Jameis Winston's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

The Cleveland Browns are interested in free-agent quarterback Jameis Winston as a backup to starter Deshaun Watson. Although it's unlikely, the Browns could also run it back with Joe Flacco, the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year, after he stepped in for an injured Watson last season to unexpectedly lead the Browns into the postseason. The 30-year-old Winston was his usual up-and-down self while filling in for an injured Derek Carr in seven games for the New Orleans Saints in 2023, going 25-for-47 for 264 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. While Winston has plenty of starting experience (80 career starts in nine NFL seasons), he's proven to be a turnover-prone and inconsistent passer when thrust into action. But given Watson's track record for injuries, the Browns are clearly intent on backing him up with an experienced, veteran signal-caller like Winston or Flacco.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston, who will become a free agent in March, said he "would love to stay in New Orleans forever." Winston has spent the last four seasons with the team and would remain ticketed for a backup role yet again in 2024 behind Derek Carr if he chooses to re-sign. The Saints are currently projected to be well over the salary cap this year, which is nothing new for the organization, but it could prove difficult for them to get something done to keep Winston around as QB insurance. The 30-year-old veteran has made 10 starts for the team in his four-year run with them and went 25-for-47 for 264 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in seven appearances when Carr was banged up in 2023.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston has agreed to a contract restructure for salary cap purposes, according to a source. The 30-year-old veteran signal-caller adds two years to his contract, but it won't affect his pending free agency, as they will void early in the new 2024 league year to allow salary cap proration. Winston will hit free agency this March after spending the last four seasons as a backup for the Saints. In that time, he's played in 20 games (10 starts) and has gone 200-for-334 for 2,367 yards with 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. It remains to be seen if he'll be content to re-sign in New Orleans as Derek Carr's backup or if he wants to look elsewhere as a short-term bridge QB option. As a starter, Winston can be intriguing as a QB2 streamer in the right matchups, but his turnover-prone ways make him hard to trust on a week-to-week basis.