Taysom Hill has signed multiple big contracts with the New Orleans Saints, and at one point it looked like he was the heir apparent to the Drew Brees throne. That is not the plan under new head coach Dennis Allen.
Jameis Winston is expected to start for the Saints next season after they recently re-signed him on a two-year deal. Allen told reporters this week that Hill is still going to get plenty of playing time, but it will be primarily as a tight end.
“I think the role for Taysom really is going to be a lot more of the kind of F tight end, move tight end type of role,” Allen said, via ESPN’s Mike Triplett. “I think that’s the direction that we need to move with him, because I think he can be one of the better players in the league in that role. So if Jameis is out there playing quarterback, I don’t really like having Taysom next to me on the sideline. And so I think you’ll see him more in that type of role.”
Hill has started games in the past when Winston and Brees were hurt. But the Saints signed Andy Dalton to a one-year deal on Tuesday, so it does not seem like they view Hill as the primary backup behind Winston.
The Saints signed Hill to what initially looked like a shockingly rich contract extension last year. The deal is structured in a very unique way, however. Hill will still make plenty of money, but he would earn far more if he were the primary quarterback in New Orleans. It does not sound like that will be his role.
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