Saints HC flirts with idea of playing offensive weapon on defense

Over the last seven years, Saints Swiss Army knife Taysom Hill has played quarterback, running back, fullback, wide receiver, slot receiver and tight end.

That's why it was so surprising when Hill said earlier this offseason New Orleans has been asking him to do things he's " never done before ."

However, the latest comments by head coach Dennis Allen support that.

"Early on, we kind of thought about making him a Sam linebacker. I'm not kidding," Allen said on "Up & Adams." "But now we've got him doing so many things; fullback, runner, there's only so many ball plays a guy can play."

Hill is one of only a few players in the NFL who can play several different positions and succeed at each one in any given week.

In 2023, he threw for 83 yards and a touchdown, rushed for 401 yards and four touchdowns and caught 33 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns.

So, if the Saints think his play can translate to the other side of the ball, why not?

While Allen would love to see Hill getting after opposing quarterbacks, he wants to make sure he doesn't already have enough on his plate.

"I'd play him at Sam linebacker, and I'd rush him about 50 percent of the time," Allen added. "Let's see him do what he's gonna do at fullback, at tailback, at receiver, at tight end, personal protector, kick returner. He's got enough jobs."

If Hill shows he can handle his numerous jobs, maybe Allen will reconsider playing him on defense, but one thing is for sure: the 33-year-old hasn't lost a step.

"Taysom Hill can do everything," concluded Allen . "He's more than just a quote-on-quote wild-card quarterback. He can do a lot of different things. He can line up as a tight end, he can line up as a wide receiver, he can line up as a tailback, he can line up as the fullback, he can block, he can catch, he can run. So if he can do all those things, let's figure out how we can put him in positions to do that."