Jameis Winston and the Saints Could Be a Perfect Fit for Each Other
Drew Brees will enter his fifteenth season as the starting quarterback of the New Orleans Saints. The NFL's all-time leader in passing yardage, touchdowns, and completions is a first ballot Hall of Famer and one of the finest players to ever play. The 41-year-old Brees is still playing at an elite level but many speculate that the 2020 season will be his last. Unlike other franchises, the Saints have had no interest in drafting the heir apparent to Brees to learn and develop behind the master, instead choosing to surround the quarterback with weapons in pursuit of a second championship.
New Orleans traded for Teddy Bridgewater prior to the start of the 2018 season to provide a veteran backup at quarterback, then re-signed Bridgewater to a one-year contract following that year. The move paid off well, as Bridgewater went 5-0 as a starter when replacing the injured Brees in 2019 and helped the team to its third straight division title. The 27-year-old Bridgewater played well enough to earn a starting role and signed a multi-year deal with the Carolina Panthers this offseason to become their new starter.
Still wanting a veteran presence behind Brees, the Saints signed 26-year-old Jameis Winston this offseason to a one-year deal. Winston had been the starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the previous five seasons after being the 1st overall selection in the 2015 draft following a 2013 Heisman Trophy and 2014 National Championship campaign at Florida State. Winston comes to the Saints with a 28-42 record as a starter, zero playoff appearances and just one winning season on his resume. He has completed 61.3% of his career attempts for 19,737 yards with 121 touchdown passes and 88 interceptions. Winston has always put up prolific passing numbers. He led the NFL in passing last season with 5,109 yards and threw 33 touchdowns.
The major criticism of him has been his propensity to turn the ball over. His 30 interceptions last year were a league worst, and an immaturity off the field dating back to his college days. Winston has been involved in several off-the-field incidents both in college and his brief NFL career. One of which led to a three-game league suspension to start the 2018 season. His teammates at every level have talked about him in glowing terms however, and the Buccaneers coaches raved about his maturity last year.
Winston will come to a New Orleans team with one of the most stable coaching situations in the league and a high-character locker room. Brees, Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis, Malcolm Jenkins, and Michael Thomas are just part of the Saints leadership hierarchy and are among the most respected people in the league. Winston will not be thrust into a leadership role as he immediately was as a young 22-year-old man right out of college with a historically unstable organization like the Buccaneers.
Jameis Winston will be in a more quarterback friendly offensive system with the Saints. Payton and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael are two of the finest offensive minds in the game and the young quarterback will learn behind the incomparable Brees. He should benefit from the continuity in the Saints locker room after playing under three different head coaches and three different offensive coordinators during his five years with the Bucs. Tampa Bay's offensive system pushed the ball down the field, often leading to big plays but also a lower completion percentage and more mistakes.
Yes, Winston had talented receivers to distribute the ball to, but the Buccaneers did little else to support their young signal caller. Tampa Bay never ranked better than 24th in rushing offense during Winston's time with the team, often allowing opponents to key in on their passing attack. Winston was sacked 169 times in his five seasons, including 47 times last year, the second-most sacked QB in the league. Brees enjoys one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the league and has been sacked only 107 times in the last five years, including just 12 times in 2020. New Orleans has one of the league's most dominant offensive lines and boasts three players among the best at their positions in receiver Michael Thomas, running back Alvin Kamara, and tight end Jared Cook.
Jameis Winston will have to improve his decision making on the field, cut back his turnovers, and show he can operate the diverse New Orleans attack. Some of the quarterback's mistakes resulted from being under constant pressure and operating in a one-dimensional attack, two things he won't have to worry about in New Orleans. Winston now has a chance to revive his career with a championship caliber roster.
Winston signed a one-year deal worth just over $1 million dollars this season. If his “audition” with the team goes well, Winston could be re-signed as the replacement for Brees if the Hall of Famer retires after the season. A big (6-foot-4, 231-pounds) young quarterback with the athleticism to move away from pressure and the arm strength to make any throw, Winston has shown that he can be a prolific passer and has flashed potential in big moments. If he can pick up the Saints offense and mesh with his new weapons, the Jameis Winston-New Orleans Saints marriage could turn out to be perfect for both sides.
