New Orleans Saints 2020 NFL Draft grades: Sean Payton does it again
By Josh Hill
Before he was drafted, Trautman’s ability to stand out as an offensive weapon at Dayton was touted as a giant indication of his upside. Take a guy who was able to do pro-style things in a system that doesn’t feature a lot to offer, and imagine what he can do if he has a Hall of Fame quarterback.
Trautman looks and feels like a classic Saints tight end: Big, faster than he looks, and able to play to his size. New Orleans’ offense doesn’t need another topline weapon to take it over the top because it’s already there. Michael Thomas is already the best receiver in football, Alvin Kamara is a prototype that teams are drafting to replicate, and the Saints added Emmanuel Sanders just for fun. Jared Cook is already the starting tight end, with Josh Hill behind him, and Trautman’s upside is being a hybrid of them both.
He’s in a perfect spot to succeed, as he doesn’t need to do much more than perform when called upon — which might not be often but will matter when it happens. Taysom Hill has been mythologized because of his ability to do this, and Trautman has the tools to do the same. It wouldn’t be a stretch to see him taking over a starting role, or what looks like the equivalent of that, as he settles into a rhythm with Brees in 2020.