Saints expected to place first-round tender on Taysom Hill

The Saints don't look like they'll let go of Taysom Hill without a fight.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the New Orleans Saints are planning to place a first-round tender on quarterback Taysom Hill. Schefter revealed the news on Friday afternoon via his personal Twitter.

He said in his tweet, "Saints putting money where mouth is: they’re planning to place 1st-round tender on restricted FA QB Taysom Hill, per source, meaning NO will have a chance to match any offer sheet he signs with another team or get back a first-round pick. Saints plan to re-sign him soon anyway."

Schefter added that the restricted free agent tender tag should be around $5 million this year, and that the Saints believe they can wrap him up to a contract extension before they get to that point. This felt like the plan all along, and it's something Sean Payton has publicly discussed on multiple radio appearances this offseason. 

"If he was unsigned prior to the league year, I would anticipate us really paying close attention to that and looking at that first-round tender," Payton said of Hill on a WWL Radio interview towards the end of February. "That'll take some time, relative to his contract because it's unique in what he's doing now and what we feel like he can be and what he can do when Drew does retire. So, that will probably take a little more work than the contract that Mickey [Loomis] does with Drew."

Payton also said how they viewed Hill in the offense.

"He's (Hill) certainly someone that we evaluate first and foremost as a quarterback, and then secondly he did such a good job and has really grown as that 'F' tight end if you will. He can run, he understands the passing game very, very thoroughly. He's explosive with the ball in his hands, and then lastly, of course, when he's coming in the game as a change-up, whether Drew's on the field or not on the field at the quarterback position, it really gives you a lot of flexibility."