Saints make Taysom Hill one of highest-paid backup QBs in NFL, signing him to two-year extension

Hill will make $21 million in his new deal with the Saints

The New Orleans Saints eliminated any doubt regarding Taysom Hill's status with the franchise. New Orleans signed Hill to a two-year extension, making him one the highest-paid backup quarterbacks in the NFL.  

Hill's deal will be $21 million with $16 million guaranteed, with the average annual salary of $10.5 million making him the second-highest paid backup quarterback in the league. Jacoby Brissett is the highest-paid backup at $15 million, losing the job to Philip Rivers when he signed with the Indianapolis Colts. Marcus Mariota is the third-highest paid backup, earning an average of $8.8 million a year with the Las Vegas Raiders. Hill was originally set to make $4.641 million this season as the Saints placed a first-round tender on him as a restricted free agent. 

New Orleans is potentially adding another quarterback as earlier Sunday there were reports the team was close to finalizing a deal with Jameis Winston. If Winston joins the Saints, he could compete with Hill for the No. 2 job and the heir apparent to Drew Brees. With this deal in place, the Saints are paying Hill for his role on offense and making a significant commitment to him as a backup quarterback going forward. 

An an undrafted free agent signed by the Saints in 2017, New Orleans has used Hill as a gadget-type player that can line up at quarterback and add another dimension on offense. Hill has thrown only 13 passes in his three-year career, but has been a force running the ball after receiving the snap and as a pass-catching option for Brees. This past season, Hill had 27 carries for 156 yards (5.8 yards per carry) and 19 catches for 234 yards with seven total touchdowns (six receiving). 

Hill was the Saints' most dynamic offensive weapon in the playoffs (a NFC wild-card loss to the Minnesota Vikings), completing his only pass attempt for 50 yards, carrying the ball four times for 50 yards and catching two passes for 25 yards and a touchdown. 

Whether Hill will be the No. 2 quarterback and the successor to Brees is still up in the air, but the Saints certainly made a huge commitment trending in that direction.