The New Orleans Saints played Taysom Hill just about everywhere during the 2019 season, but more than half his snaps were on special teams.
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What’s the next chapter in Taysom Hill’s story? The do-it-all playmaker has a reputation as a Swiss Army knife, seeming to succeed everywhere the New Orleans Saints put him in just about any role. But where exactly did he line up in 2019?
It can be hard to distinguish that. Hill takes reps from all over the Saints offense, lining up out wide as a receiver on one play before trotting over to lead-block as a fullback. He’s auditioned at tight end and thrived as a slot receiver, also playing sparingly as a quarterback. And that doesn’t even get into his many responsibilities on special teams.
Thankfully, the team at Pro Football Focus is here to help. They charted every snap Hill played in 2019, and recorded each position he lined up — totaling 572 snaps in 17 games, including the playoffs. However, just 264 of those plays came on offense; 54% of Hill’s action was spent on special teams, running with the punt and kicking units.
Here’s an illustration of Hill’s usage in a pie chart we put together using PFF data:
So there’s an answer: considered all of his assignments, it’s safe to say that Hill played 10 different positions during the 2019 season. But while more than half of Hill’s contributions came on special teams, what we’re really curious about is his usage on offense. So here’s a second chart that’s filtered down the positions played on offense, and combined his snaps at receiver (72 in the slot, 44 out wide):
That paints a better portrait of what kind of talent he is, and where Hill’s career may go next. He may insist on being designated a quarterback — and Saints coach Sean Payton might be determined to tell anyone who’ll listen that it’s the case — but actions speak louder than words. And so far, the Saints have shown a greater willingness to play Hill at other positions, and it’s tough to argue with the results. He caught 21 of 24 targets for 259 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns last season, also logging 31 carries for 206 rushing yards and another score. Great things happen when Hill gets the football as a receiver or runner, and the Saints should continue to prioritize that.
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