NFL Rumors: Jameis Winston, Browns Agree to 1-Year Contract After Saints Stint

According to reports, Jameis Winston is leaving the New Orleans Saints.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports that Winston is “close” to signing a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns worth up to $8.7 million. The agreement was confirmed by Jeff Howe from The Athletic.

“Winston fielded interest from multiple teams and decided this morning that he’s going to Cleveland,” Schultz wrote on Tuesday.

Prior to the 2020 campaign, Winston signed with the Saints to serve as Drew Brees’ backup. Brees is now retired.

Alongside Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian, the 30-year-old was the team’s starting quarterback going into the 2021 campaign. Before sustaining an ACL tear and missing the rest of the season, he started seven games.

In 2022, Winston made a full recovery; however, he sustained a back injury in Week 1 and was out for the following two games. In Week 4, the Saints benched him in favor of Andy Dalton, and even though Winston recovered, the Red Rifle started the rest of the season.

According to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell, Winston expressed his disappointment to reporters prior to the team’s victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 11 by saying that he was benched for Dalton.

“I have to deal with and concentrate on what is going on at this time. When the time comes for me to finally return to the field, which hopefully will, I’ll handle what’s going on now. I will do everything in my power to assist Andy, this offense, and every member of the offensive staff. That’s all I have to say. For, you know, I wear that shirt that reads, ‘Big team, tiny me,’ even if it breaks my heart. The way things have gone this year breaks my heart, but it is what it is.”

Winston continued to be the team’s backup quarterback until the Saints hired veteran quarterback Derek Carr before the 2023 campaign, when Carr was released by the Las Vegas Raiders.

 

 

Winston completed 59.9% of his throws for 2,367 yards and 20 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 21 games (10 starts) over the course of four seasons. He also rushed for 170 yards and one touchdown.

Winston was chosen as the first overall pick in the 2015 draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he played for five seasons before joining the Saints.

The Florida State graduate had perhaps his best season to date in 2016, finishing with a completion percentage of 60.8 percent for 4,090 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just 18 interceptions in 16 games, plus 165 yards and one touchdown from rushes.

He became the first player in NFL history to throw at least 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a single season in 2019 after throwing for a career-high 5,109 yards and 33 touchdowns in 16 games.

For their part, the Saints will still depend on Carr throughout the upcoming campaign. In addition, Hill is expected to be the backup unless the team signs a different player.

Cleveland views Winston as Deshaun Watson’s backup, but it experienced firsthand the value of having a backup quarterback last season when Joe Flacco stepped over after Watson was hurt and went 4-1 as a starter to help the team to the postseason.