Saints Free Agency: Tampa Bay listed as ‘dream’ landing spot for Jameis Winston

Bucs coach Bruce Arians doesn’t seem to want Saints quarterback Jameis Winston back, but going to Tampa would definitely hike up Winston’s fantasy value in 2022.

As the quarterback carousel keeps on spinning, the New Orleans Saints continue to pin their hopes on re-signing Jameis Winston this free agency. Winston offers the best value of all quarterback options out there and is already familiar with the Saints’ offensive scheme, and these next few weeks will put the spotlight on the Saints and Winston to reach a mutual agreement.

At NOLA, Winston showed flashes of promise in 2021 and could be the real thing in 2022. But what if he decides to test the market this free agency?

PFF’s Ian Hartitz listed his dream landing spots for every pending free agent quarterback in 2022 and had Winston going home:

"Reminder: Winston threw 30 interceptions in 2019 and somehow wasn’t benched once. That sort of a leash isn’t available in many places so hopefully, these two sides manage to reunite despite Bruce Arians’ modest thoughts on the topic."

Saints’ QB Jameis Winston could go back to his old ways in Tampa Bay

Keep in mind this was a PFF Fantasy Football article, so the writer was presumably picking a team that could eke out the most production out of Winston, regardless of the consequences. That place is indeed Tampa Bay.

Winston has never really been a fantasy-favorite quarterback but he earned his highest rating, QB8, in 2019, when he played his last season as a Buc. He was allowed to throw to his heart’s content in Bruce Arians’ turnover-prone offense, recording his infamous 33 touchdowns against 30 interceptions, but he also led the league in passing as the only 5,000-yard quarterback.

Of course, the hope in 2022 is that Winston limits his turnovers, which is easier said than done on the Bucs. He would have elite pass-targets in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans and a decent offensive line, but Arians couldn’t rein him in two years ago, and nothing suggests he could do so now.

The chances of Mr. 30-30 reuniting with Bruce Arians in Tampa feels very, very low, lower than Drew Brees coming back to play football for the Saints. This might be one fantasy football writer’s dream, but it definitely isn’t Winston’s or the Saints’.