Jameis Winston Praised for Strong Preseason Showing for Saints vs. Chargers

There was one storyline that mattered far more than the others for the New Orleans Saints during Friday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Jameis Winston returned to the field after missing the first two preseason games with a right foot sprain he suffered during practice on Aug. 8. It was all the more concerning since a torn ACL ended his 2021 campaign early after he went 5-2 as a starter through seven games.

He looked more than ready to go Friday.

Winston wasted no time making an impact with a dart downfield to Jarvis Landry on his first throw of the game. It was part of an opening drive that saw him go 4-of-4 passing for 59 yards while finding Landry and rookie Chris Olave.

Running back Mark Ingram II capped off the game's opening drive with a touchdown run, but it was Winston who drew praise for his performance:

Head coach Dennis Allen must have seen enough because he took Winston out of the game after the first drive. There wasn't much left to prove for the veteran, who looked healthy and accurate with a new set of weapons on a Saints team that could be dangerous in the NFC South.

They will get a chance to prove they are with a divisional showdown against the Atlanta Falcons to start the season on Sept. 11.