How impressive Hill was lost to Saints
GREEN BAY - Even if the New Orleans Saints hadn’t submitted a waiver claim Sept. 3 to scoop up quarterback Taysom Hill, it’s likely Brett Hundley still would be making the first start of his career for the Green Bay Packers this weekend.
Nonetheless, it’s interesting to think about what might have been.
An undrafted rookie from Brigham Young, Hill had the best exhibition season of any quarterback on the Packers’ roster. He arrived as a 26year-old project whose collegiate production was tempered by injuries. He left as the most impressive player at his position outside of starter Aaron Rodgers.
By early September, as general manager Ted
Thompson pondered his 53-man roster, all the explosive traits that made Hill such a thrilling collegiate player had coalesced into terrific allaround production.
He completed 14 of 20 passes for 149 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 124.8. He also scrambled 10 times for 71 yards and a touchdown. He led impressive touchdown drives behind mincemeat offensive lines and with mostly unreliable skill players around him.
And while the sample size was small, Hill clearly had outplayed Hundley and second-year man Joe Callahan. He had performed so well that it was conceivable to think Hill could have pushed Hundley for the backup job with another couple of months in coach Mike McCarthy’s system. Down south, the Saints noticed the potential as well.
“I was watching the receiver ( Max) McCaffrey, and we were looking at trying to find a way to maybe get him on our practice squad,” Saints coach Sean Payton said in a teleconference Wednesday. “And I kept seeing this Hill. I’m sure they played quite a bit together on the field at the same time in the preseason.
“I called (assistant general manager Jeff) Ireland in, we just kept watching the film and studied Max and then began studying Taysom. And then I think in a very short amount of time, I imagine, you began to see some quick stroke, live arm, very athletic and can run — a lot of the traits you’re looking for. The more film we just kept watching the more we kept looking to find a reason not to (claim him) and we just trusted out instincts watching him play.”
The Packers released Hill during final cuts. Thompson didn’t want to keep three quarterbacks on his 53-man roster but he desperately wanted Hill to clear waivers so the Packers could re-sign him to the practice squad.
Instead, New Orleans stepped in and Hill was boarding a flight to join the Saints’ 53-man roster.
He has been there ever since behind starter Drew
Brees and backup Chase Daniel.
“He’s doing well,” Payton said. “We’re working with him. He’ll be handling a lot of the scout team duties this week.” Line drills: Left tackle
David Bakhtiari returned to the starting lineup Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings some 35 days after injuring a hamstring in the season opener Sept. 10.
He lasted 34 snaps before dropping out in the second half.
As it turns out, he was still ahead of schedule.
Bakhtiari said Wednesday he and the training staff exceeded their original timetable drawn up. He returned early, played for a few series and exited the game before doing additional damage.
“First off I want to just credit them, them and the doctors, for what our timetable was set and be able to beat that and get me out there,” Bakhtiari said.
“We had a game plan going in of, you know, trying to get how many series we can get and see how it feels. And we were able to beat that and I was happy for that. Again, going through the same thing and still testing it out. Going into this week and taking it day by day.”
The Packers began Sunday’s game with their starting offensive line intact for the first time all season. By end, 60% of their starters were watching from the sidelines.
In addition to Bakhtiari, who was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice, the Packers also lost right tackle Bryan Bulaga (concussion) and left guard Lane Taylor (ankle/ knee). Bulaga joined Bakhtiari as a limited participant Wednesday, while Taylor, who was rolled up on by Hundley, did not practice.
Once again, the Packers are maneuvering another week of practice with little assurance about which linemen will be protecting Hundley on Sunday.
“The one thing we can say for certain is that definitely the injury bug is here,” Bakhtiari said. “Particularly in the offensive line room. Injury report: Safety Morgan Burnett (hamstring)
did not practice again Wednesday after missing the game against the Vikings and failing to practice all of last week. His status for Sunday remains in jeopardy. Inside linebacker Joe
Thomas (ankle) also did not participate in practice. Thomas has not practiced since injuring his ankle against the Chicago Bears.
Outside linebackers Ahmad Brooks (back) and Nick Perry (hand/ knee), defensive tackle Quinten Dial (chest), and
cornerbacks Davon House (quadriceps), Lenzy Pipkins (concussion)
and Damarious Randall (hamstring) were limited participants.
Conerback Kevin King cleared the concussion protocol and was able to practice in full. King said it was the first concussion of his career.
“It’s good,” King said. “It’s kind of hard being a person who has to go through it because of course you want to go out there and you might feel like you’re all right and everything.
“But in the bigger picture of things, having those guys who really look out for you the way they do and are really adamant about not letting you get onto that field unless you’re healthy, they’re just looking out for the well-being of us and for the players. I appreciate that and I respect that.” Running back Ty
Montgomery (ribs) was also a full participant in practice.