4 Saints players who could lose their jobs to rookies

1. Jameis Winston could lose Saints QB2 spot to Jake Haener

When Drew Brees retired, the Saints put a lot of faith in Jameis Winston. A former No. 1 overall pick out of Florida State, Winston was replaced in Tampa Bay by Tom Brady and then joined New Orleans to back up another future Hall of Fame quarterback.

Winston got the first chance to replace Brees and started out 2021 on a high note. He completed just 59 percent of his attempts but threw for 1,170 yards with 14 touchdowns and just three picks in seven games. More importantly, they were 5-2 with him under center.

A torn ACL ended his campaign prematurely and by the time he returned, Sean Payton was no longer the head coach. Winston did get three starts under Dennis Allen but he favored Andy Dalton.

Now heading into 2023, Dalton is with the Panthers but Winston still won't start thanks to the presence of Derek Carr. He is slated to be the No. 2 quarterback but there could be some competition for him in the form of rookie Jake Haener.

The Fresno State product (the same school as Carr by the way) was added in the fourth round and quickly made a name for himself with an elite rookie photo shoot.

Winston, who has made the rounds with some incredible social media posts — which are usually goofy workouts — could have his work cut out for him when it comes to the funniest quarterback in the room (although Winston might be unintentionally funny).

But beyond that, Haener could prove to be a more reliable backup.

Allen preferred Dalton over Winston due to the former No. 1 overall pick's knack for turnovers. Sure, he can light it up with his arm but sometimes, he's not throwing it to the right team.

Haener doesn't have the cannon that Winston does, but he's always been safe with the ball and is incredibly accurate. If he keeps that up in the NFL, he could also quickly become a trusted backup.