It might be one of the biggest boner moves of Ted Thompson’s tenure as general manager of the Green Bay Packers. After a stellar 2017 preseason, he released quarterback Taysom Hill, an undrafted free agent out of BYU.
The idea was the Packers would sneak him onto the practice squad after he cleared waivers. Hill did not clear waivers. He was claimed by the New Orleans Saints.
He is currently their third quarterback, but he’s so much more. The Saints put Hill on special teams last season, where he immediately became one of their best gunners.
This season, the Saints have regularly incorporated Hill into the offense, where he does it all.
Passing, rushing, receiving and even blocking.
“We try to, each week, look at different ways that he can help us,” Saints coach Sean Payton said of Hill.
Hill has thrown two passes, completing one for 10 yards. He’s rushed seven times for 67 yards. He’s caught one pass, although it went for negative-four yards.
Hill also still plays special teams. He has one tackle on the season. He’s returned five kicks and has a 25.4 yard average.
You can call him a gadget player or whatever you want, but he’s a player that could have helped the Packers.
Then again, it’s probably a good thing Hill is on the Saints. Packers coach Mike McCarthy doesn’t quite have the vision or creativity that Saints coach Sean Payton has.
Hill would probably just have been seen as a backup quarterback by McCarthy and never would have gotten any of these opportunities in Green Bay.
The Saints have relied heavily on running back Alvin Kamara so far this season. They’ve used Hill to spell Kamara. The Saints other back, Mark Ingram has been suspended for the first four games of the season. Even though he is returning, New Orleans still plans to utilize Hill.
“He’s a beast, man,” Ingram said. “It’s just another wrinkle, and it’s going to make us more explosive.”
So, way to go Ted.