Rapoport: 'Hard Time Seeing' Taysom Hill Returning to Saints amid Salary-Cap Issues

The New Orleans Saints find themselves in dire straits when it comes to their payroll for the 2025 season, currently more than $60 million over the cap.

That doesn't mean they will completely gut their roster, though it could mean jack-of-all-trades Taysom Hill is a cap casualty.

"In my understanding of their situation, it does not sound like a rip-the-Band-Aid-off type of deal," NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday. "It doesn't sound like they're going to say, 'Alright, let's cut the quarterback [Derek Carr], defensive end who is one of our best players of all time [Cameron Jordan], Demario Davis, Taysom Hill.' Probably some of those guys might not be back. Taysom Hill I have a hard time seeing back. But it does seem like one of those things where they're going to say, 'Let's keep the talent we have, massage the cap just enough, try to get a little younger and still try to win.'"

That might be a touch optimistic after the team went just 5-12 in 2024. But with a new head coach in Kellen Moore and eight picks in the upcoming draft—including the No. 9 overall selection and four top-100 selections—the Saints may be able to rebound with some clever roster maneuvering.

As for the 34-year-old Hill, he'll carry a 18.2 million cap hit in 2025, a big number for a player who operates as something of a tight end and running back and is recovering from an ACL tear.

While his versatility was valuable this past season, the Saints need to trim payroll and either cutting ties with Hill or yet again restructuring his deal would provide some relief.

It would be a tough decision, given what his leadership and versatility have meant to the franchise, but the Saints are going to have to make some difficult choices this offseason.