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Saints GM Mickey Loomis on Jameis Winston Contract: 'We'll See Where It Goes'
May 7, 2020
New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis is keeping his plans for Jameis Winston relatively quiet after signing the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star to a one-year deal.
Speaking to SiriusXM NFL Radio on Thursday, Loomis expressed the team's long-term fondness for Winston but wouldn't divulge much more insight:
"With Jameis we had a chance to add a talented player who we thought a lot of coming out of Florida State and then thought a lot of playing against him for the last few years," Loomis said. "It's a chance to add a guy into that room that's got a lot of talent and we'll see where it goes."
For a team that placed such high value on the quarterback, Loomis was able to grab Winston for a relative bargain, agreeing to a $1.1 million contract with a maximum value of $3.4 million.
While it would be easy for Winston to focus on the quiet part of Loomis' comments, the GM made a more poignant point towards the end of the clip.
"It's no different than what we did with Teddy Bridgewater," Loomis said of the Winston signing.
Before signing a three-year, $63 million contract with the Carolina Panthers this offseason, Bridgewater was considered a busted prospect in need of an overhaul after losing his starting job with the Minnesota Vikings. The Saints gave Bridgewater a one-year, $7.25 million deal to serve as backup to Drew Brees in 2019, which paid off when the team's starter went down with a thumb injury early in the season.
Bridgewater not only excelled in Brees' absence, but proved he's capable of handling the starting role in the NFL.
Winston now hopes to get a similar opportunity. After leading the league in passing (5,109 yards) and was second in touchdowns (33). If he can get his accuracy issues under control after having undergone Lasik eye surgery this offseason, Winston may very well get another shot at the type of deal Bridgewater earned for himself.
It won't be easy—and Loomis is staying mum on the details—but being compared to Bridgewater at this point is a positive step for a quarterback who is out to prove he should still be starting.