Tag: Jared Cook

Report: Josh Hill suffered ‘mild’ concussion vs. Buccaneers

The New Orleans Saints lost backup tight end Josh Hill with a concussion, which one report described as a mild injury rather than serious.

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The New Orleans Saints lost a big part of their offense on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when backup tight end Josh Hill was ruled out from returning to the game with a concussion. Hill isn’t the pass-catching threat many would expect a valued Saints tight end to perform as, but he fills a critical role in the offense as one of their best blockers. Saints coach Sean Payton described his loss as like losing the front door to a house, requiring a quick scramble to adjust his playsheet.

Fortunately, Hill appears to have escaped a serious brain injury. Per Larry Holder of The Athletic, Hill’s concussion was described as mild, though the team still took all precautions to protect his health. Hill was a limited participant in practice on the Wednesday Saints injury report, which is encouraging. It’s worth noting that he was limited in practice throughout the week before the Buccaneers game with a calf issue, though it didn’t slow him down in the game.

Hill has averaged nearly 39 snaps per game this season, often outplaying big free agent signing Jared Cook. Still, it isn’t really fair to compare the two of them given their vastly different skills sets; Hill is a blocker first and a receiver second, while the Saints spent the summer suggesting Cook’s arrival would allow them to open up a part of the playbook once designed for Jimmy Graham. If Cook continues to catch touchdowns like his high-flying grab against Tampa Bay, he might end up earning that adulation.

Even if this latest concussion is only a minor hurdle, fans should remember that it’s the third brain injury in as many years for Hill. He exited last year’s NFC championship game with a concussion and dealt with another one early in the 2017 season. Here’s hoping this isn’t the beginning of a trend like the series of concussions that ended Coby Fleener’s Saints career.

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Saints rule out Josh Hill vs. Buccaneers with concussion

The New Orleans Saints lost backup TE Josh Hill during their game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a concussion, leaving them shorthanded.

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The New Orleans Saints ruled backup tight end Josh Hill out for the rest of their game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team announced Sunday. Hill suffered a concussion during the first half and was not cleared to return by team medical staff.

It’s made the Saints short-handed at the position, with Jared Cook the only active tight end left in the game. Third-year reserve Dan Arnold was a healthy scratch before kickoff, though the Saints can shift do-it-all quarterback Taysom Hill into the tight end spot in a pinch.

One other adjustment the Saints can make in Hill’s absence is the use of extra offensive linemen in heavy personnel packages. They went to that exact look early in the fourth quarter for a short-yardage situation, sending backup blockers Will Clapp and Patrick Omameh out to reinforce the formation — meaning every active offensive lineman was on the field at the same time. Quarterback Drew Brees ended up leaping over the top of the line to pick up a fresh set of downs.

Hopefully Hill won’t be plagued by concussion symptoms in the coming weeks. He was limited in practice throughout the past week with a calf injury, though it obviously didn’t prevent him from suiting up. The Saints lack depth at tight end and haven’t gotten consistent production out of Cook to this point in the season. Still, Hill’s health is what is most important, and he shouldn’t rush to return from this brain injury.

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