Tag: Taysom Hill

ESPN senior writer says Saints are a ‘wild card’ if Cam Newton tests free agency

ESPN senior NFL writer Jeremy Fowler suggested the New Orleans Saints could be a ‘wild card’ if Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton is available

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The future isn’t exactly clear for Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. Newton landed on injured reserve earlier this year; the team has since gone 5-5 without him. Questions are mounting as to whether new team owner David Tepper will retain longtime head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Marty Hurney, so big changes could be on the way for Carolina.

One of those big changes could be a parting with Newton, the Panthers’ franchise quarterback. Newton’s year ended after foot injury lingered into the regular season, and his 2018 season was cut short with a shoulder issue. He was mightily effective on designed runs (gaining 5.1 yards per carry and averaging 38.4 rushing yards per game in his career) but the hundreds of extra hits he absorbed in that role have clearly taken a toll.

So it wouldn’t be a big shock if the Panthers showed Newton the door in 2020. It’s the last year of the five-year, $103.8 million contract extension he signed back in 2015, and cutting Newton would free up $19.1 million against the salary cap. That’s money Tepper could put towards finding his new quarterback or hammering out new deals for free-agents-to-be like linebacker Shaq Thompson (2020 class), running back Christian McCaffrey (2021), or right tackle Taylor Moton (2021).

During an appearance on the ESPN Daily podcast with host Mina Kimes, ESPN senior NFL writer Jeremy Fowler noted that he could envision Newton wearing black and gold some day, maybe as an heir for New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

“The wild card here is New Orleans,” Fowler said after discussing more-realistic landing spots like the Los Angeles Chargers or Chicago Bears. “Now, it would be unlikely, but one guy I talked to said Sean Payton secretly loved Lamar Jackson in the draft, and he loves that style of quarterback. Where you can get creative — you can run and you can throw and you can do whatever you want. And so, they’ve kind of experimented with that with Taysom Hill as a result.”

Hill’s usage on designed quarterback runs and passes off of play-action rollouts could be interpreted as a trial for new elements of the always-evolving Saints playbook, and it makes sense that Payton could be considering other prospects who can do those things while staying on the field as a conventional passer.

Hill could certainly be a candidate to do that, but it’s worth mentioning that he doesn’t have an edge over Newton as far as age (Hill is 29, Newton is 30) or health (Hill went undrafted back in 2017 after four of his five years at BYU cut off with season-ending injuries) are concerned. If anything, Newton’s extended NFL experience as a passer helps his case. Any further developments Hill makes on dropbacks will be in pursuit of trying to get where Newton already is.

Still, maintaining Newton’s versatility was something Fowler stressed, and he admitted that Brees’ continued high level of play could keep the Saints out of Newton’s sweepstakes should he become available: “So if you do Newton you’d have to be all in, and it’d have to be a successor situation to Drew Brees. But (if) Brees continues completing 74% of his passes or whatever it is now, it’s going to be hard to move on from him.”

Of course, it all comes down to whether or not the Panthers even let Newton hit the free market. If they are seeking to make a long-term change at quarterback, they’d like to do so on their own terms in a trade, and Fowler made certain that a deal between the two NFC South rivals isn’t happening: “And they would never trade him there (to New Orleans). So that would have to be an outright release where he’s let go, and the Saints work him out and they sign him to a big contract.”

It’s tough to say what happens next for the Saints quarterbacks. They’re going year-to-year with Brees, who will turn 41 in January and could retire at any time without creating a huge shock. Hill should stick around another year at least on a restricted free agent tender. Teddy Bridgewater won all five of his starts in Brees’ place this year and would be the preferred successor, but he’s likely to get an offer he can’t refuse in free agency. You would think if the Saints can afford to sign Newton to a big contract, they could do the same with Bridgewater, who has already proven he can win in their system.

Nevertheless, changes are coming, and it wouldn’t be impossible for Newton to end up joining the Saints should a few factors break the right way. Crazier things have happened in the NFL, and in New Orleans. Remember when the Saints took a shot on Brees, a virtual unknown and then-San Diego Chargers washout, just months removed from reconstructive shoulder surgery?

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Teddy Bridgewater makes ‘Friday Night Lights’ hat tip to Taysom Hill

New Orleans Saints backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater made a creative salute to Taysom Hill after his huge day against the Atlanta Falcons

There are few rooms around the NFL stocked with as much talent as the New Orleans Saints boast at quarterback, much less the chemistry those players share. Sure, Drew Brees is the unquestioned leader in the building and the face of the franchise — but both of his backups have stepped up to help their team when called upon, and they clearly appreciate each other.

That was clear after versatile reserve Taysom Hill scored two touchdowns (one through the air, another on the ground) and blocked the Atlanta Falcons’ first punt in their game on Thanksgiving. After the game, Teddy Bridgewater creatively saluted Hill’s performance on social media.

Responding to a tweet in which the Saints referred to Hill as “Mr. Do-It-All,” Bridgewater shared a clip from the 2004 film “Friday Night Lights” in which a character talks up his highly-recruited nephew to college scouts. You love to see it. Check it out for yourself in the video embedded below, or by following this link:

It’s going to be interesting to see which path each of these quarterbacks takes in the offseason. All three of them are headed for free agency, though Hill should be the easiest player for the Saints to retain. It wouldn’t be a huge shock if Brees seriously considers retirement, but that feels unlikely after he missed five games with injury earlier this year. Bridgewater has been groomed to become the heir-apparent, but he could get an offer he can’t refuse in free agency. If Nick Foles and Kirk Cousins can get contracts worth in excess of $80 million, why can’t he?

So be sure to appreciate these moments while we can. The Saints have built something special, and it’s well worth remembering once things change someday.

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Saints’ Taysom Hill needs to become fantasy football’s first QB/RB/WR/TE

Make it happen!

One of my favorite things in fantasy football is when there’s a wrinkle in position eligibility. Remember the great debate of 2016 over how Ty Montgomery should receive running back eligibility when he took over for Eddie Lacy?

And how about Jaylen Samuels, the Steelers running back who entered last season with tight end eligibility and probably won some fantasy titles for his owners at that position?

The issue with New Orleans Saints all-around player Taysom Hill isn’t quite as huge as with those two. His performance on Thursday — 33 yards on the ground, 12 through the air and two scores — is a rarity for the Saints’ gadget guy. We know he’s good for about one pass per game, a couple of rushes and maybe a catch or two.

But then you hear head coach Sean Payton talking about getting him the ball “even more” …

… and it makes you think: shouldn’t Hill — if he becomes more fantasy-relevant — be more than just a player at the QB slot?

He’s probably a tight end and a quarterback … but heck, let’s honor the fact that he does everything for the Saints on offense and call him a QB/RB/WR/TE.

I’ve seen some other people lobby for something more than “QB” and a few think he could get a “Flex” designation, much in the same way designated hitters in fantasy baseball are “Util” players, and that’s a pretty good idea, too:

This is a very fantasy geeky thing to lobby for, but it’s mostly for fun so we can see Hill get the recognition he deserves for his “Flex” skill set.

And if Payton really does use him more often, it might actually pay off for fantasy owners.

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Saints snap counts analysis: Vonn Bell logged 104 plays vs. Falcons

By playing both defense and special teams, New Orleans Saints safety Vonn Bell saw his snap count climb to 104 against the Atlanta Falcons.

This year’s NFC South division championship belongs to the New Orleans Saints, just as it did last year, and the year before that. The Saints still haven’t played a complete game with penalty-free, clean execution in all three phases, but they’re still 10-2 and have clinched a playoff berth in November. They have time to improve before the postseason kicks off.

Snap counts got weird in this game, particularly on defense. They ran a season-high 93 plays when Atlanta had the ball, which is a huge disparity against the 50 plays the Saints ran on offense. When the Saints go 2-for-10 on third down while the Falcons go 6-for-16 (and get helped out by a number of dubious penalties against the Saints defense), that’s going to happen. Here’s our snap count analysis:

Offensive backfield

  • QB Drew Brees, 48 (96%)
  • RB Alvin Kamara, 41 (82%)
  • QB Taysom Hill, 13 (26%)
  • RB Latavius Murray, 13 (26%)
  • FS Marcus Williams, 1 (2%)

Hill didn’t see a huge jump in playing-time on offense (he’s averaged 11.4 snaps per game this year) but this game was easily his biggest day of the year so far. He scored both of the Saints’ two touchdowns (one through the air, another on the ground) and consistently gave the team a spark when they needed it on critical downs.

Skills positions

  • WR Michael Thomas, 40 (80%)
  • WR Tre’Quan Smith, 37 (74%)
  • TE Josh Hill, 29 (58%)
  • TE Jared Cook, 29 (58%)
  • WR Ted Ginn Jr., 27 (54%)
  • WR Krishawn Hogan, 11 (22%)
  • TE Jason Vander Laan, 5 (10%)

Smith ran a lot of routes but didn’t get open often against Atlanta, catching two targets for 14 yards. Cook was frustratingly inconsistent. The veteran tight end has clear playmaking ability — just look at his latest 40-yard catch-and-run — but he’s dropped three would-be touchdown passes in the last two weeks, and went 3-for-6 as a receiver on Thursday. At least Brees is still giving him chances to make an impact.

Offensive line

  • C Erik McCoy, 50 (100%)
  • T/G Patrick Omameh, 50 (100%)
  • G Larry Warford, 50 (100%)
  • T Ryan Ramczyk, 50 (100%)
  • G Nick Easton, 50 (100%)
  • G/C Will Clapp, 6 (12%)

New Orleans had to start two new faces at left tackle (Omameh) and left guard (Easton), and they both responded well when called up. The Saints gave up six sacks in their last game with the Falcons but rebounded to keep Brees clean and upright in this meeting. Their success in a pinch was a huge reason for the Saints’ success.

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Watch: Taysom Hill scores 30-yard TD, sends Saints into halftime up 17-9

Have a day, Taysom Hill. The New Orleans Saints’ reserve quarterback and do-it-all gadget playmaker scored both of his team’s first-half touchdowns against the Atlanta Falcons while also blocking a punt on the Falcons’ opening drive. He was credited …

Have a day, Taysom Hill. The New Orleans Saints’ reserve quarterback and do-it-all gadget playmaker scored both of his team’s first-half touchdowns against the Atlanta Falcons while also blocking a punt on the Falcons’ opening drive. He was credited with a touchdown catch off of a Drew Brees shovel pass, but followed up that act with a scoring run that carved through the heart of Atlanta’s defense — from 30 yards out.

The highlight reel-worthy play put Hill’s athleticism on full view, and cast the struggling Falcons defense in a harsh light. Hill kept the ball on a zone-read, caught the defense off-balance, and outraced everyone to streak into the end zone, untouched. Check it out where the video is embedded below:

This is the fifth touchdown Hill has racked up in 2019, and his eighth career score since entering the NFL (including the playoffs). He’s proven to be a threat to make plays on special teams as well as while handling the ball himself, making plays on the ground and through the air. Whether his future lays at quarterback is anyone’s guess; for now, the list of more-exciting players in the game today has to be awfully brief.

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Steve Gleason taunts the Falcons after early gaffe: ‘Never punt’

New Orleans Saints legend Steve Gleason didn’t pass up the opportunity to taunt the NFC South-rival Atlanta Falcons after a botched punt.

No one was happier to see the New Orleans Saints block an Atlanta Falcons punt early in their game on Thanksgiving night than Steve Gleason, the living legend whose own block against the Falcons is immortalized with a bronze statue outside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Even though his playing days are long behind him, the Saints’ retired playmaker remains an avid fan of his old team and made sure to tune in for their game with his family After Saints quarterback Taysom Hill cut through the Atlanta line to deflect the punt away, giving his team the ball, Gleason took to his official Twitter account to taunt the Falcons:

Gleason has been battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) since 2011, a neurodegenerative disease that has confined him to a wheelchair and taken away his ability to speak. He now relies on cutting-edge software to type on an electric keyboard with his eyes, using a text-to-speech program  to communicate.

But he and his family haven’t let that condition prevent him from living his life to the fullest. The Gleasons continue to travel often, and they welcomed their second child to their family last year. He remains a common sight on the sidelines at Saints games and is actively involved in his Team Gleason Foundation.

So here’s to Steve Gleason, one of the greatest alumni of Saints coach Sean Payton’s management of the team. Despite all the adversity he’s experienced, he still has his sense of humor, and is eager to use it to dunk on the Falcons.

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Taysom Hill led a Saints touchdown drive basically all by himself

Taysom Hill single-handedly got the Saints off to a fast start against the Falcons.

Saints utility man Taysom Hill single-handedly got his team off to a fast start in its Thanksgiving Day matchup with the rival Falcons. Hill started the drive that would eventually lead to the game’s first points with a bang, extended it a few plays later and then capped it off with a touchdown to give the Saints an early 7-0 lead.

New Orleans’ first drive started in Falcons territory thanks to the do-it-all Hill, who knifed through Atlanta’s blockers and blocked Ryan Allen’s punt. It’s not often that you see a quarterback block a punt — or even play special teams — but we know Hill isn’t like most quarterbacks.

Two plays later, with the Saints facing a second-and-5, Sean Payton dialed up a quick pass for Hill and he did the rest, bulldozing his way to a first down to keep the drive going.

After an Amara Kamara run got New Orleans within striking distance, Payton called Hill’s number once again and he did not let his coach down. He once again had to barrel through a Falcons tackler to get into the end zone.

No need to worry, Drew Brees fantasy owners. While that played out like a run, it’s a forward tap pass, so Brees also got credit for the touchdown.

Everyone wins! Well, not Atlanta.

The Falcons are sitting at 3-8 and now allowing a third-string quarterback beat them basically all by himself. This season can’t end soon enough for Dan Quinn’s team.

That was Hill’s third touchdown of the season and the fifth of his career. He’s still never thrown a touchdown in the NFL, however. Maybe Payton will give him a chance tonight. It is the Falcons defense, after all.

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Watch: Taysom Hill blocks a Falcons punt, catches a touchdown pass

New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill made two big plays against the Atlanta Falcons, blocking a punt and catching a touchdown pass.

The New Orleans Saints started their Thanksgiving night game with the Atlanta Falcons in the most entertaining way imaginable. Defensive end Marcus Davenport sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan on the first play of the game, and the Saints snuffed out Atlanta’s efforts at trying to dig out of that hole.

Forced to punt, the Falcons failed to block reserve Saints quarterback Taysom Hill, who crashed through the line and blocked the punt to give New Orleans the ball inside Atlanta territory. It was a huge breakdown for the Falcons and possibly the worst start they could have hoped for. Check out Hill big play for yourself:

However, Hill wasn’t finished yet. He caught two passes on the Saints’ first drive to first convert a fresh set of downs and then score the game’s opening touchdown, grabbing a shovel pass from Brees and following his blocker into the Falcons’ end zone. All told, Hill almost gave the Saints’ an early 7-0 lead over Atlanta on his own. It’s going to be tough for Hill’s detractors to talk down his impact in this one:

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Saints snap counts vs. Panthers: Defense runs 76 plays too many

The New Orleans Saints defense logged 76 snaps against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12, tying for their second-most of the 2019 season.

The New Orleans Saints were lucky to escape their Week 12 game against the Carolina Panthers with a win, thanks to some awful kicking by Carolina and a number of sloppy Saints penalties. There are some questions that need answering when reviewing the week’s snap counts, so let’s get to it.

Offensive backfield

  • QB Drew Brees, 65 (98%)
  • RB Alvin Kamara, 44 (67%)
  • RB Latavius Murray, 26 (39%)
  • QB Taysom Hill, 7 (11%)

On the surface, Murray’s snap count is unremarkable. He’s averaged 28.5 snaps per game this year, but the Saints didn’t give him enough touches compared to his time on the field. He received just seven carries but averaged more than nine yards per attempt on them, even scoring the game’s opening touchdown run. For whatever reason, Saints coach Sean Payton was determined to remain pass-heavy down the stretch and put Kamara in some tough spots in short-yardage situations. Hill’s seven snaps on offense were his fewest total since Week 4’s game with the Dallas Cowboys, when he came in on just six plays. It’s possible that the absence of fullback Zach Line (knee injury) and the exit of left tackle Terron Armstead (high-ankle sprain) forced Payton’s hand into a pass-heavy game script.

Skills positions

  • WR Michael Thomas, 58 (88%)
  • WR Tre’Quan Smith, 47 (71%)
  • WR Ted Ginn Jr., 39 (59%)
  • TE Jared Cook, 38 (58%)
  • TE Josh Hill, 31 (47%)
  • TE Jason Vander Laan, 16 (24%)
  • WR Krishawn Hogan, 15 (23%)

Vander Laan was called up from the practice squad and featured on the opening drive as an in-line blocker at tight end, throwing the key block that freed up Murray’s long touchdown run. But the Saints sidelined him as the game wore on and their offense evolved into a pass-first approach, which was puzzling. It’s even more troubling considering Smith and Ginn were targeted eight times but turned in just three targets for 51 yards, with each player dropping passes that should have been big gains. The Saints need better personnel at wide receiver, but they may be too deep in the season to find it now.

Offensive line

  • C Erik McCoy, 66 (100%)
  • G Larry Warford, 66 (100%)
  • G Nick Easton, 66 (100%)
  • T Ryan Ramczyk, 66 (100%)
  • G/T Patrick Omameh, 56 (85%)
  • G/C Will Clapp, 10 (15%)
  • T Terron Armstead, 10 (15%)

Credit to Omameh for stepping in early and holding his own at an unfamiliar position; he’s started full seasons during his six-year NFL career, but rarely played left tackle — his previous stops came at left and right guard. Whether the Saints will trust him to hold it down full-time until Armstead can return from his ankle injury remains to be seen. Clapp filled in for Andrus Peat at left guard in a pinch but the Saints went with Easton as his full-time replacement, and it’s worked out so far. McCoy had some rookie mistakes (failing to snap the ball on time at one point, drawing a delay of game penalty) but on the whole he’s made a big, positive impact.

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Future of Saints QB situation graded as too complicated to covet

The New Orleans Saints might have the NFL’s best quarterback situation in 2019, but free agency looms for Drew Brees and Teddy Bridgewater.

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The New Orleans Saints quarterbacks depth chart is one that should be the envy of the NFL. Drew Brees is a Hall of Fame-bound passer, sitting comfortably on top. Teddy Bridgewater proved his worth as a backup who can win games in this league. And Taysom Hill is a dynamic reserve who can fill in at almost any position, up to and including quarterback.

But according to our friends over at Touchdown Wire, that short-term strength comes with a price. All three of those quarterbacks are going to be free agents after this season, and the Saints have a tough decision to make on whether to keep Brees or Bridgewater. It’s possible they’re able to re-sign both of them, but Bridgewater will have earned far more opportunities — and much bigger contract demands — than what he was offered in the last signing cycle. And that potential instability ranks New Orleans’ outlook at the position low among the league; at No. 24, to be exact:

If this ranking pertained only to this season, the Saints might be No. 1. They have a future Hall of Famer in Drew Brees and, when he missed five games with a thumb injury, backup Teddy Bridgewater went 5-0. The Saints should have a deep playoff run this year. But, after that, things get cloudy in a hurry. Brees will turn 41 in January. He’s still going strong. It’s difficult to imagine the Saints choosing to keep Bridgewater as the starter over Brees because coach Sean Payton and Brees have such a close working relationship. It’s also difficult to imagine Bridgewater choosing to stay in New Orleans as a backup when he could likely get a starting job in free agency. Third-stringer Taysom Hill never will rise to the starting role. He’s a multipurpose threat and is used mostly on gimmick plays. Unless the Saints find a magical way to keep Bridgewater, it will be time to start looking for an eventual replacement for Brees. “Don’t be surprised if the Saints find a way to keep Bridgewater,” a panelist said. “(General manager Mickey) Loomis and Payton can be very charming. The smart move is to keep Teddy, even if he’s your backup for another year or two until Brees retires. They’ll be willing to throw good cash at him.”

To put a more optimistic spin on it: the Saints have at least two NFL quarterbacks in the building they can put faith in, and they’ll probably have their pick of them in the spring. Bridgewater will be able to command a starting quarterback’s salary in the range of $20 million or better per year, which is close to the decreased salary Brees agreed to accept the last time his contract ran out.

The Saints can afford to keep one of them, but they’ll be hard-pressed to recruit Bridgewater if Brees is determined to continue playing. At least Hill can return on a low-cost restricted free agent tender, at least for one more year.

Fortunately, the Saints have plenty of time to figure this situation out. Hopefully they’ll be able to do so with everyone crowded around the Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LIV.

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