NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Saints, Taysom Hill

Buccaneers

Buccaneers’ undrafted CB Cameron Kinley, who recently gained clearance from the U.S. Navy, said he spoke with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin about their ruling.

“I was just in shock that I was on the phone with the Secretary of Defense,” Kinley said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “But he informed me that he had made the decision to reverse the ruling and he was happy he made the decision. He said this was the correct decision and that he’s just looking forward to me taking advantage of it.”

Back in June, acting secretary of the Navy Thomas W. Harker declined Kinley’s request to delay his commission after attending the U.S. Naval Academy from 2017-2020. 

“I was heartbroken, I was speechless,” Kinley said. “I really didn’t know what to think. And then I just realized this was another obstacle on the journey. I realized this was going to make me a stronger person.”

Kinley said he is attending the Buccaneers’ offseason program with a “chip on my shoulder” and wants to prove himself. 

“It’s kind of the mindset that I’ve had since I began playing the game of football,” Kinley said. “Don’t let anybody outwork you, and give 110 percent. So I’m excited about it. I definitely have a chip on my shoulder.”

Saints

Saints’ GM Mickey Loomis says that QB Jameis Winston has all the tools to be an NFL starter but will still have to compete with QB Taysom Hill in training camp. He also mentioned QB Ian Book and QB Trevor Siemian.

“He’s going to be in a competition with Taysom,” Loomis told SiriusXM’s The Adam Schein Podcast. “So, you know, we’re really excited and high on Taysom just as we are on Jameis, and it’s going to be interesting to see how that, you know, shakes out. Listen, Jameis has been fantastic, and you have these impressions of guys afar, that when you get them in your building, you really learn a lot about them. He did just fantastic — fantastic as a teammate, fantastic representative of the organization. He’s a smart, smart football player. He’s hardworking. Just everything you would want. So I’m excited to see how this shakes out. We got a great room there with those two guys and Ian Book, who we drafted, and Trevor Siemian, who’s on our team. So I’m excited to see how that all shakes out because those guys are all about winning, and we’ll see what happens.”

Taysom Hill

Saints GM Mickey Loomis praised QB Taysom Hill‘s arm strength, speed, and leadership but described him as a versatile “top-flight tight end” and H-back. 

“Well look, he’s a tremendous athlete, number one,” Loomis said, The Adam Schein Podcast. “He’s got a tremendous arm. He’s got tremendous speed, strength. Smart football player. Look, for what he’s done for us, to date, he has just been a great football player. I think he can be, you know, a really top-flight tight end. He can be a top-flight H-back in our league. And so first of all he’s a really great football player, but he’s got mobility. We’ve all seen him run the ball. Catch the ball. He can throw it. He’s got a lot of God-given talent. And he’s a smart football player as well, and he’s got good leadership skills. So, we’re going to see how all this shakes out, but we’re definitely high on Taysom.”