Jameis Winston: Future Wasn't on My Mind When I Signed 1-Year Saints Contract
May 1, 2020
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) looks to throw a pass against the Atlanta Falcons during an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. The Falcons won the game 28-22 in overtime. (Jeff Haynes/AP Images for Panini)
The New Orleans Saints engineered one of the greatest steals in this year's free-agency period when they signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback Jameis Winston to a one-year, $1.1 million contract ($148,000 signing bonus) to fill out the depth chart behind Drew Brees.
Winston won't be starting in New Orleans barring Brees missing time, and assuming signal-calling duties still wouldn't be a guarantee with head coach Sean Payton telling WWL Radio (h/t Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports) last March that "Taysom [Hill's] earned this opportunity to be our two."
A long-term starting opportunity, therefore, may not be on the table for Winston, but in an interview Friday on The Rich Eisen Show, the ex-Florida State star said his potential future in New Orleans wasn't a concern before agreeing to a deal (h/t Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk):
“That wasn’t even on my mind. What convinced me was the opportunity, and when I talked to coach Payton, he gave it to me straight forward, and he said one thing that I really admired: [I will get] the chance to compete. The chance to compete with an amazing quarterback room and learn from the best, and I think that really sold me because I’ve been playing against them for five years, and I’m a firm believer in that room and what Drew has done and what [Payton] has done.”
That room is crowded with Brees, Winston, Hill and now seventh-round draft pick Tommy Stevens, a quarterback out of Mississippi State with rushing upside.
Winston's play may be volatile (33 touchdowns, 30 interceptions), but he was efficient (fifthin the NFL in passing yards per attempt). He also led the league in total passing yards.
He's clearly one of the top 32 quarterbacks in the league, but a starting position did not open up for the veteran.
Still, a backup job with the Saints proved enticing, with the added bonus of staying in a division that he's familiar with:
“Absolutely. It’s not just about beating the Bucs twice a year every year for the rest of my life. It’s about being in that same division, being familiar with the NFC South. Playing Carolina, even though they have a coaching change, and Atlanta. Just being able to learn from a guy playing against teams I’ve been playing against.”
Winston joins a Saints team that finished 13-3 and won the NFC South for the third straight time last year.
Sean Payton: 'No Way' I Would Let Saints Lose Tommy Stevens to Panthers in Draft
Apr 30, 2020
Mississippi State quarterback Tommy Stevens warms up before the Music City Bowl NCAA college football game against Louisville Monday, Dec. 30, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
The Carolina Panthers were set to sign Mississippi State quarterback Tommy Stevens as an undrafted free agent on Saturday, but head coach Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints had other ideas when they picked the signal-caller in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL draft.
"There's no way I was going to lose this kid," Payton told Jeff Duncan of The Athletic.
The Saints, who had no draft picks remaining when the seventh round began, were vying with the Panthers for Stevens' services as a UDFA.
By all accounts, Stevens had chosen the Panthers despite Payton raising the Saints' initial offer:
"Payton called back and upped the ante," Duncan wrote. "The Saints raised their offer to $144,000 guaranteed salary. The Stevens camp said they needed time to weigh the offers. Then they went radio silent on the Saints. [Player agent Buddy Baker] and Stevens stopped answering their calls."
But New Orleans had a trump card up its sleeve: The Saints were willing to part with a sixth-round selection in next year's draft for a seventh-rounder in 2020.
New Orleans found a trading partner in the Houston Texans at No. 240, and Stevens became a Saint.
Duncan explained the Saints' interest in Stevens, who rushed for 381 yards and four touchdowns and completed 60.2 percent of his passes for 11 scores, five interceptions and 7.2 yards per attempt last season.
"The Saints had identified the 6'5", 237-pounder as one of their top targets. They saw him as a bigger version of Taysom Hill, another Swiss Army knife for the offense. And they started making calls to Stevens and his agent, Buddy Baker, late in Round 6 to recruit him and gauge his interest."
Hill has worked as a quarterback, Wildcat back, wide receiver and special teams ace on the Saints. He scored seven touchdowns last season. Duncan also said the Saints tried to sell Baker and Stevens on the idea of becoming "Taysom 2.0" in New Orleans.
Although that pitch didn't work well enough to make Stevens commit to signing as a UDFA, he's now a Saint regardless, joining a crowded quarterback room with Drew Brees, Jameis Winston and Hill.
Jameis Winston: Drew Brees a Dream Mentor; Used to Teach Myself, Use Google
Apr 29, 2020
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) shakes hands with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) after an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio)
Jameis Winston is upgrading his lesson plan from Google to Drew Brees.
"Being a quarterback, you have to be a student of the game," the 26-year-old told reporters during his introductory conference call with the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday. "So now, I actually get a chance to dive into that more, and I actually have a Hall of Fame quarterback that I'm learning from, as opposed to trying to learn by myself or use Google."
Winston also noted that Brees has actually long been a resource for him. The two met when Winston was 12 years old seeking an autograph from Brees, who had just arrived in New Orleans from San Diego in 2006, and then again before Winston was drafted No. 1 overall to Tampa Bay in 2015.
"There's only a few people in this league that actually follow up with you when you ask them a question, when you reach out to them," Winston said. "And ever since then, he's always been a guy that I can hit up during the season and ask a question, and he'll get back with me. So I just love the person that he is and the guy that he is, and I'm so excited to learn from him and help serve him in any way."
The Saints finalized a one-year deal with Winston on Tuesday:
The #Saints have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with QB Jameis Winston!
Jameis Winston’s one-year contract with the Saints carries a base value of $1.1M, per source. He got a $148,000 signing bonus, a base salary of $952,000 and $3.4M is available in incentives. Jameis prioritized the chance to learn and grow as a player.
Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson first reported the pending move on Sunday, outlining the Saints' perspective:
Sources tell Yahoo Sports the #Saints are finalizing a 1-year deal with free agent QB Jameis Winston. New Orleans hopes to continue maximizing Taysom Hill's versatility on gameday while mitigating some risk in exposing Drew Brees' backup to injury.
Winston reportedly left a "much larger" offer on the table in order to go to New Orleans and learn behind Brees:
From NFL Now: The focus for free agent QB Jameis Winston was never the money this year, it was always about the next 10 years. The #Saints set him up for that. pic.twitter.com/0b7FJG4cQa
Winston was not expected to land a starting job after the Buccaneers let him test unrestricted free agency and signed Tom Brady to a two-year deal as his replacement. The Florida State product logged one of the more peculiar seasons in recent memory by throwing for a league-most 5,109 yards and 30 interceptions alongside 33 touchdowns.
Winston will compete with Taysom Hill, who is uniquely utilized in the Saints' offense as a multi-purpose weapon, to become Brees' backup.
Jameis Winston Says He Can Read License Plates, Street Signs After LASIK Surgery
Apr 29, 2020
TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 29: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The 26-year-old said during an introductory teleconference with New Orleans Saints reporters on Wednesday that he is benefitting from better vision off the field, too:
Full quote from Jameis Winston on LASIK surgery, and how one example of how it helps him now is that he can read license plates if an uninsured driver hits him and drives off: pic.twitter.com/OJEfnvwinn
"He didn't want to count out any options that he had that could possibly help him with the game he loves so much," Denise White, Winston's publicist, told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport at the time of the procedure. "He doesn't want to miss out on an opportunity that presents itself. This is the game he loves and he wants to be the best at it and if there are any options that can improve his game he is willing to do it."
Winston officially signed with the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday:
The #Saints have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with QB Jameis Winston!
Jameis Winston’s one-year contract with the Saints carries a base value of $1.1M, per source. He got a $148,000 signing bonus, a base salary of $952,000 and $3.4M is available in incentives. Jameis prioritized the chance to learn and grow as a player.
Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson first reported the move on Sunday:
Sources tell Yahoo Sports the #Saints are finalizing a 1-year deal with free agent QB Jameis Winston. New Orleans hopes to continue maximizing Taysom Hill's versatility on gameday while mitigating some risk in exposing Drew Brees' backup to injury.
Winston had been unsigned since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers let him walk as an unrestricted free agent after landing Tom Brady on a two-year deal in March:
The 2015 No. 1 overall pick's accuracy has always been somewhat concerning, but it came under fire last season as he threw an NFL-most 30 interceptions. Bucs head coach Bruce Arians admitted that Winston's interceptions did him in:
"For Jameis, for me, it was the last two ball games. The regression back to the interceptions... It was disheartening because he had made progress then regressed." @BruceArians tells @TikiandTierney about the decision to move on from Jameis Winston. pic.twitter.com/wTDhYocmU9
The reason Winston is such an anomaly, though, is he also led the league last season in passing yards (5,109) and attempts (626) while also throwing 33 touchdowns.
Winston's decision to sign the Saints rather than take a "larger deal elsewhere" was likely with improvement in mind:
From NFL Now: The focus for free agent QB Jameis Winston was never the money this year, it was always about the next 10 years. The #Saints set him up for that. pic.twitter.com/0b7FJG4cQa
Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland believes the right choice was to come and learn behind future Hall of Famer Drew Brees, as he said on The Matt Mosley Showon Monday:
"Look, there's no better teacher. If Drew never said a word to him, he would observe more than he'll ever learn in football just by learning how Drew does things. He's an incredible leader. He's an incredible studier of the game, how he breaks down his opponents.
"And then you throw in [offensive coordinator] Pete Carmichael, [quarterbacks coach] Joe Lombardi and [coach] Sean Payton on the offensive side of the ball and those creative minds, Jameis Winston will learn more football in a year than he has in his lifetime."
Winston will compete for backup repetitions with hybrid player Taysom Hill, who agreed to atwo-year extensionover the weekend.
Saints QB Taysom Hill Given TE, Flex Eligibility in ESPN Fantasy Football
Apr 29, 2020
New Orleans Saints' Taysom Hill carries the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Versatile New Orleans Saints offensive weapon Taysom Hill will be listed as a tight end and a flex player in ESPN fantasy football leagues for the 2020 NFL season, but he's lost quarterback eligibility.
ESPN's Mike Clay reported the update Wednesday and noted Hill could regain QB status if he becomes the Saints starter during the campaign.
The decision provides a significant boost to Hill's fantasy prospects.
He scored 102.2 points inESPN standard PPR leagueslast season. That ranked 32nd among quarterbacks and only two of his performances would have been viewed as even serviceable for a starter at the key position—15.3 points in Week 8 and 18.5 points in Week 13.
In turn, he was only rostered in 2.6 percent of ESPN leagues.
The switch to tight end, where his point total would have ranked 21st, changes the outlook.
It's a weak fantasy position at which there's more room to take a chance on a boom-or-bust player like Hill, who could provide starter-level numbers in 12-team leagues as his role continues to solidify. Most of his fantasy production came off his six receiving touchdowns and one rushing score.
The Saints signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston to serve as Drew Brees' backup next season. So, while Hill has continued to focus on eventually becoming a No. 1 QB, his main role in the short term is going to remain multifaceted.
"I know what it takes to be a good quarterback. I've had the opportunity to learn from Drew," Hilltold reportersSunday. "I think what makes a great quarterback is decision-making, accuracy, arm strength. I feel like I have all those, the capability to do all those things at a high level."
There are too many weapons in New Orleans' passing game to view Hill as a high-end fantasy tight end. His volume will vary too much on a week-to-week basis. Starter Jared Cook ranked seventh among all tight ends last year with 167.5 points (43 receptions, 705 yards, nine TDs).
That said, Hill be worth a flier for fantasy owners who miss out on the select few elite players at the position and will be using a TE committee in 2020.
Jameis Winston's Career Earnings After Signing 1-Year Contract with Saints
Apr 29, 2020
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) passes against the Detroit Lions during an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019. (AP Images/Rick Osentoski)
Free agency didn't go the way Jameis Winston likely would have hoped, but the quarterback still landed a deal with the New Orleans Saints.
According to ESPN's Field Yates, the one-year contract will be worth $1.1 million with a potential to earn an additional $3.4 million in incentives.
This is a significant drop after making $20.9 million in 2019 as part of his fifth-year option on his rookie deal. The 2015 No. 1 overall pick earned $46.2 million through his first five years in the NFL, per Spotrac.
Adding the latest contract, Winston could have up to $50.7 million in career earnings through 2020 if he hits all of his incentive benchmarks in New Orleans—not a bad haul for a player with just one Pro Bowl appearance and a 28-42 mark as a starter.
Of course, the 26-year-old still has quite a bit of earning power going forward.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network noted the long-term view Winston took with his latest contract:
As the #Saints and FA QB Jameis Winston close in on a 1-year deal, worth noting Winston turned down a more lucrative offer elsewhere to learn from some of the best. The former #Bucs starter put the emphasis on his future in a smart choice.
Drew Brees is the clear starter in New Orleans, but the 41-year-old is obviously nearing the end of his career. Winston has a chance to prove himself to head coach Sean Payton and earn the starting job in 2021, immediately entering an ideal situation with a talented team around him.
If he doesn't stick with the Saints, who also have Taysom Hill on the roster, he will get a year of experience behind a future Hall of Fame quarterback before becoming an option for other teams in 2021 free agency.
Considering Teddy Bridgewater signed a three-year, $63 million contract this offseason after spending two years backing up Brees, there could be a number of opportunities available going forward.
Most importantly, Winston still has tons of talent that could be unleashed if he can make some adjustments.
Though his 30 interceptions were a source of ridicule, he still led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards in 2019, while his 33 passing touchdowns were second to only Lamar Jackson.
Winston took a pay cut this offseason, but he has a chance to get starter money down the line.
Jameis Winston on Saints Contract: That's Like a Harvard Education in QB School
Apr 28, 2020
TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 17: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shakes hands with Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints after the game on November 17, 2019 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Will Vragovic/Getty Images)
The New Orleans Saintsannounced Tuesday the signing of Jameis Winston to a one-year contract for the 2020 NFL season, and the veteran quarterback spoke about embracing a backup role on his new team behind future Hall of Famer Drew Brees.
"That's like a Harvard education in quarterback school," he said on Instagram Live regarding the team's quarterbacks and coaches, per Greg Auman of The Athletic. "I wanted to put my ego aside."
Headded: "[There] was no better position than to be in the same room with someone I've really looked up to, someone I've admired since I've been playing this game in Drew Brees."
Healso saidhe sees his time in New Orleans as a stepping stone in his career, calling it a chance to "prepare for when my next opportunity presents itself."
That means being a backup in New Orleans, a role he's ready to embrace.
"I've done some great things with the Bucs. I'm going to miss being a starting quarterback," hesaid. "But you never know what happens."
Winston, 26, was destined to be signed as a backup this offseason after throwing 30 interceptions and completing just 60.7 percent of his passes last season. While he also threw for 33 touchdowns and 5,109 yards, his inconsistency led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a disappointing 7-9 record, and his up-and-down play throughout his career made the quarterback position a need for the organization.
It filled that need by signing six-time champion Tom Brady. And now Winston is off to New Orleans to learn under a legend in his own right in Brees.
But Teddy Bridgewater was the backup in New Orleans last year and was forced into starting duty after Brees injured his thumb. Bridgewater went 5-0, throwing for 1,384 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions, and he turned that into a three-year, $63 milliondealwith the Carolina Panthers this offseason that included $33 million fully guaranteed.
Winston obviously won't be hoping for Brees to get hurt, but he'll be hoping his stay in New Orleans benefits his career in the same way it did Bridgewater's.
El quarterback Jameis Winston, de los Buccaneers de Tampa Bay, anota una conversión de dos puntos en el partido frente a los Falcons de Atlanta, el domingo 29 de diciembre de 2019, en Tampa, Florida. (AP Foto/Mark LoMoglio)
Jameis Winston signed to a one-year contract Tuesday,hoping a one-year stint learning under Drew Brees and Sean Payton will allow him the respite needed to compete for a starting job in 2021. His signing is also an indicator that perhaps Payton isn't as sold on Taysom Hill as a quarterback as previously thought.
Here is how the Saints' offensive depth chart looks after Winston's signing:
QB-Drew Brees, Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill
RB-Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray
WR 1-Michael Thomas
WR 2-Emmanuel Sanders
WR 3-Tre'Quan Smith, Deonte Harris
TE-Jared Cook, Josh Hill, Adam Trautman
LT-Terron Armstead
LG-Andrus Peat, Derrick Kelly II
C- Cesar Ruiz, Erik McCoy, Nick Easton
RG-Larry Warford, Cameron Tom
RT-Ryan Ramczyk, Ethan Greenidge
Winston is coming off a 2019 season that saw him reach incredible heights but also several lows. He threw for an NFL-high 5,109 yards and 33 touchdowns, numbers that would put him in the MVP conversation most seasons, if it weren't for the 30 interceptions he also tossed. The inconsistency gave Winston the distinction of being the first 30-30 quarterback in league history while also pushing the Buccaneers to crave the steadiness of a veteran like Tom Brady.
Winston found the free-agent market cold, with most quarterback-needy teams choosing to go in a different direction via free agency and the draft. By the time the draft kicked off, Winston and Cam Newton were the most accomplished free-agent quarterbacks to be teamless this long in recent memory.
The Saints provide a home to learn under two of the best offensive minds of this generation and an opportunity to play with a loaded offense if Brees gets hurt. Teddy Bridgewater parlayed his five-start run in New Orleans last season into a $63 million contract in Carolina.
Winston undoubtedly sees a similar situation for himself, though that would require Brees getting injured. Brees had missed only two games in his Saints career before last season.
In the event that Brees remains healthy, Winston will only see the field in blowout situations. Hill—who recently signed a reported two-year, $21 million deal of his own with the Saints—will continue in his hybrid role that saw several teams around the NFL searching for their own Swiss Army knife option, with the Philadelphia Eagles shocking the football world by taking Jalen Hurts in Round 2.
Jameis Winston, Saints Agree to 1-Year Contract After 5 Seasons with Buccaneers
Apr 28, 2020
El quarterback Jameis Winston, de los Buccaneers de Tampa Bay, anota una conversión de dos puntos en el partido frente a los Falcons de Atlanta, el domingo 29 de diciembre de 2019, en Tampa, Florida. (AP Foto/Mark LoMoglio)
This comes after the Florida State product failed to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the playoffs in any of his five years as the supposed franchise quarterback. In March, he tweeted a message to the city that will host the next Super Bowl saying, "It's been a great 5 seasons as a Buccaneer. All love and respect, I love Tampa and I look forward to seeing y'all again in February."
While Tampa Bay appeared to make Winston its quarterback of the future when it selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, it was far from a sure thing he would be back in 2020 after a frustrating 2019 campaign.
Head coach Bruce Arians told reporters in December, "With another quarterback? Oh yeah," when asked if Tampa Bay could win without the Florida State product. "We can win with this one, we can definitely win with another one, too...we're going to have this defense."
It wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement for Winston even before the team added Tom Brady, which was understandable given the season he was coming off of at the time.
Winston flashed his potential by throwing for 5,109 yards and 33 touchdowns. He also led Tampa Bay to a 7-9 mark, which was far from great but also a solid finish considering it started 2-6 through the first eight games.
However, the Buccaneers could have been much better without his mistakes. He threw 30 interceptions, including an NFL-record seven pick-sixes, and he became the first player in league history to throw for 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a single season.
The turnover concerns surely contributed to Arians' hesitancy to commit when he provided a timeline for a Winston decision.
"I would think within a few weeks we'll have a decision which way we want to head," he said. "Will we let it out? Probably not because you lose your leverage on that one, too, so stay tuned."
On one hand, Winston has impressed with clear arm talent that allows him to hit receivers downfield or thread passes through tight windows. He is capable of putting up points in a hurry when he establishes a rhythm and will surely get another opportunity to further prove himself somewhere else.
Still, he must improve his decision-making, as evidenced by the picks. The 2019 season is not the first time it's been a problem, as he has 11 or more interceptions every year of his career to this point.
Winston is just 26 years old, and it is not a reach to suggest he can still be an impact quarterback in the league if he cuts down on his mistakes.
There may be no better quarterback to learn from than Drew Brees when it comes to limiting mistakes. Brees has thrown only 17 interceptions over the last three seasons, posting an interception percentage of 1.5 or less in all three years. Winston's lowest interception rate is 2.5 percent, and he threw picks on 4.8 percent of his passes in 2019.
A year under Brees and head coach Sean Payton and a chance to watch the game from the sidelines for the first time may just be the thing that saves Winston's career.
New Orleans Saints' Jameis Winston Gamble Presents Big Potential Payoff
Apr 28, 2020
TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 09: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints shakes hands with Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the Saints defeated the Bucs 28-14 at Raymond James Stadium on December 09, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Will Vragovic/Getty Images)
Something witty like "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" seems appropriate since former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston signed with the New Orleans Saints, but that's too cliche considering the Saints are taking the smart approach in addressing a glaring need behind 41-year-old Drew Brees.
Winston signed a one-year deal with the former rival worth $1.1 million in base salary with $3.4 million in available incentives, according to ESPN's Field Yates.
The signing brings last season's passing yardage leader into the fold and creates the league's most competitive backup quarterback situation.
The Saints took the same approach with Teddy Bridgewater. They traded for him in 2018 and then signed him to a one-year deal in 2019 to serve as Brees' backup.
The move proved fortuitous when their franchise signal-caller suffered a thumb injury last season and required Bridgewater to start five games. The Saints won each of those contests, and Bridgewater showed he's more than a game-manager capable of keeping the offense afloat for a short period.
Both the organization and the backup benefited from the setup. Bridgewater used his starting stretch as a showcase for a starter-level free-agent deal with the Carolina Panthers.
Winston enters a slightly different setup, but the potential reward remains the same.
Bridgewater might have been hoping to be New Orleans' franchise quarterback in 2020, but Brees didn't retire. The upcoming season is more likely to be the future Hall of Famer's last than not.
With that said, the Saints coaching staff won't just hand the reins to Winston. He'll have to earn that right. Sources told Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson that New Orleans brass "won't guarantee him the backup job."
The organization strongly believes in Taysom Hill to the point where he might be favored to replace Brees.
"We feel like that heir apparent potentially is in the building," head coach Sean Payton said about his two backup options before Bridgewater signed with the Panthers, per ESPN's Mike Triplett.
New Orleans showed its belief in Hill by agreeing to a new contract with the multipurpose quarterback. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Hill signed a two-year, $21 million deal Sunday with $16 million fully guaranteed.
"Wouldn't come as a total shock to see Sean Payton move forward with Taysom Hill as the starting QB," one NFC executive told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler in January. "Sean always has been intrigued by athletic quarterbacks and how to utilize them. Taysom is a talented guy."
At the same time, the Saints acknowledge the inherent risk in the investment. Hill is a fantastic football player, but he's far from a developed quarterback ready to take the reins. Yes, his involvement in the offense tends to be quite exciting, but gadget plays don't exactly portend consistent quarterback performance.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 29: Taysom Hill #7 of the New Orleans Saints scores a touchdown during the third quarter during their game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Ph
As such, the Saints expect to carry a third quarterback on the active roster because of the "uniqueness of Hill's role," per The Athletic's Larry Holder.
General manager Mickey Loomis also drafted Mississippi State quarterback Tommy Stevens with this year's 240th overall pick, but the 6'5", 235-pound athlete is more likely to take over Hill's role as a versatile offensive weapon if/when the veteran becomes a full-time starter than actually contributing to the quarterback room.
So, the Saints are undertaking an intelligent ploy by bringing in a talented traditional quarterback with plenty of experience and some remaining upside to legitimately compete with Hill for the chance to become New Orleans' next franchise quarterback.
Realistically, Hill should be in no way considered the favorite to serve as Brees' successor. Yes, he injects a certain level of panache, but he turns 30 before the 2020 campaign begins and has attempted only 13 career passes in three seasons.
This isn't Aaron Rodgers, who was a first-round pick, sitting behind Brett Favre for three years before taking over as the Green Bay Packers starter. The 6'2", 221-pound Hill has always been a dynamic athlete, but he's never been a precision passer. In his five seasons with the BYU Cougars, Hill completed 58.2 percent of his passes. He's not going to magically become an efficient pocket passer. The Saints would have to adjust the offense to fit his skill set.
For all of Winston's faults, he's a proven commodity.
Too many will look at last year's first 30-30 season and entirely blame him for the interceptions. No one can deny Winston's inability to safeguard the football. He forces passes, misses zone droppers and tends to cough up the ball when sacked.
However, last year's disappointing turnover rate requires context. "No risk it, no biscuit" is Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians' most well-known saying. The approach serves as the crux of how he wants his quarterbacks to play. He coaches them to push the ball downfield for big plays, and it results in a significant number of turnover-worthy throws, as Pro Football Focus noted:
Most turnover worthy plays in a single season since 2006
Prior to Arians' arrival, Winston averaged a 61.6 completion percentage, 3,657 yards, 22.0 touchdowns and 14.5 interceptions per season through his first four campaigns.
The 2015 No. 1 overall pick would likely have been the Buccaneers' starting quarterback this fall if an opportunity to sign Tom Brady didn't arise.
"We have a lot of respect for Jameis," Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said, per ESPN's Jenna Laine. "Jameis was still part of our plan if things went a different route. We've got a lot of respect for him. I thought he did a lot of great things, and anybody in our office or building would say the same thing."
Winston is three-and-a-half years younger than Hill yet already has five years as a starting quarterback under his belt. The 2015 Pro Bowler still displays tantalizing traits. Will he still make mistakes and turn the ball over? Sure. But he's about to enter one of the league's most stable situations and best offensive schemes where he can learn from Payton and Brees. That's quite a change of pace after already playing for three different head coaches and offensive coordinators.
Like Bridgewater, Winston can wait for an opportunity and prove himself again.
The Saints are doing the right thing by investing in Hill and signing Winston. But it's obvious which of the two should be deemed Brees' heir apparent, and it's not the one who recently received a bigger financial commitment.
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @brentsobleski.
