Three options for the Broncos to add their version of Taysom Hill

Broncos Country is excited about the hiring of head coach Sean Payton – and for good reason! Payton is a Super Bowl-winning coach with a rich track record of quality head coaching ability. He’s the right man to lead the Broncos out of the doldrums of the last seven years. I don’t think they’ll be Super Bowl contenders in 2023, but the Broncos should push for the postseason in this upcoming year of football because of Payton’s guidance.

I also think Payton is the right man to help Russell Wilson play better football. I appreciate what Payton was able to do with Drew Brees, and I think he can get the best football out of Wilson at this point in his career. However, I look at other quarterbacks Payton worked with during his time as head coach of the Saints and I’m intrigued by one name – Taysom Hill.

Undrafted out of BYU in 2017, Hill was signed by the Green Bay Packers but didn’t make the team after his first training camp. Upon his release, Payton’s Saints picked him up quickly and that’s when things got interesting for the oft-injured college quarterback trying to make his way in the pros. He began his career as a special teams player (and he still plays on that unit), but Hill became a household name because of his work as a quarterback and tight end.

Hill impressed so much as a gadget player for Payton that in 2021, the same day Brees announced his retirement, he signed a four-year, $40 million contract extension. That’s a remarkable number for a utility player, and it especially stung the Saints when Hill lost the starting quarterback job to Jameis Winston. New Saints coach Dennis Allen moved Hill to the tight end position in 2022, but Hill still played quarterback as well as special teams.

In 2022, Hill was a productive player (again) for the Saints with most of his snaps coming at quarterback. He had 575 rushing yards, 77 receiving yards and 240 passing yards. Hill scored seven touchdowns on the ground, two as a receiver, and two more on pass attempts. He also got reps at tight end, receiver, and running back. Allen’s offense benefited from the talent that Payton discovered – and developed. One must wonder, is a player like Hill someone who could help the Broncos in 2023?

Do the Broncos need a player like Hill, and who is out there to play that role? Let’s take a look.

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Blake Bell | TE | Kansas City Chiefs

I’ve always had an appreciation for Blake Bell. He was a college quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners, but in 2014, he made the switch to tight end. I watched him impress during the week of practice for the East-West Shrine Game that year, and the San Francisco 49ers selected Bell with a fourth-round pick. Bell spent a couple of seasons with the Niners, but he’s bounced around the league since then – most recently on his second stint with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bell is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023, and my Chiefs sources say that he’s going to be allowed to explore his options. Broncos GM George Paton knows Bell from his brief stint with the Minnesota Vikings in 2017, and I think it would be a nice addition for the Broncos. The “Belldozer” is a huge prospect, and he’s extremely athletic for a big man.

While Bell has not been asked to do the things Hill has been tasked with as a quarterback, I think he could be good for some gadget plays here and there. If the Broncos need some tough yards, Bell could also handle the rock in some short-yardage situations. With his size and knowledge of how to box out smaller defenders, Bell makes for a good target in the red zone as well. He’s the perfect player who is a low-risk addition for the Broncos this offseason.

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Dalton Keene | TE | Philadelphia Eagles

How about a local product who already has been with the Broncos for the chance to be their version of Hill? Dalton Keene played his high school football in Littleton at Chatfield. After his prep career with the Chargers where Keene was played quarterback, running back, tight end, and linebacker, he went to college at Virginia Tech. Keene was seen as a versatile fullback/tight end for the Hokies. Entering the league after his junior season, Keene was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Keene lasted with the Patriots for a couple of seasons before being released. Injuries robbed him of his chance to impress with the Patriots, but he quickly latched on with the Philadelphia Eagles. Last year, the Eagles did release Keene and the Broncos signed him to their practice squad. He was with the team for about a week before being released only to be brought back for the last couple of weeks of the regular season. I talked to Keene the day the Broncos cleaned out their lockers, and he was hoping to get a futures contract with the Broncos. That didn’t happen as the Eagles snapped him up once again with a futures contract as they made their run through the playoffs.

If the Eagles let him go again, Payton should be quick to add Keene to the roster. He’s a strong runner who can be a reliable lead blocker as well. Keene has strong hands, and I still believe some of that quarterback skill could come through on some gadget plays here and there. I remember watching Keene as a freshman quarterback, and I was impressed. That talent is still there if someone wants to tap into that. Perhaps that someone is Payton.

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Jack Colletto | TE/FB/LB | Oregon State

If the Broncos want to look outside of free agency (or wait for Keene to be released), then the 2023 NFL Draft has some great talent at the tight end position. In fact, I think the Broncos need to take a tight end in this class as most of them will be better than Greg Dulcich. The top of this class is better than what we saw coming into the league last year. Dulcich is a good player, but he’s one dimensional and injury prone. The Broncos could even add two tight ends from this class because it’s that good. Perhaps that should be the plan, especially if one is going to play a role like Hill does for the Saints.

I’ve got a rookie for them.

If the Broncos don’t take Oregon State… let’s call him a tight end… Jack Colletto, then I’m sure the New England Patriots are chomping at the bit to draft him. Colletto was named the winner of the 2022 Paul Hornung Award which is given annually to college football’s most-versatile player. The former college tight end/fullback/linebacker/running back could be a perfect player to develop like Hill did for Payton years ago.

I watched Colletto during the week of practice for the East-West Shrine Bowl this year and was impressed every day. Not only was I impressed, I’m sure the Patriots – who coached at the Shrine Bowl – were impressed as well. Most in the scouting community think Colletto could be a Kyle Juszczyk-type in the NFL. Juszczyk is a Pro Bowl tight end for the 49ers, and he is the perfect late-round prospect to take a chance on. There’s a chance Colletto could fall undrafted, and if that’s the case Payton should pounce.

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