Saints free agent Jameis Winston is the best QB option available right now
The New Orleans Saints have 11 pending unrestricted free agents and one of the biggest ones hitting the market is quarterback, Jameis Winston. NOLA signed Winston as a backup in the 2020 offseason and then he returned to the Big Easy last offseason and won the starting job over Taysom Hill.
Winston started seven games before tearing his ACL and missing the rest of the season. Prior to the injury, the former No. 1 overall pick had thrown for 1,170 yards, 14 touchdowns, and three interceptions while rushing for 166 yards and another score with his legs.
It’s not crazy to think that had Winston had even just one solid weapon at his disposal, the Saints could have won the NFC South and made a decent run in the playoffs. They were rocking and rolling before he went down and we saw how bad the offense was after he was injured.
For the third straight year, Winston is hitting free agency and this time, he’s the best quarterback available for teams to potentially sign. The injury could scare some teams off but for the most part, Winston is someone that should get plenty of attention from other teams in the offseason.
Saints have to re-sign Jameis Winston at all costs
With Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson likely staying put, the Saints don’t have many other promising options when it comes to finding their quarterback for the 2022 season. The draft doesn’t have many promising names and free agency is pretty much the same situation.
Fans are optimistic that Winston will return to the team where he’s spent the past two seasons but if a team waltzes in and offers him a significant amount of money, how is he going to turn that down? He was relegated to backup duties in 2020 and after having an opportunity to show what he learned from Drew Brees, Winston proved that he can cut back on the turnovers and be a guy who doesn’t lose games for teams.
There isn’t a market value for Winston on Spotrac, probably because he’s coming off an injury and has signed one-year deals the past two years but if the Saints want to ensure they land him, offering him a two-year deal might be the way to go here.
"5 best remaining quarterback options for NOLA Saints in 2022 offseason"
If Winston signs elsewhere, the New Orleans Saints will be in major trouble at the quarterback spot and won’t have many other options for the 2022 season.