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What’s to be done with Taysom Hill? The New Orleans Saints restricted free agent endeared himself to fans by making plays in just about any role asked of him, lining up all over the field. It’s enough for Saints coach Sean Payton to tell anyone who will listen that Hill is his quarterback of the future.
But actions speak louder than words — more than half of Hill’s 2019 snaps were taken on special teams, and he spent significantly more time at receiver or tight end than at quarterback. If Payton is telling the truth about envisioning the Hill’s future (which includes his 30th birthday later this year) at quarterback, he’s telling us something different in how Hill is actually playing.
And it’s worth noting that we’re about a month removed from Payton admitting that he lied about not being interested in free agent wide receiver Antonio Brown. The offseason is lying season in the NFL.
That said: Payton isn’t just concerned another team could poach Hill — he’s expecting an attempt. The Saints coach made an appearance on The Peter King Podcast and gave his take on what could lie ahead in Hill’s restricted free agency.
“Yeah, I think someone is going to make him an offer. But the first thing the fan has to understand is,” Payton said, “if we tender Taysom as a one [a first-round tag], the team that makes the offer on him and signs him to an offer understands they’re going to give up a first-round pick if we don’t match. That’s easier to do if you’re pick 22, 23, 24, 25. We might very well see it if it’s a team in the second half of the [first round].”
So, it’s early in the process. It’s unclear which rookie quarterbacks will be available in the first round beyond the top tier of Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, and Justin Herbert. But Payton seems to be suggesting that other teams could go after Hill if they’re not confident that better options will be on the table in the latter half of the first round.
And that’s where the Saints must make some tough decisions. What’s more valuable? Taking a chance that Hill is more than a flash in the pan, and could thrive despite his age and lengthy injury history (four of his five years at BYU ended on injured reserve) might not be worth it on a starting quarterback’s salary at $15 million or more per year.
When the possibility is there to recoup a first-round pick and the talents that are available (meaning a top receiver prospect like LSU’s Justin Jefferson or Clemson’s Tee Higgins), as well as the five years of rookie contract control that come with it, the Saints have to be tempted if another team makes a significant offer.
And maybe that’s Payton’s grand plan, even if it requires some serious overthinking to suss it out. The Saints won five games with their backup quarterback last season and have a clear succession plan in place, but it doesn’t involve Hill. Teddy Bridgewater proved to be someone they can ride with. The smart move could be getting another team to swap a high draft pick for Hill and surround Bridgewater, the proven commodity, with more weapons.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. It all hinges on whether Drew Brees chooses to return for one more run at a Super Bowl or begin what looks like a busy retirement. And until he makes his decision, this is just speculation from all involved, including Payton himself.
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