Schefter: Jameis Winston Makes Sense for Bengals After 1 Season with Saints

Given the uncertainty around Joe Burrow for the 2021 season, the Cincinnati Bengals could be in the market for a backup quarterback with high upside. 

On Thursday's episode of Get Up, ESPN's Adam Schefter speculated that Jameis Winston "makes a lot of sense right now" for the Bengals:

Burrow was injured in the third quarter of Cincinnati's 20-9 loss to the Washington Football Team on Nov. 22. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported an MRI revealed the Bengals rookie suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee.

As a point of comparison, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo noted that Carson Wentz suffered a similar injury late in the 2017 season and had to miss the first two games the following year. 

The Bengals announced that Burrow had successful surgery on Dec. 2, and "he is expected to make a complete recovery."

Brandon Allen, a sixth-round draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016, has served as Burrow's replacement. 

Winston is currently a backup for the New Orleans Saints. He's set to become a free agent this offseason after signing a one-year, $1.1 million deal in April. The former No. 1 overall pick was passed on the depth chart by Taysom Hill after Drew Brees injured his ribs on Nov. 15 against the San Francisco 49ers.

While there is a level of volatility that any coach has to accept with Winston at quarterback, he's also capable of making big plays. The 26-year-old led the NFL in 2019 with 5,109 passing yards while playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Even accepting some risk, Winston is a high-ceiling backup who could hold things down for the Bengals if they have to wait for Burrow to return at the start of next season.