Taysom Hill has been on an absolute roll lately, reaching several milestones as he played a key role with the New Orleans Saints by breaking a seven-game losing streak and replacing it with a two-game winning streak.
He's an all-rounder who, despite the desperate efforts of several NFL teams, has never been able to fully replicate. At the same time, it's often said that you shouldn't invest long-term in a player like Hill as a pure quarterback.
This experiment was also tried and failed as part of a trend that eventually disappeared. Former Saints quarterback Steve Walsh is among those who share that mindset.
“A guy like Taysom Hill isn’t going to last. You’re not going to invest $40 million in a guy and give him the QB power because those $10 million linebackers know how to beat you and how to hurt you.” “So you just won’t survive.”
A player like Hill wouldn't be financially smart enough to go all-in on NFL teams either.
“The economics don’t make sense with this type of quarterback. Now, is that someone you'd like to have as a backup or your No. 3 guy who can give you some variety?” Walsh continued. “Cam Newton played his best when he had QB power because that’s just how he played. But he wouldn't be able to do that for a long period of time; like a 15 year career.”
quarterback or not, there's no denying the wave of success Hill has enjoyed recently.
Hill recorded 138 rushing yards on seven carries and 50 receiving yards on eight catches in the Saints' 35-14 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
But that wasn't all that earned him the title of FedEx Air and Ground Player of the Week.
He also threw a pass for 18 yards and provided some special teams action with a 42-yard kick return. Very few players can pull off a three-point performance like that.
How he and the Saints continue to build on the new era they appear to have begun will be one to watch, in a season that could ultimately be a lot more interesting than it looked just a few weeks ago.
