According to Rick Stroud, the Buccaneers have remained in close communication with QB Jameis Winston during the early negotiation period.
While Tampa Bay is exploring other options at quarterback, including making an aggressive pitch to Patriots QB Tom Brady, Winston is among the team’s alternatives if it misses on Brady or other targets, like Saints QB Teddy Bridgewater.
Asked at the Combine if Winston was Tampa Bay’s quarterback going forward, per the Athletic’s Greg Auman, Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians responded: “He could be.”
Arians admitted he was disappointed in how Winston finished the season, with 10 interceptions in the final month of the season.
“December wasn’t what I wanted to see,” Arians said via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
Arians said while they are still exploring other options, he does believe they can have success with Winston if they end up bringing him back.
“We can win with Jameis, I know that,” Arians said via NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
Winston, 26, is a former first-round pick of the Buccaneers back in 2015. He’s set to make a base salary of $20.922 million for the 2019 season under his fifth-year option.
Winston is in line to be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his NFL career in 2020.
In 2019, Winston appeared in all 16 games for the Buccaneers and completed 60.7 percent of his passes for 5,109 yards, 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions while rushing for 250 yards and one touchdown.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2020 Free Agents list.
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