Can Josh Hill Adequately Perform as Saints TE in Jimmy Graham's Absence?

New Orleans Saints tight end Josh Hill will never be mistaken for Jimmy Graham, but he'll be expected to do his best impression of the All-Pro in the coming weeks. 

Graham's status for Sunday's contest against the Detroit Lions is questionable after injuring his shoulder during the Saints' overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Graham could miss the next two games due to the lingering injury. 

The Saints have three options behind Graham. Benjamin Watson is a 10-year veteran and a steady performer. The organization also signed Tom Crabtree, who has started 21 games in his career, last week. But Hill, who was initially acquired as an undrafted free agent, is the team's best option to retain the offensive flexibility Graham provided.   

The second-year tight end from Idaho State presents the type of athleticism that can still prove to be a matchup problem for opponents. 

Player	Height	Weight	40-yard dash	Vertical	Broad jump	3-cone
Jimmy Graham	6'6"	260	4.56	38.5"	10'	6.90
Josh Hill	6'5"	246	4.66	36.5"	10'7"	7.00

Even with Graham in the lineup, Hill displayed the ability to be a downfield threat. Hill is currently second on the team with an average of 16 yards per reception. 

Hill's average is nearly five yards more per catch than that of Graham. Those numbers are also indicative of how often Graham is targeted and the coverage he faces from opposing defenses. 

Player	Receptions	Yards	Yards per catch	Touchdowns
Jimmy Graham	34	376	11.1	3
Josh Hill	7	112	16.0	2
Ben Watson	9	64	7.1	0

Hill's ability to put pressure on a defense can be seen throughout the season as his usage rate continues to increase.

After playing in 14 games with three starts as a rookie, the second-year tight end was only on the field for 23 total snaps during this season's first two games, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Those numbers began to increase during Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings when he garnered 27 snaps.

Hill began to produce once he was granted significant action. The tight end caught two passes for 48 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown reception. 

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

While there was clearly a breakdown in coverage as Vikings safety Harrison Smith was caught peeking at the targets on the other side of the field, the example provided is still a clear indication of how effective Hill can be as a vertical threat. 

Even if Smith's eye discipline was much better during this particular play, Hill's release and downfield speed still make him a viable target for Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

Hill wasn't on the field nearly as much the following week against the Dallas Cowboys, but he took full advantage of his five snaps. Hill's quickness once again came into play when he scored his second touchdown of the season. 

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Hill initially lined up on the wing of the right side of the formation and down-blocked on the defense end before releasing and becoming Brees' outlet receiver. The tight end easily outraced multiple defenders to the corner of the end zone for the score.

The early glimpses of Hill's true potential were seen during the Saints' 37-31 overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The tight end's 37-yard reception in the second quarter helped set up the Saints' first touchdown of the contest. 

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

In the initial alignment, Hill was slotted on the inside of the trips formation behind Graham. While Graham ran a curl route in the middle of the field, Hill was tasked with a wheel route down the left sideline. Buccaneers linebacker Danny Lansanah was locked in coverage the entire way. 

The linebacker couldn't keep up with the tight end, though. Hill created tremendous separation, which made it an easy completion for Brees. 

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Lansanah was never able to recover (as seen in the picture above), and the safety was forced to come across the field to knock Hill out of bounds after a large gain. 

Once Graham was injured and left the contest, the Saints started to use Hill differently than previously seen. He stepped into the role Graham often occupies. 

In overtime, Hill showed he can be used similarly. 

On 1st-and-10 from the Saints' 46-yard line, Hill lined up wide opposite the two wide receivers on the field.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Brees easily identified Cover 1 (man coverage across the board with a safety over the top) and quickly recognized the mismatch between his big tight end against a cornerback. Hill released clean off the line, ran a simple slant route and bodied off the defender for the completion. 

It was only an eight-yard gain, but it was Jimmy Graham-like how the Saints used their backup tight end, who proved he can be a mismatch when he's on the field in crucial situations. 

One area the Saints may actually benefit with Hill filling in for Graham is with their blocking schemes. According to Pro Football Focus' blocking grades, Hill has been a superior blocker during his time on the field.

This should help running back Mark Ingram, who is expected to return to the lineup this week after breaking his left hand Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, and Brees will have an extra blocker handy in pass protection if needed. 

All of this needs to be taken into context, though. 

Hill can never truly replace Graham. The former Miami basketball player is a freakish athlete and the true No. 1 target for Brees. Graham has consistently proved himself to be one of the NFL's best. 

Expectations need to be limited for Hill. 

The young tight end is just now emerging as a legitimate player and an option in the Saints offense. He's not going to produce like Graham. Hill does possess the ability to make some plays and adequately fill in for Graham in the short term, which should be more than enough for the Saints. 

Advanced stats and metrics via Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Brent Sobleski covers the NFC South for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.