The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made history this offseason by signing Tom Brady. However, the future Hall-of-Famer joining the franchise was no certainty and the organization had contingency plans heading into free agency.
There were rumors that the Buccaneers had favored Teddy Bridgewater if they couldn’t land Brady and if they couldn’t land either, they’d go back to Winston. Coach Bruce Arians candidly admitted as much in an interview with Rich Eisen.
“[A Winston re-up] didn’t work out for us only because [Brady] was available and we had [Bridgewater] if that wouldn’t have worked out,” Arians said. “We were going full steam ahead back with Jameis.”
Arians Calling Teams to Talk Up Winston
Winston remains without a new team and Arians is trying to do his part to make sure his former starter lands on his feet. The coach said he has been reaching out to other franchises recommending the former No. 1 overall pick as a signal-caller.
“I’ve called a couple teams,” Arians told Rich Eisen. “You’re going to get one of the hardest workers you’ve ever had and a great young man…no one is going to outwork him.”
Arians added that he didn’t get the sense that the clubs were interested in bringing Winston on a starter. The 26-year-old quarterback may have to settle for a back-up job or a situation with an unsettled starting QB spot.
What’s the Latest on Washington’s Pursuit of Winston?
There were rumors that the Redskins were interested in bringing Winston in to push Dwayne Haskins. Coach Ron Rivera had stated his desire to add talent at the position, creating competition.
Haskins doesn’t have the same kind of backing from the Redskins as other QBs in his rookie class, like Daniel Jones in New York and Kyler Murray in Arizona. It’s not a given that Haskins will be named the starter in Washington and even if he wins it, he may not be given a long leash.
“Quarterback is a position you’ve got to have competition in,” Rivera previously said. “Very competitive competition.”
The team adding Kyle Allen via trade probably closes the door on Winston coming to Southern Maryland. The Redskins gave up a fifth-rounder for Allen, who started 12 games for Carolina last season. The investment there, coupled with the fact that the team is still paying Alex Smith, likely means that Washington is content with not spending any more resources at the position.
Washington’s odds of signing Winston are currently +1100, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The Jaguars are the frontrunner right now, followed by the Dolphins. The two teams have different QB situations, as Jacksonville is going forward with former seventh-round pick Gardner Minshew while Miami is expected to draft a signal-caller in the first round of the 2020 draft.
Here are the latest odds:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: +220
- Miami Dolphins: +370
- New Orleans Saints: +380
- Denver Broncos: +600
- Pittsburgh Steelers: +600
- New England Patriots: +750
- Los Angeles Chargers: +1000
- Washington Redskins: +1100
- Las Vegas Raiders: +1500
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Bruce Arians Says Jameis Winston Was Buccaneers’ Third Choice