‘s offense.
The former BYU quarterback has truly become a jack-of-all-trades in the Big Easy. On one drive, he’ll be throwing passes and the next he’ll be catching a touchdown or throwing a block. Anything the Saints ask of him, Hill is either going to do it or try as hard as he can.
As admirable as that is, it’s hard to make sense of a player like that. It’s not a question of how hard he’s willing to play but where to put him on the field? For the Saints, they’ve played him in multiple different places and he’s excelled everywhere.
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Now set to become a restricted free agent though, Hill thinks he could be a franchise quarterback and Payton has shared a similar sentiment. With such high praise, what should the Saints do with Hill?
Ultimately, the decision is going to be up to Hill but it’s hard to imagine he’ll be a franchise quarterback. He’s 29 years old which is relatively old in terms of the NFL and he hasn’t shown nearly enough at the position, throwing fewer than 20 passes in his career. Remember, it was Teddy Bridgewater and not Hill who played in the wake of Drew Brees‘ injury in 2019.
In fact, Hill finished the 2019 season with only 55 passing yards on 3-of-6 passing. Additionally, he didn’t throw for a touchdown, which he actually yet to do in his career while also tossing one career interception.
The Saints have used Hill as a gadget player, putting him on the field where they see fit and to keep the opposing defense on their toes. While that doesn’t guarantee he can’t rekindle his days as a college quarterback, his body of work in the NFL has nothing in it to indicate that he would be able to handle the load.
Even though Hill made his intentions clear, the best case would be for him to re-sign with the Saints. If Brees decides to remain in New Orleans (and not retire), the Saints can still use Hill in the same role he’s occupied. And if Brees does decide to retire, that’s likely Hill’s best chance to see the field as a quarterback.
Hill trying to become a franchise quarterback with another team — assuming another team would give him that opportunity — does not seem like it would work out in his favor. His familiarity with Payton and the Saints gives him the best opportunity to succeed, even if he’s not the franchise quarterback he views himself as.