Quarterback Jameis Winston returns to New Orleans

Through the first seven games of the 2021 season, Jameis Winston played quarterback like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers probably envisioned when they selected the former Hueytown High School star with the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

After a year of apprenticeship with Drew Brees, Winston won the New Orleans Saints’ starting job for 2021. New Orleans won five of its first seven games, while Winston threw 14 touchdown passes and just three interceptions.

“We ran the ball well, we threw the ball well and we played great free football,” Winston said. “And that’s the key to success for any team. …

“I think as a team we did a great job together. And you know, (coach) Sean Payton is one of the best play-callers in the game, and again, I’m watching the process of someone in front of me doing that over and over and over. And just going out there and being who I am — taking care of the football, doing a good job of doing my fakes, just doing whatever it takes to win.”

But Winston suffered a knee injury in 2021’s Game 7 and has started five regular-season NFL games since.

On Sunday, Winston will quarterback for the third straight game for Cleveland, and he will be back in New Orleans, where the Browns will play the Saints.

Winston spent his first five NFL seasons as Tampa Bay’s starting quarterback, throwing for 19,737 yards and 121 touchdowns. But after Winston led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards (10th most in a single season in league history) and 30 interceptions in 2019, the Bucs traded for free agent Tom Brady and won the 2020 Super Bowl.

Winston chose to sign with New Orleans to back up Brees.

“I’m grateful for every opportunity I have,” Winston said. “But I’m really thankful for the time, really a year, that I had with Sean Payton and Drew Brees, just learning how to play the quarterback position the right way.”

During his time with Tampa Bay, Winston had more passing yards than any other NFL player other than Peyton Manning has had in the first five seasons of his career. He is 11th on the five-year touchdown pass list with 121. But he is also 11th in interceptions through the first five seasons with 88.

“I think it was definitely a process where I was looking to take all the superpowers that Drew Brees and Sean had and implement them into my system,” Winston said of your choice to get to New Orleans. “It’s what to do and what not to do. And when you see a quarterback who’s done it at a high level for a long time under a system that he’s been in for a long time, you just see the day-in and day-out detail and intentionality that goes into each game.”

When Brees retired after the 2020 season, Winston won a quarterback competition with Taysom Hill for the 2021 season.

After the 2021 season, the Saints attempted to acquire quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was unhappy with the Houston Texans. After New Orleans lost the lottery to the Browns, the Saints re-signed Winston to a two-year, $28 million contract.

Injuries sidelined Winston again in 2022, this time after starting the first three games. Back and ankle ailments kept Winston out of uniform for a few contests, but when he returned, he didn’t get his job back. The Saints stuck with Andy Dalton at quarterback all the way to the end of a 7–10 season.

In 2023, New Orleans succeeded in its quarterback pursuit – signing Derek Carr after the Las Vegas Raiders released him. It came with an offer to Winston: Take less money to stay with the team in 2023 or be released. Winston chose the former before leaving New Orleans in free agency in 2024 to become Watson’s backup in Cleveland.

In the Browns’ 21–14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on October 20, Watson suffered an Achilles tendon injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the season.

Winston started the two games before last week’s bye – a 29-24 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 27 and a 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 3.

In the two games, Winston completed 53-of-87 passes for 569 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions and ran for 29 yards on seven carries.

The Browns and Saints will square off at noon CST Sunday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.