The Saints’ tight end group will boast a new look next season. With Jared Cook likely to depart as a free agent, the Saints also made the move Wednesday to cut veteran Josh Hill, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
Still more than $60MM over the projected 2021 salary cap, the Saints will save $2.5MM by jettisoning Hill. One season remained on Hill’s deal. This move comes after the Saints adjusted David Onyemata‘s contract to create $4MM-plus in cap space.
Hill has been with the Saints for eight seasons, having only played in New Orleans as a pro. The Saints gave him a three-year, $8.85MM extension late in the 2018 season. New Orleans then signed Cook in 2019. His contract included a 2021 void year, pointing the veteran elsewhere after a two-year Saints stay.
The Saints continually brought in veteran receiving tight ends — from Coby Fleener to Ben Watson to Cook — while keeping Hill, who began his career when Jimmy Graham was still with the Saints. While Hill did not factor in much as a pass catcher last season, he remained a high-end run blocker. Pro Football Focus graded Hill as its No. 4 overall run-blocking tight end in 2020.
Hill, who will turn 31 in May, played in 117 Saints games and started 61 of those. Barring a reunion down the line, Hill will finish with 116 catches, 1,017 yards and 15 TDs as a Saint.
Initially thought this was Taysom Hill getting cut which would’ve been eye-popping.
Considering how far over the cap they are, I would expect at minimum they will restructure Taysom.
Also cut cook
I don’t know why the Saints bothered to cut him given that he was already scheduled to be a free agent, but they also cut Cook. Odd, that.
Probably responding to a request from the players’ agents to allow them more time to negotiate with others. It costs the Saints nothing and it promotes good will.
Hard to really extend him with what he makes when they aren’t even sure he’s starting QB … They are just really going to have to do some cutting of decent players. You can only restructure and extend so much.. For this reason I’m shocked Pittsburgh kept Rothleisberger..: shoulda found out if Rudolph was starter material for future in his last year before free agency
Adam trautman Garrett griffin and Ethan wolf
The Swiss Army Knight Exists.
Steelers could use a TE that actually blocks. Sign him on the cheap!