Sunday’s preseason game versus the San Francisco 49ers may have shown the best way for the New Orleans Saints to use Taysom Hill. Hill saw a heightened amount of snaps from the backfield despite playing less snaps than he would in the regular season.
Hill played 8 snaps in the backfield at running back or fullback. The most he played in the backfield in a full game was 7 snaps. The Saints should continue to lean into using Hill in this aspect. It’s a win-win.
It may bring the best and most out of Hill. He is the embodiment of a Swiss army knife, but of everything he does, he’s best at running.
He’d be lower on the totem pole of receiving threats. As a rusher he’d be arguably the second-best option. Hill has produced at such a high rate that it’s not absurd to think he could be right behind Alvin Kamara in the pecking order.
Hill showed the ability to lead block, and that was the most impressive part. He cleared out a lane for Jamaal Williams. He’s a more dangerous rushing threat than Adam Prentice while bringing the same value as a blocker.
This versatility at fullback benefits the offense by keeping the defense guessing. Hill’s experience running routes makes him a receiving threat out of the backfield that must be respected. He’s a threat to take a dive through the middle of the line of scrimmage or clear the way as a lead blocker for a running back.
He will likely line up in other positions more because Kamara does still exist. His usage in the backfield should be high and he should get high usage from this alignment. We’ll see just what Klint Kubiak is cooking up for him when the Saints kick off with the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 8.
