New Orleans Saints’ Taysom Hill is one of the most versatile football players in today’s game. Saints’ coach Sean Payton used him as a tight end, wide receiver, quarterback, and Hill responded successfully on each task.
However, it looks like Hill, who is a restricted free agent this summer, isn’t interested in staying the “Swiss army knife” for his entire career. Instead, the 29-year-old sees himself taking the position under center full time.
“I definitely view myself as a franchise quarterback,” Hill told Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi. “I think as you look at the other questions: Is it New Orleans? Is it somewhere else? As you go into free agency, this is the time that you start to find out how people view you. We haven’t gotten into free agency long enough to really know how these guys view me and we’ll just handle it as it comes.”
Hill is determined to achieve his goal even if this means he will have to leave New Orleans to get there.
“I want to play quarterback in this league, and if New Orleans don’t view me that way, well then I have to leave. That’s really where we’re at,” he added.
Saints have had one of the best QB situations in the league last year, but now they have some tough decisions to make. Their starter Drew Brees is still undecided on whether he will return in 2020 or retire, while Brees’ backup Teddy Bridgewater will certainly draw some interest on the free-agent market after winning all five games he started in 2019.
Taysom Hill, on the other hand, will also be a highly sought after player among QB needy teams. However, it remains to be seen whether a team would gamble on Hill to be a full-time starter at QB, which will probably be his first request before inking a deal.
Hill finished the past regular season with 55 passing yards, two receptions for 25 yards, and 50 rushing yard. In the postseason, he had a TD catch while also throwing for 50 yards.
