Druin: No, the Steelers Shouldn't Sign Jameis Winston

The start of the 2020 NFL calendar year has started with many expectations of the Pittsburgh Steelers, most of them already met. Whether it be placing the franchise tag on Bud Dupree or restructuring deals left and right to create cap space, what was once assumed has now been brought to fruition.

I also assumed I wouldn't have to address consistent remarks of Jameis Winston being a perfect fit in Pittsburgh, yet here we are.

Which prediction would you want to see happen? @CSimmsQB pic.twitter.com/pLr6xEopQa
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) March 16, 2020

Lol fair
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) March 18, 2020

Even legendary ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale threw his hat in the ring.

Talk to a highly respected football guy & he said he felt that @Jaboowins Jameis Winston would be a great fit as a backup with @Steelers . Only 26 Winston would be ideal replacement for Big Ben.
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 19, 2020

Is there some sort of Winston to Pittsburgh movement I missed?

Listen, I get it. When there's a situation akin to Ben Roethlisberger's (a veteran quarterback on their way out), there's always a narrative to sign a young gun-slinger who just needs a year or two under the franchise quarterback to turn things around. It's an idea as old as laces on a football.

In that perspective, sure, it's understandable. However, context is vital in understanding why bringing in Winston wouldn't be beneficial for either party. To first debunk rumors of Winston in Pittsburgh, we'll draw words straight from the head decision-maker in the Steelers organization.

"With those three young guys (Devlin Hodges, Mason Rudolph, Paxton Lynch), that's a good group. We feel comfortable with that" said Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert at the NFL Combine in regards to his quarterback situation behind Roethlisberger.

"We also added a guy in J.T. Barrett to the practice squad, and J.T. is a National Championship-caliber college quarterback but played in a different type of system. We feel comfortable with those four guys as we enter camp. How we feel in August, we'll see, but we are comfortable with them right now."

From Colbert's comments, the team appears to be perfectly content with the current quarterback depth chart. Head coach Mike Tomlin already went on record to state Rudolph is the backup for 2020. To this point, there's not a great deal of information suggesting the Steelers are wanting to find another quarterback for 2020.

If the team was indeed interested in Winston, however, would it even be a real possibility?

Logistically speaking, no. The team had to make a plethora of moves just to be in compliance with the salary cap at the beginning of the year. With holes to fill and not enough dough to adequately meet standards, Winston would have to take a massive pay cut to play the role of backup in 2020.

Even if Winston took half of the smallest annual average by signed quarterbacks in this class (Teddy Bridgewater, $20 million a year), $10 million annually to sit behind Roethlisberger just won't cut it. If the team sought a veteran presence and didn't like the four back-up quarterbacks on the roster, other options exist for less money.

Considering who Winston is as a competitor (we all saw him eating the W), it's also hard to imagine him wanting to waste a year in his prime holding a clipboard while another quarterback starts on a weekly basis. He's better suited to go to a situation where he'll at least have the chance to compete for a starting gig.

We're also talking about a quarterback who had 42 (!) turnovers in 2019, a number that should've been higher. It doesn't matter how many yards he threw or how many times he found the endzone: If you're turning the ball over, you're not winning your team football games.

Terrible towel wavers: Let's not forget Rudolph and Hodges were benched on separate occasions for turning the ball over too often in what coach Tomlin deemed as "killing the team".

Free Agent QB Jameis Winston led the NFL with 30 interceptions.

He had 21 more interceptions dropped: pic.twitter.com/LEAhrBHljj
— QB Data Mine (@QBDataMine) March 16, 2020

Yes, Winston is capable of making incredible throws. He's only 26 years old. In some cases, all a player needs is a change of scenery to make things work. While some of his decision making (both on and off the field) isn't the best, his work in the Tampa community is something to hold in high regard.

This isn't an attack on Winston, and readers shouldn't take this piece personal. Should Winston turn things around, it would be a welcome sight (preferably not in New England).

However, from a logistical standpoint, it just doesn't make sense. Aside from the team publicly stating they're not looking for additional help at quarterback, it's reasonable to think the team would rather groom a young quarterback on a cheaper contract than to take a chance on a quarterback that's already proved he can't get the job done on one team.

Jameis Winston isn't on Pittsburgh's roster. It's best if it stays that way.