The Tom Brady era with the New England Patriots has finally ended, as Brady now leads a talent crop of receivers.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have taken the short-term route in their pursuit to return to the playoffs. They haven’t made them since 2007. But, with the arrival of Brady, previous starter Jameis Winston is now searching for his next team.
The former 2015 first-overall pick was told to walk the plank by the Bucs. Winston had his fair share of ups and downs through his first five seasons, posting one winning record at 9-7.
He put up huge numbers, but his decision-making caused him to throw 30 interceptions. He always threw the Bucs into a loss, not a win. He became the first QB to throw 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. During his tenure in Tampa Bay, his overall record was 28-42.
Enter, Steelers
Now that it’s clear Winston won’t be returning, the question remains; where will he play next year? Two obvious teams need a QB; the LA Chargers and New England Patriots. But, the best-case situation would be the Pittsburgh Steelers. Similar to how Ryan Tannehill went from Tennessee Titans backup to unquestioned starter. Winston could be poised to go down that same path.
The starting job will open soon one way or another in the next two years. Winston being in line for it could be the long-term plan. They both have similar skill sets and builds. It could be an easy transition. When fall turns into winter, Winston has the arm strength to cut through the weather. The groundwork is there for Winston. He can join the Steelers as the best No. 2 signal-caller. Even if he doesn’t stay with the Steelers, he proves himself to the other 31 other organizations in the league.
Big Ben has been contemplating retirement and with a contract that pays him $68 million over the next two seasons, it seems his end is near. Their contingency plan should be Winston. The Steelers back up plans of Mason Rudolph and “Duck” Hodges last season are not future starters. Winston has the talent, arm strength, and starter experience that could prove crucial as the Roethlisberger era comes to a close.
