Earlier this week the New Orleans Saints signed free agent quarterback Jameis Winston to a one year contract. This new deal has a base value of approximately $1.1 million. It includes a salary of $952,000 along with a signing bonus of $148,000. The new deal has $3.4 million in incentives built in as well.

Ups and Downs in the NFL

Winston was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2015 NFL draft with the number one overall selection of the first round. He was the Bucs starting quarterback from the 2015 – 2016 NFL season through the 2019 – 2020 NFL season. Jameis has had his ups and downs in Tampa Bay by putting up huge passing numbers as well as an incredibly high number of turnovers. For example, last season he led the National Football League in passing yards with 5,109 passing yards, but he threw 30 touchdowns accompanied by 30 interceptions. Winston is the only quarterback in NFL history to ever throw for 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in the same season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released Winston last month when they acquired the future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady in a free agency signing. The Bucs have previously benched Jameis multiple times throughout his NFL career for his inconsistency as well as his high number of turnovers that cost his team wins. Winston is hoping to turn around his career in New Orleans by learning from the Saints superstar quarterback Drew Brees and their well respected head coach Sean Payton.

Teddy Bridgewater’s Story

The Saints accomplished turning around the NFL career of Teddy Bridgewater, and Winston is looking for similar results. Bridgewater was a struggling starting quarterback who signed with the Saints as a back up quarterback. When Brees went down due to a thumb injury last year, Teddy was able to step in and lead New Orleans to a record of 5 and 0. He played nearly prefect football, and it paid off when the Carolina Panthers signed Bridgewater to a solid contract this offseason to be the Panthers next starting quarterback.

Winston has a long way to go on his development as a quarterback in the National Football League. Opponents scored an NFL high 112 points off of his turnovers last season. Since the 2015 – 2016 NFL season his 111 turnovers are the most by any player in the league over that course of time (last 5 seasons). Although Jameis was quite successful as a college quarterback at Florida State University, his record in the National Football League as a starting quarterback is 28 and 42. Winston has never led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a playoff birth either. He is hoping that he can become a more efficient and successful quarterback after his time learning from the best in New Orleans with the Saints.

Winston’s NFL Career Statistics 

Passing

Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS QBrec Cmp Att Cmp% Yds TD TD% Int Int% 1D Lng Y/A AY/A Y/C Y/G Rate QBR Sk Yds NY/A ANY/A Sk% 4QC GWD AV
2015* 21 TAM QB 3 16 16 6-10-0 312 535 58.3 4042 22 4.1 15 2.8 201 68 7.6 7.1 13.0 252.6 84.2 61.1 27 190 6.85 6.44 4.8 2 3 13
2016 22 TAM QB 3 16 16 9-7-0 345 567 60.8 4090 28 4.9 18 3.2 216 45 7.2 6.8 11.9 255.6 86.1 59.7 35 239 6.40 5.98 5.8 1 3 12
2017 23 TAM QB 3 13 13 3-10-0 282 442 63.8 3504 19 4.3 11 2.5 185 70 7.9 7.7 12.4 269.5 92.2 54.0 33 207 6.94 6.70 6.9 2 2 10
2018 24 TAM QB 3 11 9 3-6-0 244 378 64.6 2992 19 5.0 14 3.7 152 64 7.9 7.3 12.3 272.0 90.2 69.7 27 157 7.00 6.38 6.7 0 1 9
2019 25 TAM QB 3 16 16 7-9-0 380 626 60.7 5109 33 5.3 30 4.8 243 71 8.2 7.1 13.4 319.3 84.3 47 282 7.17 6.15 7.0 2 2 15
Career 72 70 28-42-0 1563 2548 61.3 19737 121 4.7 88 3.5 997 71 7.7 7.1 12.6 274.1 86.9 169 1075 6.87 6.30 6.2 7 11 59

Advanced Passing

Games Passing
Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS Cmp Att Yds IAY IAY/PA CAY CAY/Cmp CAY/PA YAC YAC/Cmp
2018 24 TAM QB 3 11 9 244 378 2992 4079 10.8 2082 8.5 5.5 910 3.7
2019 25 TAM QB 3 16 16 380 626 5109 6486 10.4 3249 8.6 5.2 1860 4.9

Adjusted Passing

Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS QBrec Att Y/A+ NY/A+ AY/A+ ANY/A+ Cmp%+ TD%+ Int%+ Sack%+ Rate+
2015* 21 TAM QB 3 16 16 6-10-0 535 108 111 101 103 82 96 93 110 92
2016 22 TAM QB 3 16 16 9-7-0 567 102 102 97 98 92 107 85 102 96
2017 23 TAM QB 3 13 13 3-10-0 442 115 112 109 107 102 99 98 95 103
2018 24 TAM QB 3 11 9 3-6-0 378 114 113 103 103 104 106 78 100 100
2019 25 TAM QB 3 16 16 7-9-0 626 117 115 99 99 87 107 60 98 90
Career 72 70 28-42-0 2548

Rushing and Receiving

Games Rushing Receiving Total Yds
Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS Rush Yds TD 1D Lng Y/A Y/G A/G Tgt Rec Yds Y/R TD 1D Lng R/G Y/G Ctch% Y/Tgt Touch Y/Tch YScm RRTD Fmb
2015* 21 TAM QB 3 16 16 54 213 6 19 21 3.9 13.3 3.4 54 3.9 213 6 6
2016 22 TAM QB 3 16 16 53 165 1 13 14 3.1 10.3 3.3 53 3.1 165 1 10
2017 23 TAM QB 3 13 13 33 135 1 8 17 4.1 10.4 2.5 33 4.1 135 1 15
2018 24 TAM QB 3 11 9 49 281 1 19 18 5.7 25.5 4.5 49 5.7 281 1 7
2019 25 TAM QB 3 16 16 59 250 1 18 26 4.2 15.6 3.7 59 4.2 250 1 12
Career 72 70 248 1044 10 77 26 4.2 14.5 3.4 248 4.2 1044 10 50

From the Press 

“Being a part of the New Orleans Saints — being a part with Drew Brees, Taysom Hill, Sean Payton, coach Joe Lombardi, coach Pete Carmichael Jr. — when you think about that room, that’s like a Harvard education in quarterback school,” the former quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Winston, explained. “So I wanted to put my ego aside — put the money to the side — to think about my family, think about my career.

“And there was no better position than to be in the same room with someone that I’ve really looked up to, that I’ve admired since I’ve been playing this game, in Drew Brees.” 

Drew Brees stated, “excited to have [Winston] in the QB room.” 

“He’s got a lot of talent and a bright future,” says Brees. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about his work ethic and love of the game.”

“It really probably won’t be too much different than last year,” the New Orleans Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland proclaimed. “We feel like [Hill] can start in the league at some point when it’s his turn, and that’s obviously why we invested in him. But we also need a No. 2 to really utilize [Hill’s] skill set and his upside to the full extent of his ability. … We can’t do those things [with Hill] if we don’t have a solid No. 2.” 

“I’ve done some great things with the Bucs. I’m gonna miss being a starting quarterback,” Winston expressed. “But you never know what happens. I think this is just a great and unique step to join Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints and learn from one of the best to ever do it and make a great transition in my career. 

“You know it’s a proverb: Humility comes before honor. So I have to humble myself. And this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be with Drew Brees, to be with the New Orleans Saints and just prepare for when my next opportunity’s gonna present itself.”