Rather than enter 2019 with their usual three tight ends, the New Orleans Saints locked down their 53-man roster with just two; Jared Cook and Josh Hill. But, they may have another one stashed away in quarterback Tayson Hill.
As head coach Sean Payton says, per Nola.com's Amie Just:
“It's not a set in stone spot right now relative to where we're adding. And I would say we feel confident in the two we kept, and then also Taysom's ability to play in that in that position.”
Though listed as a quarterback, Hill is far from a one-position athlete. Per USA Today, according to Pro Football Focus, he played seven positions in 2018. The two he played the most were quarterback and tight end. Payton says on the matter and his position, per Just:
“I think what gets lost in the shuffle, sometimes is the role that Taysom Hill played a year ago, and this year. A year ago, we might have called him a receiver.”
Hill is a different breed of athlete. At 6-foot-3 and 230-pounds, he's got good size for a quarterback and has shown massive improvement. But, he's a true jack-of-all-trades in that he can play seemingly any position. In 2018, he rushed for 196 yards and two scores on 37 attempts, caught three passes for four yards, and attempted seven throws for three completions, 64 yards, and a pick.
For Payton, though Hill doesn't have a true spot as a starter, it's easy to get him in the gameplan anywhere on the field.
“It's very easy to envision his game-day role. It's very easy. There are a lot of things he can do and do well. He's one of the better athletes on the team,” Payton said via Just.
Expect to some of Hill's game-day role in 2019 as a tight end.
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