After failing to get Deshaun Watson back, the Saints have finally renewed their faith in Jameis Winston. For lack of better? Not according to Drew Brees.
Retired from the field since the end of the 2020 season, Brees is still active in league life, holding a consulting position with NBC on Sunday Night Football. The Saints legend is keeping an eye on his former franchise, which fell short of the playoffs last season, and particularly on his successor at quarterback, Jameis Winston. Interviewed by Jeff Duncan (Times-Picayune), he places all his trust in Winston.
“With Jameis Winston, the Saints are programmed to win. I think we have to continue to surround him with elements that will help him build these successes. On the defense side, for example, there is an aura of incredible leadership, and it is a group that has been playing at a very high level for some time now. “
With fairly poor statistics on his 7 games played in 2021 (167 yards per game, 14 TD, 3 INT), the number 1 of the 2015 draft was unrecognizable compared to the player he was in Tampa, both in terms of production ( 319 yards per game in 2019, almost double of 2021), than on ball losses (30 INT in 2019, proportionally four times more than at NOLA). Brees thinks the player still has room for improvement.
“He is still young, and already in the past, he struggled and had to work to overcome obstacles, so he knows how to do it. The more familiar he is with this offensive system, the better he will be. He has a great group of coaches. Even with the departure of Sean (note: Payton), there are still a bunch of guys who are his spiritual sons, if I may say so. Pete Carmichael (Offensive Coordinator) is an outstanding playmaker. “
Winston will have the opportunity in 2022 to breathe new life into his career, but this could be his last chance to be the quarterback franchise imagined when he left university.
