The New Orleans Saints possess one of the most recognizable trick-play artists in the NFL. Taysom Hill has played quarterback, running back, wide receiver and even some special teams for New Orleans over the past few seasons, and his athletic ability has led the Saints to a couple wins despite being known as just a gimmick player.
The Saints went out this offseason and acquired another versatile player, someone this staff believes could add another element to an already loaded offense.
Ty Montgomery has played played both wide receiver and running back during his five seasons in the league, and the Saints believe this dual-threat weapon can find his own role in New Orleans. Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas recently said that Montgomery is a "complete" running back that can run, catch and block when called upon, and that he will be valuable for this team in 2020.
"I see a Swiss Army knife," Thomas said, via NOLA.com. "The worst thing we could do right here today is, is sit there and pigeonhole and say, 'Hey, you're going to be put in this position and that's it.'"
Originally a third-round pick of the Green Bay Packers, Montgomery has rushed for just 1,035 yards and seven touchdowns in 58 career games. He has also caught 120 passes for 982 yards and three more scores, but has bounced around the NFL as of late, and will suit up for his fourth team in the least three years in 2020.
Earlier this month, Montgomery tweeted, "My 'lack of stats' is no indication of my ability." He may be right, as we have seen glimpses of potential in the past, but no team has believed that he should be featured as a legitimate weapon. With talents like Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara and Emmanuel Sanders, Montgomery is not going to evolve into a star with the Saints, but New Orleans is not necessarily looking for another star. Montgomery gives them another option on offense -- someone who can make an impact on screen plays, run routes out of the backfield, or as Thomas mentioned, help protect Drew Brees. Montgomery isn't a running back or a wide receiver, he's just a weapon -- and the Saints plan on using him like one.
"Our job as coaches is to find out what they can do well," Thomas said. "And that's what maybe we haven't seen something on film because he hadn't been put in a situation with these other teams that hopefully we can maybe dig out a little bit more and find out just hopefully that he has not touched the ceiling, that he has got more room to grow, which we feel he does."
