Saints expect Taysom Hill to still take quarterback snaps in new role

What else should a team do with a talented player that can play just about any position aside from, well, let him play every position. New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen explained during his media availability on Tuesday afternoon that Hill’s role will be an expansive one. And yes, that expanse is expected to include snaps at quarterback.

First, it is worth mentioning that Hill is expected to be healthy and ready to go for the first day of camp and thereon. The multi-faceted offensive weapon sustained several injuries in 2021. Not the least of which being a Lisfranc injury in the final game of the regular season. Despite a tight timeline, Allen says all systems are go for Hill heading into camp.

Earlier this offseason, soon after Jameis Winston returned on his new deal, Allen gave the indication that Hill’s role would be more akin to that of a tight end. That still holds true to an extent, but it looks like his talents will continue to be deployed all over the offense.

“I think it will be very similar to what we’ve seen in the past,” Allen told Saints media. “I think he’s going to provide multiple roles for us. There will be a lot of working with the tight end grouping. But yet, you know, he’ll still take some snaps from the quarterback position.”

Allen also mentioned that Hill will also find his way back to special teams contributions as well. Punt coverage is where the quarterback-turned-gunner burst on to the season toward the end of the 2017 season. But last year, with the quarterback competition and serving as the team’s primary backup signal caller, those responsibilities were removed. Now, with Andy Dalton as the primary backup option for Jameis Winston, Hill is free to be deployed anywhere and everywhere.

And “everywhere” is really where you want a talent like Hill anyway. Allen even joked that a few years back, they tried to recruit the former BYU Cougar to play strongside linebacker. Could that be a possibility in 2022? Unlikely considering the confidence in the current linebacking unit. But it is a good measuring stick for the confidence the organization still has in Hill, despite no longer having him compete at quarterback.