NOLA Saints: Jameis Winston is a breakout candidate for 2021

Things could be a lot worse for the NOLA Saints at the quarterback position. Yes, their soon-to-be Hall of Fame quarterback retired over the offseason but Jameis Winston, his likely successor, is a former No. 1 overall pick who has no issues with airing out the football.

The Saints might not be the same team that they were with Drew Brees at the helm but they still have a very good roster and Winston gives them a chance to remain a competitive team.

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports listed Winston as the NFC South’s most likely breakout candidate. La Canfora had this to say:

"In his second year with Sean Payton, and with a great cast around him, Winston can do big things with the Saints. Better protection than he had in Tampa, a less high-risk scheme, and a better running attack will provide more balance and more guard rails for the interception-prone passer. Having Taysom Hill as a change of pace will also help Winston and keep him in situations that play most to his strengths. After spending most of 2020 on the bench learning from Payton and Drew Brees, I expect him to have a fairly prolific 2021 season and help keep the Saints viable in the NFC South, while the Falcons and Pantherssputter with their rebuilds."

Jameis Winston can absolutely breakout in 2021 for the NOLA Saints.

The last time NFL fans saw Winston as a starter was in 2019 when he was a member of the Buccaneers. Winston wasn’t bad that year by any means, throwing for over 5,100 yards and 33 touchdowns but the reason he wasn’t retained by the team that spent the No. 1 overall pick on him was because of the 30 interceptions Winston chucked that year.

Cutting down on interceptions is a must for Winston as he enters year two with the Saints. If he can limit the turnovers, there’s a chance that he bounces back in a big way and sets himself up for a massive payday following the 2021 season.

Winston has a chance to hit the reset button in New Orleans and considering the numbers he’s put up in the past, it’s no wonder he’s been listed as a dark horse MVP candidate and now listed as a player to have a strong chance to break out this year.

Filling Drew Brees’ shoes won’t be easy but Jameis Winston has a chance to really shine for the Saints this year.