Saints HC Dennis Allen: Plan is for Taysom Hill to focus on TE
First-year New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen spent the last seven seasons as the team's defensive coordinator, but it sounds like he is ready to make the call on one what the role will be for one of the team's more intriguing talents on offense in 2022.
Through the first five years of his NFL career, Hill has split time as a passing quarterback, a rushing signal-caller and at the tight end position. With Jameis Winston recently re-signed to a two-year contract and reportedly on track to be good to go for training camp, New Orleans should have their starter under center back in the fold for 2022.
After being signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in May 2017, Hill was soon acquired off of waivers by the Saints in September. As a rookie, Hill was primarily used on special teams, playing 71 snaps with that unit as opposed to just one single snap on offense.
In 2018, the BYU product saw his first action as a quarterback — albeit in limited fashion — going 3-for-7 for 64 passing yards and one interception, while adding 37 carries for 196 rushing yards and two touchdowns, three receptions for four yards and adding 14 kickoff returns for 348 yards. With Drew Brees in his penultimate season and Teddy Bridgewater backing up the future Hall-of-Famer, Hill only had six pass attempts in 2019 but recorded career-highs in targets (22), receptions (19), receiving yards (234) and receiving touchdowns (six), while contributing 27 carries for 156 yards and one touchdown as well.
With Brees missing four games, Bridgewater gone and Winston seeing limited action, Hill saw his first significant playing time at quarterback in 2020. That year, Hill went 88-for-121 (72.7% completion percentage) for 928 passing yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions, while adding career-bests in rushing attempts (87), rushing yards (457) and rushing touchdowns (eight), while posting eight receptions for 98 yards and one score through the air as well.
In 2021, Hill had a similar opportunity under center with Winston missing time, and finished 78-for-134 (58.2%) for 978 passing yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions. The Pocatello, Idaho, native added 70 rushing attempts for 374 yards and a team-high five touchdowns on the ground with four catches for 52 yards as well.
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