The New Orleans Saints have signed hybrid player Taysom Hill to a four-year contract extension. The deal, which was announced by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, might sound pretty straightforward on paper. But the details and money involved, have a lot of people around the NFL scratching their heads.
According to Schefter, Hill signed a “four-year, hybrid-type of contract extension that could be worth anywhere between $40 million and $95 million, depending on the position he plays, and includes $22.5 million guaranteed.”
“Taysom Hill’s hybrid deal is unique and unlike other contracts, because it pays him a $40 million base salary for the role that he’s currently playing, and up to an additional $55 million if he does become the Saints’ starting QB for the next four seasons,” Schefter continued.
Taysom Hill’s hybrid deal is unique and unlike other contracts because it pays him a $40 million base salary for the role that he’s currently playing, and up to an additional $55 million if he does become the Saints’ starting QB for the next four seasons.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 22, 2021
The deal is raising a lot of eyebrows from people who aren’t entirely sure why the Saints are investing so heavily in Hill, especially when it comes to how incentivized he is to play quarterback. Hill started his Saints career as a special teams player but found his way onto the quarterback depth chart while also making appearances as a running back, wide receiver, and punt return gunner.
Hill signed a two-year deal worth $16.3 million with the Saints in 2020, which led to him getting his first start at quarterback when Drew Brees was injured. When Brees retired, Hill signed a 4-year, $140-million extension with the Saints that, in reality, functioned as a 1-year, $12.2-million extension. It’s unclear if this new contract functions in the same way.
Jameis Winston beat Hill out for the starting job in 2021 and when Winston went down with a season-ending injury, Trevor Siemian took over with Hill as the backup. Injuries have also kept Hill out of the lineup for most of the season, and he has completed only seven pass attempts for 56 yards and rushed for 104 yards.
No offense to the guy, but by just about every measure, Hill is about as expendable or replaceable an NFL player as there is.
All of which brings us back to this new contract, which doesn’t appear to make any sense for the Saints. Surely the franchise expects to either move forward with Jameis Winston when he returns or go out and get a free agent quarterback in the near future. Either way, there’s no way they see Hill as their quarterback of the future.
Why they’d want to invest so much money in a utility player dealing with injuries. who hasn’t been able to compete for the quarterback job so far, is baffling. And some are even wondering if there’s something shady going on here.
I am confusion. https://t.co/ETuAiUZV5G
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) November 22, 2021
This only makes sense if it's some sort of bizarre cap-laundering scheme that allows the Saints to bag Aaron Rodgers next year. https://t.co/ng4FgI9jru
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) November 22, 2021
This is what money laundering looks like https://t.co/PNasxiU6Ev
— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) November 22, 2021
I have no words https://t.co/8RMuY6VgWq
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) November 22, 2021
I guess Sean Payton fell for one of those scammer phone calls from Amazon/IRS/Social Security needed his account information to provide a refund on a recent purchase, and he wound up with this bill instead. https://t.co/jGssT2YvXS
— Danny O'Neil, Noted Fisch fan (@dannyoneil) November 22, 2021
This man is 31 years old and currently backing up Trevor Siemian. But I’m sure he’ll become a legit NFL starter by the time he’s 35 https://t.co/U53ft7C9qe
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) November 22, 2021
If anyone can explain why the Saints feel the need to secure 31-year-old Taysom Hill with so much money, a lot of people would appreciate the answer.
