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Report: Taysom Hill, Saints Agree on 4-Year, $140M Contract After Brees Retires
March 14, 2021
The New Orleans Saints and quarterback Taysom Hill have reportedly agreed to a four-year, $140 million restructured contract, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Schefter noted that every year on the deal is "voidable, and it's a mechanism to free up cap space this year."
The 2021 savings come to $7.5 million, per that report. Schefter added that Hill's contract for the upcoming season includes a "$9.686 million signing bonus, a $1.439 million guaranteed roster bonus and a $1.034 million guaranteed base salary, plus incentives."
Essentially, the restructure is a short-term chance to create some much-needed cap space but gives the Saints and Hill long-term options:
It was a big day for New Orleans quarterbacks, as team legend and future Hall of Famer Drew Brees announced his retirement:
It appears Hill is the favorite to be the team's starting quarterback next season, though the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that "the Saints are expected to turn their attention to Jameis Winston, whose next contract could look a lot like the deal Cam Newton just signed in New England."
Winston would likely be brought back with the expectation that he would have to win the job from Hill. It was the 30-year-old Hill who started the four games Brees missed last season, throwing for 928 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 72.7 percent of his passes. The Saints went 3-1 in his starts at quarterback.
Ever the versatile tool, he also rushed for 457 yards and eight scores and caught eight passes for 98 yards and a touchdown.
It's fair to question whether Hill is the right man to lead the Saints, a team with Super Bowl aspirations. His lack of experience as a starting quarterback is working against him. Barring a major trade or other move at the position, however, it appears he'll get the chance to prove he's up to the task.