Taysom Hill excited, hopeful in new role with New Orleans Saints

Taysom Hill perfected his running game last season. And as the Saints quarterback situation starts to steady, the invaluable Saints asset is honing another skill.

Hill wants to catch more passes. He already possesses the most unique set of quarterback skills in the league. So in Hill’s case, let’s polish up some more. Ace the route running and the pass catching.

“I think that’s kind of stuff that hasn’t been explored a ton with me here,” Taysom Hill said this week as the Saints finished minicamp. “The throwing stuff as a quarterback or running, that stuff we’ve been doing that for a long time and that’s come really natural for me.

“I think running routes and catching balls, that was a foreign thing for me,” Hill said. “And I also think because of that, we haven’t done a ton of it and I think there’s some opportunities there that we just haven’t explored yet. As I look at next season, I think the hope and the expectation is that that expands a little bit.”

Taysom Hill was a gift for the Saints back in 2017. No team drafted the former BYU star. Maybe it was because he dealt with injuries throughout his college career. And NFL coaches didn’t trust his arm. After all, Hill was at his best when he tortured teams with his power running. The Packers initially signed Hill as an undrafted free agent, then the Saints picked him up via waivers.

By 2018, then Saints coach Sean Payton figured out more ways to best use Hill. He threw passes, ran the ball, caught it and served as the team’s kick returner. He never was going to displace future Hall of Famer Drew Brees under center. But Hill gave the offense so many more options.

Brees retired after the 2020 season. In the first year, post-Brees, the Saints started four different quarterbacks, including Taysom Hill. Then a year ago, New Orleans first went with Jameis Winston then journeyman Andy Dalton. But back in March, the Saints signed Derek Carr, a Pro Bowl quarterback from the Raiders.

Hill likes to say that the offense is going more back to “normal..”

“We’ve had a lot of change here the last few years,” Taysom Hill said. “And I feel like being here the last few days (at minicamp) with the guys and the team, I feel like everyone is gelling really well.”

He still wants to run with the ball. You can’t ignore that he rushed for 575 yards, averaging 6.0 yards per carry last year. Those were both career highs.

“I’m certainly hopeful that I still get my carries and there’s opportunities that way,” he said. “But whatever it is, I’m happy to do it. I think now, we just have more time on task and so, let’s figure out what that is that you have been doing and give you the coaching you need to be successful at it.”