The Facts: If Hill can feel the increased glare of the spotlight turned on him this offseason, the TE hasn’t offered any hints. No matter how much the roster might have changed this offseason, Hill is preparing for his third season with the same approach that marked his first two. “I don’t see it different than any other year,” Hill said. “I’m just trying to do what they ask me to do, understand my role on the team and just do whatever I can do.”
Diehards Line:
The difference, of course, is the Saints will likely ask Hill to play a much larger role in the offense. Trading Jimmy Graham opened up an opportunity at tight end. And even if Hill isn’t asked to replace Graham’s numbers by himself -- veterans like Drew Brees and Ben Watson repeatedly said the Saints don’t have to replace Graham by developing a clone of the former Pro Bowler, but now that Graham is off in Seattle, there’s an opening for a field-stretching pass catcher opposite Watson. It’s a spot Hill has been groomed to fill for two years. That New Orleans is currently set to head into training camp with just four tight ends on the roster, a sign the Saints are ready for Hill to assume a much larger role. “I couldn’t say specifically that he is going to have 25 percent more playing time, but certainly, his playing time will increase,” Payton said. “We think he is a guy that can run and stretch the defense.”