After four seasons, Jameis Winston is leaving the New Orleans Saints.
Jameis Winston, the quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, passes during a Dec. 3, 2023, NFL game in Caesars Superdome in New Orleans versus the Detroit Lions.
Quarterback Jameis Winston is heading to the Cleveland Browns via NFL free agency after four seasons with the New Orleans Saints.
The Saints’ contract with the former Alabama prep star expires on Wednesday at 3 p.m. CDT. He and Cleveland have reached an agreement to sign a one-year contract, according to reports from ESPN and Bleacher Report on Tuesday.
Winston, the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, started quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for five seasons.
However, the Bucs moved to Tom Brady in 2020 after Winston led the NFL in passing yards and interceptions in 2019 with 5,109.
In order to support Drew Brees, Winston decided to sign with New Orleans. Winston defeated Taysom Hill in a quarterback competition for the 2021 season after Brees announced his retirement following the 2020 campaign.
Before a knee injury terminated Winston’s debut season as the starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints at 5-2, he had 14 touchdown passes and three interceptions.
In response, the Saints made an off-season attempt to sign disgruntled quarterback Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans.
After the Browns defeated New Orleans in the sweepstakes, the Saints signed Winston again for a $28 million, two-year deal.
Winston was forced off the field by injuries once more in 2022, this time following three starts. Winston missed a few games due to back and ankle injuries, but he wasn’t given his prior position back.
Winston stopped playing after September 25, and the Saints continued to use Andy Dalton as their quarterback until the end of a 7-10 campaign.
In the previous offseason, New Orleans was successful in acquiring a quarterback when they signed Derek Carr, who was cut by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Winston was then given the option to accept a pay cut in order to remain with the team through 2023 or to be cut loose.
Winston went with option number one. He played 76 snaps in seven games in 2023, completing 25 of 47 passes for 264 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Deshaun Watson, the starting quarterback for Cleveland, has appeared in 12 games over the previous three seasons, but he was limited to just six games last season due to injury.
In 2023, the Browns started five quarterbacks. Dorian Thompson-Robinson started three games as a rookie and is still under contract through 2024.
On Wednesday, Joe Flacco, who started the final five regular-season games as well as a playoff game, will be free to sign with any team.
Winston was a two-time Hueytown High School All-State pick, the 2011 Parade and Under Armour All-American, and the Class 5A Back of the Year.
When the Florida State Seminoles won the BCS national championship in 2013 with a perfect record, Winston was awarded the Heisman Trophy.
Winston has completed 1,763 of 2,882 passes for 22,104 yards with 141 touchdowns and 99 interceptions in 93 NFL regular-season games. He has also run for 1,214 yards and 11 touchdowns on 298 rushes.
