Jameis Winston could be the perfect backup in Denver
With Sean Payton now in Denver, a very logical choice for the backup quarterback spot on the team is veteran Jameis Winston. After an up-and-down tenure as a Buccaneer, Winston signed with the New Orleans Saints as the backup to Drew Brees.
When Brees retired, Winston got to see some action. In 2021, he went 5-2 as the starter and looked like a legitimate quarterback while doing so. Under Sean Payton and during those seven games, Winston threw for 14 touchdowns against just three interceptions and earned a passer rating of 102.8, which was by far the highest of his career.
The biggest issue with Winston was his interceptions. In five years in Tampa Bay, Winston threw a whopping 88 interceptions, and his 2019 season was the infamous 30/30 season where he threw 33 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions.
His ceiling is undeniable as a passer, in fact, his ceiling, when he’s at his best, is pretty darn good. However, the back-breaking interceptions are tough to swallow. Playing under Sean Payton proved to be a huge blessing for Jameis Winston, and with Payton now in Denver, it makes a ton of sense for those two to continue what they began in New Orleans.
The Saints can save nearly $13 million against their cap by cutting Winston. He’s not their long-term option, and I’m not sure he’s anything more than a high-quality backup at this point, but that’s the entire point.
The Broncos need to invest more into the backup quarterback position, as the Brett Rypien/Josh Johnson competition for the QB2 spot was a joke, to put it lightly.
Jameis Winston is also pretty mobile. He’s 6’4″, 230 pounds, so he has a nice frame as well, and only just turned 29 years old.
While Denver may prefer a young draft pick for the QB2, Winston makes a ton of sense. I do think he gets cut and the Broncos should be the first team to jump on that chance.