Former NFL wideout Steve Smith Sr. isn’t a fan of Jameis Winston. He cited him as the reason why DeSean Jackson would like to move on from the Buccaneers.
On a segment of Good Morning Football Weekend, former Carolina Panthers All-Pro wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. didn’t show confidence in Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston.
“Hell no, I don’t think he’s the quarterback of the future,” Smith said when discussing Winston.
Smith Sr. was breaking down the situation with Buccaneers wideout DeSean Jackson, who likely won’t be with Tampa Bay next season.
During the segment, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo mentioned that Arians would have his work cut out for him if he wants Jackson back in red and pewter next season. The panel broke down the reasons why Jackson has lost interest in playing with the Bucs next season.
Smith immediately mentioned Winston. Citing that Jackson’s stats with Winston under center are much worse. Smith does have a point. When Ryan Fitzpatrick was starting, Jackson opened up the season as one of the league’s top receivers — racking up three 100-yard receiving games throughout the first four weeks of the season.
Once Winston took over, Jackson became an afterthought. The two couldn’t get on the same page for the second straight season.
Despite the statistical differences, it was shocking to hear Smith Sr. share his thoughts on Winston. He seemed convinced that the former number one pick wasn’t the answer for the Buccaneers.
Bucs fans will have to wait and see if the problem lied with Winston or Jackson. The veteran receiver will have plenty of suitors if Tampa Bay does release him. There aren’t many top-tier names in the wideout market, and Jackson could be in for one more big payday.
Although the general feeling was that Jackson was going to be gone since he requested a trade back in October, Bruce Arians mentioned that he would try to get Jackson back on board just a week ago.
It would have been nice to see Jackson re-recruited to the Buccaneers, but the most significant issue was going to be the money. Jackson will make $10 million next season. With limited cap space, general manager Jason Licht may not feel the need to invest in someone who requested to leave just a few months ago.