Buccaneers: Jameis Winston probably here for the long term

Much speculation has swirled all season long over quarterback Jameis Winston and his status for the 2020 season. Today’s guess: he’s staying put.

Let me start this piece off with saying that nothing would make me happier than to see Jameis Winston solve his interception problem. If he does that, we then have a top 3 quarterback and will then be going to the Super Bowl. I am not a supporter of Mr. Winston, but I am not a hater either. I want him to succeed in the worst way.

I never wish for him to fail, or to play so badly they have to let him go. I think he has already done the latter on his own. I don’t need another quarterback to take his place so that he, and not Winston, is the one that takes us to success.

I would like it to be Jameis that leads us to glory. That would be very special. Having said all that, there is a part of me that just cannot accept a player with such a terrible flaw. It matters not that he has broken records, thrown for gaudy yardage twice in a row, achieved 5,000 yards in a season etc. etc. None of that matters if the other end of the spectrum isn’t fixed.

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The Buccaneers as an organization have famously made bad decisions. It’s hard not to imagine giving Jameis Winston a long, fat contract as anything but the latest in a series of bad decision-making. On the other hand, to be fair, not all of the Glazer’s decisions have been bad. The Bucs do have a Lombardi Trophy. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that somehow they can see into the future if they really are planning to extend Jameis.

Personally, I ask questions if Winston is going to stay. The first question being after five seasons of NFL football this interception problem is worse than it has ever been, how does he change it with another year? I wonder about how this past season was supposed to be his prove it year, does he even deserve a large contract? The only thing that he has proven is that he has no control over the errant passes.

The questions go on. How does ownership hitch their future to a player so untrustworthy? He’s absolutely unpredictable, you never know which quarterback you are going to get from week to week. How do you shell out many, many millions of dollars to a player who has the worst bad habit a quarterback can have, and hasn’t a clue how to fix it?

Lastly, after having a year with the Quarterback Whisperer, Winston’s interception count shot through the roof. So what/who could possibly fix the interceptions for Jameis? Over the last six or so games of the season even Bruce Arians sounded as though even he had enough of the turnovers.

There was no doubt in the first half of the season that Arians was solidly behind his quarterback, making excuses for him at every turn. By seasons end, the excuses had ended and he seemed ready to part ways. It was as though the interceptions had become an anchor around Arians’ neck, and he didn’t have enough strength to even discuss it anymore. He only wanted to talk about the positives and the defense, and how far they had come.

I don’t blame him, who wouldn’t want to talk about this defense? If it can be held together pretty close, those boys are on the verge of something that can be truly special. Devin White is just getting warmed up.

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It all remains to be seen, nothing is certain until it is officially announced. I still hope that they give Winston the tag and gave him one more year to prove it, though he would likely be gone at the end of next year without a huge offer. There are teams that want him, it just seems like the Bucs want him more. Stay tuned.

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