Broncos Urged to ‘Pounce’ if $52 Million NFC South Star Comes on Market

If we’re talking about Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton’s genius in terms of turning players into stars who everyone else wrote off — or never even wrote about in the first place — then Taysom Hill has to be toward the top of the list.

Saints at Broncos score: Taysom Hill rushes for two touchdowns, Denver completes one pass in blowout - CBSSports.com

In 5 seasons together from 2017 to 2021, Payton took Hill and turned him from an undrafted free agent into one of the most unique players in NFL history.

Now, with Hill likely staring down his last few seasons in the NFL, there’s a good chance he could go on the market as the Saints try to rebuild. While talented, Hill might not be available until the second half of the 2025 regular season after suffering a torn ACL in Week 13 of the 2024 regular season, and the $10 million he’s due in 2025 might be a bridge too far.

“With Hill going into an age 35 campaign and still needs time to work his way back from a serious knee injury that could limit his elite athleticism, the rebuilding Saints may opt to forge ahead without their Swiss army knife for the first time since 2016,” Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay wrote on June 24. “The cash-strapped Saints may find it more palatable to get both salary cap relief — New Orleans would receive $10 million in cap savings in exchange for $8 million in dead money — and roster space for youthful talent under new head coach Kellen Moore, while a contending team willing to be patient with Hill’s recovery could still benefit from signing the dynamic weapon.”

If that happens and Hill is released, the Broncos need to pounce and sign him. Hopefully to a bargain deal in the realm of a 1-year, $1.5 million contract that could double or triple with incentives. Hill already has approximately $52 million in career earnings headed into 2025.

For Broncos fans … just imagine Hill coming back for the second half of the season and a playoff run? That could be electric.

Broncos Could Use ‘Swiss Army Knife’ Anywhere

If healthy, Hill could theoretically help the Broncos at every skill position on offense — quarterback, tight end, wide receiver and running back — and do so in ways that vary from teaching younger players how Payton wants things done to actually making plays himself.

In just 8 games in 2024 before he tore his ACL, Hill had 465 yards from scrimmage and 6 total touchdowns. Hill has scored a whopping 44 touchdowns over the last 7 seasons, including at least 5 touchdowns in each of the last 6 seasons.

Getting Hill and Payton back together would equal a certain amount of bliss for die-hard NFL fans — and is something people have been pining for since the end of last season.

In January, ESPN’s Benjamin Solak theorized the Saints might be able to actually get trade value for Hill — a ship that has almost certainly sailed.

“I’m not sure what exactly happens with Taysom Hill, the 35-year-old do-it-all playmaker who is due to hit the 2025 cap for $18 million next season, which will be the fourth-biggest tight end cap hit in football,” Solak wrote. “I expect the Saints to try to trade him (to the Broncos, as nobody else would really be interested) while modifying his contract to create cap relief. ”