Jameis Winston is clear choice for Saints QB
The New Orleans Saints are moving into a new era, and Jameis Winston is the man to lead them in 2021 and perhaps beyond.
It’s over. The competition has ended. Jameis Winston is going to start for the New Orleans Saints.
Winston was terrific on Monday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Superdome, throwing for 123 yards and two touchdowns on 9-of-10 attempts. Winston was phenomenal, showing touch on shorter passes that often eluded him when playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also found gold on the deep ball, hitting on a 43-yard touchdown to receiver Marquez Callaway.
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The No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, Winston is looking for a second chance. After five seasons with the Buccaneers that saw considerable ups and downs, the former Florida State star is looking for a life line. He’s perhaps found one with the Saints and head coach Sean Payton, who should be formally announcing Winston as the starting quarterback in short order.
While Taysom Hill has long enjoyed a role with New Orleans as a backup quarterback who occasionally moonlights as more, there’s no reason to think his upside is larger than Winston’s.
Hill, who turned 31 years old on Monday, has thrown for 1,047 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions over 53 career games and 17 starts (many of the latter being brief appearances to begin the game). Winston, 27, has a trio of 4,000-yard seasons including 2019 when he went for a league-high 5,109 yards. Of course, the issue has long been the negative plays, with Winston’s 88 interceptions.
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Ultimately, the Saints have a choice between Winston and Hill which presents downsides in both. Winston could throw a ton of interceptions, putting the defense in bad positions and taking a limited offense out of scoring opportunities. With Hill, the offense doesn’t have the big-play capability it might need, and the defense could get tired being on the field for large chunks.
Either way, the Saints are gambling. They might as well gamble on the upside, of which Winston has considerably more both in the present and long term.
On Monday, Winston played his best ball, showing what he can be. It should be enough for Payton, who knows without competent playa the sport’s most important position, the Saints have no chance of reaching the playoffs for a fifth straight year.
