The New Orleans Saints signed Taysom Hill to a contract that establishes him as the most overpaid player in the NFL. The team inked their gadget player and backup quarterback to a two-year deal worth $21 million. It includes $16 million in guaranteed money and potential incentives which could total an additional $1 million. This is the highest salary for a backup quarterback in the entire league. Jacoby Brissett of the Indianapolis Colts makes more, his contract was signed when he was starting for the team. All of this money for a player who has only 13 pass attempts, 352 rushing yards, and 238 receiving yards in two seasons. The former undrafted free agent from BYU has parlayed a couple of timely plays into a lucrative contract, while former MVP quarterbacks like Cam Newton sit and wait for a new destination. Let’s take a look at Hill’s career to evaluate his exaggerated impact and discuss why it demonstrates the problem with the current quarterback market.
The Most Overpaid Player in the NFL is Taysom Hill
Team Impact
Hill has completed 6-of-13 passes (46%) for 119 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception. He has rushed for 352 yards on 64 attempts (5.5 Y/A) with three touchdowns. He has also caught 22 passes for 238 yards and six touchdowns on 29 targets. The Saints even trot him out on special teams, where he has blocked punts on a few occasions. At 6’2, 221 lbs with 4.44 speed, Hill is built like a truck, which is why head coach Sean Payton sometimes like to use him in short-yardage or goal-line situations. He’s shown some ability to break off long runs, with seven carries of 20 yards or more in his career. Some observers believe that Hill is in line to succeed future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees. There have even been comparisons to Steve Young, which appear to be rooted in recency bias from Hill’s big game in the 2019 Wild Card game against the Minnesota Vikings, where he threw a 50-yard pass, ran for 50 yards, and caught a 20-yard touchdown.
But is this worth premium backup quarterback money? Some might say yes because he’s Brees’ successor, but the Saints just signed former number-one overall pick, Jameis Winston, to a one-year deal. Winston is a much better passer and a more suitable replacement for Brees. Some also might agree with this contract because of Hill’s Swiss Army knife ability to play all over the field. But for every big game, there are five games where he barely makes a blip on the radar. For example, in the first eleven games of the season, Hill had a total of 16 plays. Hill is a player who is beloved by his teammates and coaches for his willingness to play wherever whenever. This is commendable, but it should not warrant such a lucrative contract.
Quarterback Market
The other problem with the Hill contract is that there were and still are more deserving quarterbacks available. Winston signed a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the team, despite throwing for 5,109 yards and 33 touchdowns. Yes, he threw for 30 interceptions, which is inexcusable. But his playmaking ability and starting experience should result in a better contract. Andy Dalton, another quarterback still capable of starting on several teams, signed a one-year deal worth $7 million to back up Dak Prescott in Dallas. Newton, a former league MVP and Super Bowl runner-up, is still without a contract.
Instead of giving respect to long-time starters by rewarding them with deserving contracts, teams like the Saints are dishing out cash to a sparingly-used gadget player. This demonstrates how the quarterback market is currently out of whack. There is a bias against older quarterbacks, especially those coming off an injury. There is also too much of an emphasis on interceptions. Passers who protect the football are more desired than gunslingers. You have to think that veterans like Dalton and Newton scoffed at the contract given to Hill.
Final Thoughts
Taysom Hill is an amazing athlete with commendable traits as a team player, but it’s hard to envision a scenario where he takes over for Drew Brees as the next starting quarterback for New Orleans. The team has shown an unwillingness to enter a season with Hill as the primary backup, having traded a third-round pick for Teddy Bridgewater in 2018 and signing Winston. The Hill contract demonstrates what is wrong with the current NFL quarterback market. Gadget quarterbacks are compared to Hall of Famers, while former MVPs remain unsigned or ink severely below-market deals.
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