Sean Payton: Saints have 'big interest' in re-signing Jameis Winston
When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Tom Brady, Jameis Winston was left wondering about what the future held for him in the NFL. After signing a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints to back up Drew Brees, it appears the 27-year-old made a lasting impression on head coach Sean Payton.
With Brees reportedly set to retire, Payton admitted Wednesday that he's interested in bringing Winston back for another season, and possibly more.
"We had a great exposure for one year with Jameis Winston," Payton said in an interview with NFL Network's Good Morning Football. "And we didn't have a normal offseason, but we had enough time to see what we had with him as a player, as a leader, as an athlete. I really like what we had a chance to see. He was a tremendous leader for this team, and that's hard to do when you come in new in free agency your first year as a backup quarterback. So that'll be an important checkmark for us.
"And a lot of times, you want to hold your cards closer to the vest and he is a free agent. But him, along with Taysom Hill who's in the building, we've said it all along — we're going to develop and coach those guys. And Jameis is one of those guys that we have a big interest in."
Winston didn't play much in 2020. Even when Brees went down with fractured ribs, Payton opted to start Hill. However, the former Buccaneers quarterback has a lot of promise.
In 2019, Winston led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards. However, he also became the first player to throw 30-plus touchdowns against 30 interceptions.
It's no surprise the Saints want to bring Winston back. With Brees likely set to enter retirement, and only Hill on the roster, Winston will provide New Orleans with two reliable options at QB.
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