Getty Jameis Winston continues to be an enigma
Jameis Winston is arguably the most enigmatic football player in the NFL. When he’s right, it’s hard to find 10 other signal-callers that are better than him on this planet. However, his lows make you wonder if a high school quarterback could hurt his team less than Winston does.
Yet, at just 26-years of age, fresh off leading the NFL in passing, and a ceiling that has yet to be reached, Winston will undoubtedly entice numerous franchises in free agency.
Below, we examine the top-four landing spots for Winston.
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Top 4 Landing Spots For Winston in Free Agency
4. Los Angeles Chargers
I’m a bit wary about this landing spot for the sole reason that Winston’s gun-slinging ways are similar to that of Philip Rivers’, something that drastically hurt the Chargers in 2019.
However, there’s no denying the type of talent littered throughout the Bolts’ roster. Winston showed a season ago that when given the right pieces around him he can produce at a high level. Although, he can also produce at a putrid level.
If Winston were to land in Los Angeles, it would be hard to see him improve on the Jekyll and Hyde ways that have hampered his past.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In many ways, Tampa Bay is the worst place for Winston to be. The team has given him so much leniency for so long, that it will likely be impossible to reel him in now. However, if he doesn’t get the contract he’s seeking on the open market, it’s also the best place for him to pad his stats in hopes of cashing in a year from now.
There’s a ton of reasons why Tampa Bay would be inclined to retain Winston, mainly due to the fact that he’s still just 26-years old, and when he’s on, he’s great.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger is still the man in Pittsburgh. However, for a quarterback who’s hinted at retirement numerous times, and coming off a season-ending injury, it’s time to find the future at the position, as Mason Rudolph and Duck Hodges certainly aren’t it.
Winston in many ways is a poor man’s Roethlisberger, evident by his thick built-frame, ability to fend off defenders in the pocket, and gun-slinging ways.
Giving Winston a defense to the caliber of the Steelers should allow him to not try and do so much offensively, something that has hampered him in the past. Add that to a solid running game and an improving receiving trio, and Pittsburgh may actually be the best place for Winston to succeed long-term.
1. New England Patriots
This move would be in the best interest of Winston whether or not Brady returns to the Pats. If Brady remains in Foxborough, Winston can learn from the best, and in a year or two serve as Brady’s heir apparent, likely erasing the flaws that handicapped his game during his time in Tampa Bay.
If Brady walks, Winston steps into a position where he can immediately succeed. His physical traits would likely help stretch the field in New England from time to time. However, most importantly, working within an offense that is mainly predicated on the short-passing game will allow Winston to cut down on turnovers.
The move would likely be a one-year prove-it deal, taking a page out of Teddy Bridgewater’s career resurrecting notebook. This would allow Winston to once again hit the open market a year from now at just 27-years of age, likely with a much greater appeal.
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