Tag: position

New Orleans Saints change Taysom Hill’s official position again

The New Orleans Saints changed Taysom Hill’s position listing on their official roster — again. But he’s making plays wherever he lines up:

Don’t look now, but Taysom Hill’s official listed position has changed once again. Last year, the New Orleans Saints switched him from tight end to quarterback so they could take advantage of a new NFL rule allowing teams to dress a third passer without counting against the active gameday roster limit. But now the situation has changed with Spencer Rattler joining Derek Carr and Jake Haener on the depth chart.

With three true quarterbacks available, the Saints adjusted Hill’s listed position accordingly. So how does this change things?

It won’t mean much on Sundays. Hill has been practicing at fullback, tight end, slot receiver, and other alignments this summer while continuing his usual responsibilities as a runner out of the backfield. His listed position doesn’t have anything to do with his usage in Klint Kubiak’s offense.

But it could be big for your fantasy football team. Check your league rules for his eligibility. Hill can be listed as either a tight end or quarterback at Yahoo, but he’s still a quarterback at CBS Sports. NFL.com and ESPN both list him at tight end.

Hill, who was voted a team captain for the first time this year, figures to be a big part of what the Saints want to do offensively. Look for him to catch passes and make plays in space while receiving more traditional handoffs and lead-blocking for his teammates. And his signature QB Power plays are the most effective call the Saints run until proven otherwise. He’s making plays wherever he lines up.

Update: CBS Sports announced that Hill’s primary fantasy football position is now tight end, while he retains quarterback as a secondary position.

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Dennis Allen on the decision to move Cameron Jordan inside

Cameron Jordan will play on the inside more this season. Dennis Allen says “It takes a special person to be able to handle that”

Cameron Jordan will play on the interior more than he ever has in a New Orleans Saints uniform. Jordan already shared that he is up for the challenge though he wouldn’t have chosen this route. Telling your future Hall of Fame defensive end you need him to alter his role can’t be an easy conversation or decision to make.

Dennis Allen explained the decision to Kay Adams. The Saints picked up Chase Young in free agency, and Carl Granderson is firmly stepping into the role as the Saints’ top pass rusher. You see more players fighting for reps at defensive end than in recent years. Allen sees that as a catalyst for the change.

“At the end of the day, there’s only so many snaps on defense,” Allen said. “There’s only so many spots he can play. How do we get the best 11 guys on the field?”

Jordan will still play on the edge, but Granderson and Young will likely be your two edge players on obvious passing situations and two-minute drills. In these situations, along with other plays throughout the game, you’ll see Jordan on the inside.

Allen credits Jordan for his response to the challenge. Jordan has played one position pretty much his entire career. He’s rushed off the defense’s left side, so leaving that for something different can be an odd. Allen commended him, saying, “It takes a special person to be able to handle that.”

If all goes as planned this could extend his career by keeping Jordan in the lineup as an effective defender. But Allen and the Saints are grateful for what he’s given them already through more than a decade: “Cam’s been one of the most unselfish players in our league for a long, long time.”

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Dennis Allen reveals where he’d line up Taysom Hill on defense

Dennis Allen says he wanted to try Taysom Hill at linebacker early in his career. If only Sean Payton would have signed off on it:

If Dennis Allen had his way years ago, the Taysom Hill you currently know may have never existed.

What makes Taysom Hill so beloved by New Orleans Saints fans is the fact he can do everything. He’s currently a part-time tight end/fullback who lines up on the line of scrimmage, in the slot, or out wide. And of course he’s started games at quarterback (notching a 7-2 record!). In the latest preseason game, the team gave him a lot of snaps in the backfield as a running back and lead blocker. Basically, name a position on offense and he’s been there.

However, if Sean Payton would have given in to Dennis Allen’s request, Taysom Hill would have been a defensive player. Allen revealed this conversation to Kay Adams when she asked if Mr. Do-It-All could play defense.

“I thought about that,” Allen said. “Early on we thought about making him a Sam linebacker. The head coach at the time wasn’t giving anything up.”

Allen’s plan was to put Hill at strongside linebacker and let him rush the passer half of the time. This is equally as creative as Hill playing all of these offensive positions when you remember he started out as a quarterback for BYU.

If you really want to get crazy, maybe Hill would have become a two-way stud who split time on both sides, but doesn’t play a lot either way. It’s not like the Saints run a lot of three-linebacker sets anyway.

Hill has covered punts and kickoffs on special teams and made plenty of tackles, so he could have been up to the task. But Payton wanted him focusing on offense, and Saints fans have gotten to celebrate plenty of touchdowns because of it.

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Saints should continue to use Taysom Hill in the backfield

The Saints played Taysom Hill in the backfield more against the 49ers than any game last year. This trend needs to continue into the season:

Sunday’s preseason game versus the San Francisco 49ers may have shown the best way for the New Orleans Saints to use Taysom Hill. Hill saw a heightened amount of snaps from the backfield despite playing less snaps than he would in the regular season.

Hill played 8 snaps in the backfield at running back or fullback. The most he played in the backfield in a full game was 7 snaps. The Saints should continue to lean into using Hill in this aspect. It’s a win-win.

It may bring the best and most out of Hill. He is the embodiment of a Swiss army knife, but of everything he does, he’s best at running.

He’d be lower on the totem pole of receiving threats. As a rusher he’d be arguably the second-best option. Hill has produced at such a high rate that it’s not absurd to think he could be right behind Alvin Kamara in the pecking order.

Hill showed the ability to lead block, and that was the most impressive part. He cleared out a lane for Jamaal Williams. He’s a more dangerous rushing threat than Adam Prentice while bringing the same value as a blocker.

This versatility at fullback benefits the offense by keeping the defense guessing. Hill’s experience running routes makes him a receiving threat out of the backfield that must be respected. He’s a threat to take a dive through the middle of the line of scrimmage or clear the way as a lead blocker for a running back.

He will likely line up in other positions more because Kamara does still exist. His usage in the backfield should be high and he should get high usage from this alignment. We’ll see just what Klint Kubiak is cooking up for him when the Saints kick off with the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 8.

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Brian Baldinger highlights Taysom Hill’s expanded role with the Saints

NFL analyst Brian Baldinger highlighted Taysom Hill’s expanded roles with the Saints: Fullback, halfback, tailback, and playmaker

NFL analyst Brian Baldinger highlighted Taysom Hill’s expanded roles with the New Orleans Saints, rattling off all the different positions he saw Hill line up at in Sunday’s preseason game with the San Francisco 49ers.

Fullback. Halfback. Tailback. Hill has also taken snaps from the slot, inline at tight end, and out wide as a receiver this summer, though his reps at quarterback have diminished with Klint Kubiak running the offense. But at the end of the day the best way to describe Hill’s position may be playmaker.

He blocks for his teammates, he catches passes, and he runs for first downs and touchdowns. Fantasy football nerds may call him a vulture stealing scores from players in their lineups but Hill is popular among those who know ball. He’s well-liked in the Saints locker room because his peers have seen him put in the work. Coaches like Jim Mora appreciate him for his willingness to try so many different things and his ability to do them well. Saints fans are fortunate to be able to cheer him on each week.

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Cameron Jordan welcoming the challenge of playing on the inside

Cameron Jordan will play more on the interior in 2024. The change comes with a shift in technique and workload, but he’s welcoming the challenge:

More than ever, you’ll see Cameron Jordan lining up at defensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints in 2024. He’ll remain a part of the edge defender rotation, but he’ll now also take snaps on the interior.

Jordan admits the move requires humility. The idea of taking on three players on any given play doesn’t bring him excitement, but it’s what the team needs from him. Jordan swallowed his pride and welcomed the challenge.

Jordan lost weight over the offseason, dipping under 270 pounds for the first time since high school. He’s put some weight back on this summer but is still lighter than usual. He joked after a recent training practice that it ended up being the “Wrong time to slim down.”

He does clarify that defensive linemen can be “small, light, and strong.” The qualities aren’t mutually exclusive. To help with the transition, Jordan is looking at guys like Aaron Donald and other lighter players for the position. Jordan also highlighted Calais Campbell as a player who evolved from an edge rusher to an interior defender.

There’s a major shift when sliding inside from a technique and preparation standpoint. Jordan says everything happens quicker on the interior: “Off the edge you get three, four steps. You move on the interior and everything gets faster.” There’s just less time for you to set up offensive linemen for moves.

Jordan added that his minimal experience at the position has lessened the learning curve and he’s getting more comfortable.

Playing inside snaps changes weekly preparation. It’s an elevated workload having to prepare for playing edge and defensive tackle. 14 years into the season and Jordan has even more on his plate.

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Cameron Jordan trying his hand at a new position at Saints training camp

Cameron Jordan is trying his hand at a new position at Saints training camp. It’s something many fans have been asking about for years:

Will Cameron Jordan be listed at a different position in 2024? No, but he won’t necessarily be a full-time defensive end anymore — at least not if the latest buzz out of New Orleans Saints training camp holds up.

Jordan has been taking a lot of snaps from defensive tackle alignments in team drills and individual work in recent days, particularly in pass-rush situations. It’s something NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill picked up on a few days ago, and which the Saints have been trying out more and more frequently as they get deeper into training camp.

This is new for him. According to Pro Football Focus charting, Jordan hasn’t lined up inside the B gap more than 7 times in a single season since 2012, his second year in the pros and his only experience with Steve Spagnuolo running the defense (and he did so on just 47 of his 1,035 snaps). He’s only logged one snap in the A gap during the last four years. Jordan has almost exclusively lined up over the offensive tackle or outside their shoulders throughout his 14-year career.

But it’s a change that some Saints fans have been requesting (and sometimes loudly suggesting online) for years. It’s no secret that Jordan has lost a step, even if his lack of production last season was blamed on a bad ankle rather than physical decline. He’s never been much of a speed rusher who closes in on the quarterback in a hurry. He wins with strength, power, and leverage. And moving him inside lets him use those skills against slow-footed guards who can’t force him to turn a corner like offensive tackles can.

This could be Jordan’s best path to remaining an asset along the defensive line. Getting him into those mismatches with Carl Granderson and Chase Young rushing off the edge puts everyone in a position to play to their strengths. The lack of quality depth at defensive tackle and sudden surplus of exciting edge rushers (not just Granderson and Young, who has dominated practices; Payton Turner and Isaiah Foskey have each had their moments) are good excuses for moving Jordan around. If he can help supplement the interior pass rush and open snaps for those younger players to take outside, everyone wins.

At least that’s the hope. We should expect Jordan to remain a starter in the base defense at his usual left end spot until someone displaces him. He’s a better run defender than pass rusher at this stage in his career, which has been the opposite case for Chase Young. Maybe lining up Jordan on the edge for early downs and obvious running situations, then kicking him inside with Young crashing down next to him for third downs and clear passing scenarios, is the best way to get the most out of both players. It’s not a bad theory. Let’s see how it plays out in practice.

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Alontae Taylor says he won’t be replacing Marcus Maye at safety

New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor moved to the slot in 2023, but says he won’t be replacing Marcus Maye at safety in 2024:

The New Orleans Saints secondary will look different this season with the team intending on releasing starting free safety Marcus Maye when free agency begins in a few weeks. Could another position switch be on the way for cornerback Alontae Taylor, who moved to the slot for the first time in 2023?

Don’t bet on it. Taylor shot down the idea of learning another new position in 2024 in response to fans on social media, who were discussing the notion of playing him at free safety in the wake of Maye’s departure. Whether he primarily covers the slot or moves back outside, he wants to be listed at cornerback.

While the Saints do have an intriguing internal candidate to replace Maye in second-year pro Jordan Howden, they’re going to need more players in the group with Johnathan Abram, Lonnie Johnson, and Ugo Amadi all headed for free agency. And we can’t ignore that Abram finished the season ahead of Howden on the depth chart. He may not be as ready for a full-time starting role as we think.

But as for Taylor: hopefully this experiment in the slot was just a one-year plan. No player was targeted more often or gave up more catches and yards than he did when guarding the slot last season, and he allowed the second-most touchdown passes in the league in that role. He’s a dynamic player on the outside, where he’s played since high school, but he was miscast in the interior over the slot. One benefit to the Saints possibly trading Marshon Lattimore this summer is that it would open a path to keep Taylor in the starting lineup where he’s played his best football.

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The Saints just changed Taysom Hill’s position listing

The Saints just changed Taysom Hill’s position listing, turning what was a quirk of their roster into a formality:

Well isn’t that interesting. The New Orleans Saints changed Taysom Hill’s position listing on their official website roster Monday afternoon — after being listed as a tight end throughout the offseason, training camp, and in three preseason games, he’s now grouped with the quarterbacks. The Saints’ unofficial depth chart still lists him as a co-starter at tight end with Juwan Johnson but that doesn’t reflect what we saw over the summer. Hill himself has said he doesn’t think of himself as a tight end.

Update: The unofficial team depth chart was later edited to reflect Hill’s change in position.

The move makes what was a quirk of their roster into nothing more than a formality. Hill was practicing with the quarterbacks throughout the summer, at times leading two-minute drills himself while Derek Carr, Jameis Winston, and Jake Haener worked in other areas. But does it mean anything more?

Maybe, but probably not. The Saints could trade Winston if another team presents a tempting offer, but there’s been nothing to suggest that kind of deal is in the works. Haener didn’t help himself with a couple of interceptions in the final preseason game. There’s an argument to be made in favor of the Saints moving Winston and preparing some combination of Hill and Haener as the backup plan should Carr miss time, but there isn’t a trade offer floating around that makes that argument worth listening to.

The rookie isn’t ready to be the next man up, and Hill’s time spent at other positions means he can’t be limited to a backup quarterback role. He’s one of the team’s most effective runners and an effective passer and receiver in certain situations. He’s more valuable moving all over the formation than on the bench.

One of the first things Dennis Allen said when he became head coach was that Hill’s experiment as a full-time quarterback was over; he specifically said that he wanted Hill in the game, not next to him standing on the sidelines with a headset and clipboard. Hopefully Allen better uses his talents in the fall. Hill has converted a first down on 67% of his carries, catches, and passes on third or fourth down when the Saints needed 3 yards or fewer in his career. There aren’t many short-yardage players better than him in this league, no matter what position he’s listed at.

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Taysom Hill isn’t sure what his position is, but ‘I don’t think of myself as a tight end’

Taysom Hill isn’t sure what his position or label is, but acknowledged ‘I don’t think of myself as a tight end’ at Saints training camp:

What is Taysom Hill’s real position? He’s listed with the tight ends on the New Orleans Saints depth chart (and on many fantasy football platforms), but he’s thrown plenty of passes through the first week of training camp practices — despite not wearing a red no-contact jersey like the team’s quarterbacks. Last year, he logged more rushing attempts (96) than snaps at his listed position of tight end (51, per Pro Football Focus charting). He’s a fixture on the punt units and sometimes returns kicks on special teams.

With his specific role in the Saints offense seeming to change from one year to the next, Hill has busied himself with just doing what’s asked of him while trying to not think too hard about his formal designation.

“I don’t know, I don’t think of myself as a tight end, you know? I don’t think I had a single rep last year as an inline tight end,” Hill reflected after a July 26 practice session. “So when I think of a tight end that’s what hits my head. I don’t know how I would label myself. Obviously my background has been quarterback, so when I think about what I’ve done throughout my career I think of that. As far as what I’m doing this year, I don’t know.”

Hill said that he’s had conversations with offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. about his role to practice areas of his skill set that have been underutilized in recent years, particularly as a receiver. After catching 19 passes for 234 yards and 6 touchdown receptions in 2019, Hill has totaled 24 catches for 231 yards and 3 scores in 2020, 2021, and 2022 combined.

The flexible role Hill has earned for himself in the Saints offense isn’t something he takes for granted. If he can help the team by catching more passes, he added, then he’s all for it: “I hope to get more of those opportunities, obviously I need to do the right thing and take advantage of them. Yeah, I hope I keep getting those.”

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