Sean Payton expects another team to attempt to pry away RFA Taysom Hill
Things will soon heat up for the New Orleans Saints and the rest of the NFL, as free agency is a little less than a month away. Monday morning provided some interesting news from NBC Sports' Peter King. According to his Football Morning in America column, Head Coach Sean Payton is expecting another team to make an offer for Taysom Hill. Here's what he said.
I asked Sean Payton on “The Peter King Podcast” whether he thinks a team will make an offer to restricted free-agent QB Taysom Hill, who has become hugely valuable since being claimed on waivers from Green Bay in 2017. Payton thought for a minute and said: “Yeah, I think someone is going to make him an offer. But the first thing the fan has to understand is . . . if we tender Taysom as a one [meaning placing a first-round tag on him], the team that makes the offer on him and signs him to an offer understands they’re going to give up a first-round pick if we don’t match. That’s easier to do if you’re pick 22, 23, 24, 25. We might very well see it if it’s a team in the second half of the [first round].” I’d expect the Saints to tender him with a first-round tag, particularly if Drew Brees retires. I told Payton I’d like to see him coach for the next 10 years. “I’d like to do that,” he said. “He was a valuable claim for us. Like gold bullion.”
Hill, who will turn 30 towards the end of August, is set to become a restricted free agent for the Saints. That means any team would have the option to make a contract offer, but the team (New Orleans) would be able to match/retain that player with said offer. It wasn't so long ago that FOX's Jay Glazer reported that the Saints believe that Taysom Hill was their future guy, and that the team could mirror an offense similar to what Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have.
Prior to 3 p.m. CT on March 18, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.
