Saints could make move with Taysom Hill that could impact on Derek Carr’s future

The New Orleans Saints have had a roller coaster of a 2024 season so far — and at times they have looked like they could make a playoff run — while others they looked like one of the worst teams in the NFL. 

After the first two games of the year, the Saints looked like they may be one of the most unstoppable offense in the NFL, putting up 47 points in the opener against the Panthers and following that up with a 44-19 blowout victory over the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, where Dallas didn’t lose a single game in 2023. 

But then came a 7-game losing streak and in the middle of everything crumbling around them, the Saints axed head coach Dennis Allen with the hope of providing a spark. 

The move worked. 

Special Teams coach Darren Rizzi was named interim head coach and has re-energized the Saints, leading them to wins over the Browns and Falcons before heading into the Week 13 bye. 

It’s obvious that Rizzi has a gift for connecting with the players and there was a clear disconnect between the team’s key veterans and Allen. 

Backup QB/jack-of-all-trades/TE Taysom Hill was clear how the players view Rizzi and Hill has suddenly become a focal point of the Saints’ offense again. 

“I think Rizz has done a really nice job of communicating with a lot of the guys in the locker room,” Hill said. “We’ve had a lot of meetings, private meetings.” 

Bleacher Report recently published a piece looking at every NFL team’s biggest needs after Week 13, and they believe the Saints need to continue to make Hill a focal point of the offense. 

Here’s what BR believes the Saints should do right now regarding Hill and Carr: 

In the past, we've suggested getting longer looks at quarterbacks Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler. Derek Carr will be a potential cap casualty in 2025—releasing him with a post-June 1 designation would save $30 million —but New Orleans may want to stick with Carr for as long as it holds playoff hope.

The Saints should keep augmenting their offense with do-it-all runner/receiver/quarterback Taysom Hill. He completely took over the game against Cleveland in Week 11, and he can be a huge asset in upcoming games against the Rams, Giants and Commanders.

Carr's play has been up and down throughout the season, so the less pressure the Saints can place on him, the better.

There’s a solid chance the New Orleans Saints move on from Carr after the 2024 season and turn to rookie Spencer Rattler as the future. 

Either way, Hill clearly needs to be a major part of the future offensive plan. When he’s utilizied the right way, it’s a nightmare for opposing defenses.