(Tight) End Of An Era: Taysom Hill Switching Positions

The Taysom Hill quarterback era has been as well received as an airplane dump. Four years after the era commenced, New Orleans is ready to wipe away the idea and move Hill from first class to coach.

Beginning this offseason, Hill will switch from quarterback to tight end.

"I think the role for Taysom really is going to be a lot more of F-tight end, move-tight end type of role," Saints college Dennis Allen said Tuesday. "I think that's the direction that we need to move with him.”

Hill’s move from signal caller to pass catcher reeks of both seller’s and buyer’s remorse. Shortly after Drew Brees retired last March, New Orleans anticipated that Hill would be the heir apparent to Brees and so handed him a whopping $140 million contract extension.

The contract was structured so that Hill -- who has played numerous roles including wide receiver, tight end, special teams, quarterback and more since joining the Saints in 2017 -- would make as much as $95 million over four years if he remained a quarterback. However, his compensation drops to $40 million for the same length of time if he’s positioned in a non-quarterback role.

Moving forward, Hill, who has 34 career catches, figures to be a highly paid tight end. Within the last two weeks, New Orleans has re-signed presumed starting quarterback Jameis Winston and a likely backup, Andy Dalton. Ian Book and Blake Bortles are also listed on the QB depth chart.

"I think (Hill) can be one of the better players in the league in that (tight end) role. I don't like having Taysom — if Jameis is out there playing quarterback — I don't like Taysom standing next to me on the sideline,” added Allen. “And so, I think you'll see him more in that type of role."

Rather than let it sit there, Saints fans should be thankful Allen flushed the idea of Hill taking more snaps under center.

 

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