Buccaneers NFC South Position Rankings: Quarterback
Jameis Winston
Call me crazy, but once Drew Brees retires, it won’t be long before Jameis Winston takes the South crown. I’ll save the final verdict for the next slide, but heading towards his fourth season as a pro Winston can go toe-to-toe with almost any quarterback in the league, including his three southern counterparts.
Like Matt Ryan and Cam Newton, Jameis throws more interceptions than you’d like. He threw 15 as a rookie, 18 in 2016, 11 last season, and quite a few in his final collegiate season. For the most part, again like Ryan and Newton, Jameis manages to make enough spectacular plays to cut him some slack. Already in his first three years Winston has more highlight reel runs and passes than any Buccaneer quarterback ever, and showed true progression towards the end of last season. Had he not missed time with a shoulder injury Winston would have thrown for at least 25 touchdowns and 4000 yards.
The questions with Winston are temperament and decision-making. Last season he lost his cool quite a few times, most notably against the Saints, which forced his teammate Mike Evans to retaliate and consequently get punished. Improved decision-making would help Winston throw less of the “oh god no” passes that plague him every so often.
If you’re reading this then odds are you’re familiar enough with Jameis Winston, so let’s cut to the chase. It’s time for….