Rost: Could versatile Saints player be a fit for the Seahawks?

With the Super Bowl’s final whistle comes the start of speculation season in the NFL – the time of year we simultaneously love and loathe.

Daniel Jeremiah: How Seattle Seahawks should address their O-line

You’re going to hear a lot of the same questions over and over again. We already know what they are for the Seattle Seahawks: Should they extend Geno Smith? Trade DK Metcalf? Move on from Tyler Lockett?

You’re also going to hear some baseless theories about how Seattle’s roster could take shape, like potential trades for disgruntled stars, or rumored names linked to your favorite team by virtue of having an agent’s aunt’s ex-husband on the coaching staff. I’m going to be honest — this is one of them. But it’s a fun hypothetical and, more importantly, it lets us explore some areas where the Seahawks’ offense does genuinely need help. Just don’t judge the question too harshly.

Could Taysom Hill be a fit for the Seahawks?

I know! He’s a 35-year-old coming off a torn ACL who’s not even set to become a free agent. Who knows if he’ll be able to play, much less be available to sign.

But two interesting things happened this week (this is how speculation season starts…). First, in an appearance on NFL Network Tuesday, Ian Rapoport made an offhand comment when talking about the state of the Saints’ roster.

“They have a decision coming on Taysom Hill,” Rapoport said. “Hard to imagine he’d be back in New Orleans, but I guess anything is possible.”

Why is it hard to imagine? Because the Saints are in a salary cap nightmare and Hill carries the third-highest cap hit behind Derek Carr and Cameron Jordan. That $18.2 million hit for a 35-year-old player coming off injury makes for a tough trade proposal, and honestly, he’s probably more valuable to the Saints than to any other team. It’s a tough call for New Orleans, but at least one ESPN analyst predicts a possible trade of Hill (in this case to Denver for a reunion with Sean Payton).

But Seattle could be an interesting pairing, no?

It would be a welcome weapon for the Seahawks’ new offensive coordinator. That’s easy enough to assume since the second thing that happened this week is Klint Kubiak mentioning Hill as a boon when asked about New Orleans’ success on short-yardage plays.

“We had a guy that comes to mind in Taysom Hill that was a weapon I was able to get creative with,” Kubiak said, later adding, “I think it all comes down to the players you have and putting them in position to be successful, no matter what the down and distance is.”

This was not Kubiak campaigning for Hill; this was Kubiak talking about the importance of first getting to short-yardage situations, and then converting them by trying to lean into what your offense and its players do best.

But speculation season cometh!

So here we are now, wondering whether a team that needs to improve in several areas offensively, particularly in the run, could benefit from a fun — if older — weapon.

It’s worth mentioning that run game. Hill is fifth all-time in career rushing touchdowns for the Saints and had a monster game against the Seahawks (112 yards on nine carries, three touchdowns) back in 2022. Seattle doesn’t necessarily need to add immediately to its skill position players (though there is a need to see more production at tight end). Really, they just need to take a step forward offensively.

Ideally that comes with improvement along the offensive line, a far more consistent run game and fewer turnovers from Geno Smith. But it can’t hurt to wonder whether Kubiak — after bringing a number of position coaches over from New Orleans — might be tempted to reunite with another familiar name.

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More on the Seattle Seahawks

• What Seattle Seahawks coach Macdonald said about Tyler Lockett’s future
• Why Geno Smith was a ‘huge draw’ for Seattle Seahawks OC Kubiak
• Four things we learned from Seattle Seahawks OC Kubiak’s press conference
• The ‘critical’ position in new Seattle Seahawks OC’s scheme
• The Seattle Seahawks’ options to tame their salary cap crunch

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