Former No. 1 Overall Pick Jameis Winston Is Not a Draft Bust, Buccaneers GM Says

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers replaced Jameis Winston five years after selecting him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2015, but general manager Jason Licht still has high praise for the quarterback, per ESPN's Jenna Laine:

"We have a lot of respect for Jameis. Jameis was still part of our plan if things went a different route. We've got a lot of respect for him. I thought he did a lot of great things, and anybody in our office or building would say the same thing. He did some spectacular things for us. I would never say that, personally—and I think I speak on behalf of the organization—that he's a bust. I think he's got a bright future ahead of him."

The Buccaneers signed Tom Brady this offseason, leaving Winston to find a new home in free agency, although the latter remains unsigned.

Winston finished last season with an NFL-best 5,109 passing yards to go with 33 touchdowns, but his 30 interceptions were also the most in the league.

It continued an up-and-down career, which featured a Pro Bowl selection in his first season but zero in the four years since and no playoff appearances in five seasons.

The 26-year-old has a 28-42 career record as a starter.

This has clouded his future, with one general manager saying the market for him was "ice cold," per ESPN's Jeff Darlington.

It has also raised the question about his legacy as a top overall draft pick, even compared to other contemporary quarterbacks such as Jared Goff, Cam Newton, Sam Bradford and Matthew Stafford. Two of those players led their teams to the Super Bowl, while Bradford and Stafford had extended NFL runs.

Winston still has time to improve his resume, but his career likely isn't what the Buccaneers expected from him on draft day.