Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Jameis Winston, Ryan Tannehill. There are some interesting quarterbacks headed for free agency. There’s also the Taysom Hill wild card.
Sean Payton says he’s very interested in keeping Hill, who’ll be a restricted free agent. The Saints are mulling how to tender him – the higher the amount, the more they would receive in compensation were he to sign with another team. But Payton (at least for now) might be more interested in Hill as a contributor and long-term starter, rather than as their guy right now.
When the Saints lost to Minnesota in the playoffs, Hill was arguably the most exciting player on the field. They rotated him in for a bunch of plays in the second half, and he sparked them. Hill in that game carried 4 times for 50 yards, caught 2 passes for 25 yards and a touchdown and completed his only pass for a 50-yard gain.
As he prepares for free agency, Hill is making it clear that he’s ready to take a shot at being a starter.
“I definitely view myself as a franchise quarterback,” Hill told Associated Press writer Rob Maaddi during Super Bowl week. “I think as you look at, you know, 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 guys view me and we’ll just handle it as it comes.”
As free agency begins, Hill could be helped by Lamar Jackson. Jackson isn’t yet a dynamic passer, but his unconventional style last year resulted in an MVP season and Baltimore entering the playoffs as the AFC’s No. 1 seed. That season might help convince some team to take a chance on Hill.
The Saints thus far have used Hill primarily as a gadget player. He’s been with them for two years, and he hasn’t yet thrown a touchdown pass as a pro. He’s completed 6 of 13 passes the last two years, for 119 yards, with 1 interception. In 16 regular season games last year, Hill completed 3 of 6 passes for 55 yards.
Hill’s more notable work so far has come as a runner and pass catcher. In the regular season last year, he rushed for 156 yards and a touchdown and caught 19 passes for 234 yards and 6 TDs. He also has played special teams.
While Hill hasn’t played much yet as a true quarterback, that doesn’t mean he can’t make that transition. Payton seems to feel that way. He’s talking as if the Saints are ready to move him ahead of Teddy Bridgewater. Payton says that it’s his belief that if the Saints tender Hill with a first-round designation, some team in the second half of the first round will sign him to an offer. “He was a valuable (waiver) claim for us,” Payton says, “Like gold bullion.”
When Hill was used as a regular quarterback in the preseason last year, he was impressive, completing 68 percent of his passes, with 3 TDs and a 99.8 passer rating. I remember thinking at the time that the Saints would go with Hill rather than Bridgewater as their backup at that time. That didn’t happen, but I think we’re at the point now where Hill has gotten the attention of multiple teams.
There were 25 quarterbacks last year who attempted at least 50 passes in the preseason. Only six of those guys actually ended up starting any games in the regular season (and all but one of them were rookies). Hill had a higher passer rating than all six of those guys.
| PRESEASON PASSER RATINGS | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Comp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
| Tim Boyle, G.B. | 34 | 57 | 60% | 356 | 6 | 0 | 112.9 |
| Jarrett Stidham, N.E. | 61 | 90 | 68% | 731 | 4 | 1 | 102.6 |
| Brett Hundley, Ariz. | 42 | 62 | 68% | 463 | 2 | 0 | 100.4 |
| Jake Dolegala, Cin. | 37 | 53 | 70% | 347 | 2 | 0 | 100.1 |
| Taysom Hill, N.O. | 40 | 59 | 68% | 443 | 3 | 1 | 99.8 |
| Logan Woodside, Ten. | 46 | 76 | 61% | 539 | 4 | 0 | 99.6 |
| •Ryan Finley, Cin. | 47 | 64 | 73% | 414 | 3 | 1 | 99.3 |
| Nathan Peterman, Oak. | 60 | 84 | 71% | 474 | 3 | 0 | 97.0 |
| Ryan Griffin, T.B. | 60 | 92 | 65% | 744 | 4 | 2 | 95.6 |
| Chad Kelly, Ind. | 54 | 73 | 74% | 583 | 2 | 2 | 94.7 |
| Garrett Gilbert, Cle. | 40 | 65 | 62% | 403 | 3 | 0 | 94.6 |
| Mike Glennon, Oak. | 41 | 61 | 67% | 491 | 2 | 2 | 88.9 |
| Tyler Bray, Chi. | 53 | 86 | 62% | 608 | 2 | 1 | 85.8 |
| Cooper Rush, Dall. | 41 | 67 | 61% | 398 | 1 | 0 | 82.8 |
| •Teddy Bridgewater, N.O. | 43 | 70 | 61% | 400 | 2 | 1 | 80.7 |
| Trace McSorley, Balt. | 51 | 90 | 57% | 533 | 4 | 2 | 79.5 |
| Kyle Shurmur, K.C. | 33 | 56 | 59% | 316 | 2 | 1 | 79.2 |
| •Dwayne Haskins, Was. | 32 | 58 | 55% | 409 | 2 | 2 | 74.6 |
| •Drew Lock, Den. | 31 | 51 | 61% | 254 | 1 | 1 | 71.9 |
| •Gardner Minshew, Jac. | 54 | 96 | 56% | 468 | 0 | 0 | 69.3 |
| Tyree Jackson, Buff. | 30 | 57 | 53% | 315 | 1 | 1 | 67.5 |
| •Will Grier, Car. | 34 | 61 | 56% | 385 | 2 | 3 | 65.3 |
| Joe Webb, Hou. | 66 | 115 | 57% | 697 | 3 | 6 | 62.1 |
| Phillip Walker, Ind. | 32 | 64 | 50% | 349 | 0 | 2 | 53.5 |
| Kevin Hogan, Den. | 33 | 65 | 51% | 311 | 1 | 3 | 50.2 |
—Ian Allan