Saints sign backup Taysom Hill to 4-year deal worth up to $95 million

$22.5 million guaranteed, but salary rises if Hill plays QB instead of tight end role
New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill completes a pass against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020, in Atlanta, Georgia. 
 Curtis Compton / Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS

Credit: TNS

Credit: TNS

New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill completes a pass against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020, in Atlanta, Georgia. Curtis Compton / Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS

The New Orleans Saints have signed backup quarterback Taysom Hill to a four-year contract extension worth up to $95 million over the next four seasons, according to ESPN.

The value of Hill’s contract ranges between $40 million and $95 million with $22.5 million guaranteed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

The payout will ultimately be determined by which position he plays. Hill, known to switch between QB and tight end, stands to make $55 million above a base salary of $40 million if he becomes the team’s starting QB and maintain that role over the next four seasons, ESPN reports.

The contract indicates the Saints’ commitment to keeping Hill with the team for the foreseeable future, although his stats so far this year have not been that impressive.

The Saints, sitting at 5-5 in the NFC South, have struggled to find rhythm since Jameis Winston’s season-ending knee injury in late October, and are now on a three-game losing streak with second-string QB Trevor Siemian at the helm.

Siemian appeared desperately out of rhythm Sunday — despite throwing for three touchdowns, he also tossed 18 incompletions and two interceptions in a 40-29 loss to the Eagles. One of those picks was returned 51 yards for a touchdown.

Injuries to Saints running back Alvin Kamara and starting offensive tackles Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk have only added to the team’s woes and left them short-handed against a formidable schedule.