NEW ORLEANS – On Tuesday, the New Orleans Saints announced that they have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with unrestricted free agent QB Jameis Winston. The announcement came from Saints’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.
Originally selected with the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of Florida State, Winston, 6-4, 231, spent his first five seasons with the Buccaneers. The Hueytown, Al. native appeared in 72 games with 70 starts for the Buccaneers, completing 1,563-of-2,548 passes (61.3%) for 19,737 yards with 121 touchdown passes, 88 interceptions and an 86.9 passer rating, while adding 1,044 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns and being named to the Pro Bowl in 2015 following his rookie season.
Over the past five seasons, Winston has set numerous Buccaneer’s passing records including both the franchise’s career and single-season marks in passing yards and touchdown passes. Winston is coming off a season in which he posted career-highs in passing yards (5,109), touchdown passes (33), completions (380), and yards-per-attempt (8.2). During a two-game stretch in wins in Weeks 14 and 15, Winston tossed for 456 and 458 yards, becoming the only player in NFL history to pass for 450 yards in consecutive contests. Winston’s NFL-best 5,109 passing yards was the eighth-highest total in NFL record books, as he became only the eighth passer to reach 5,000 yards passing.
Prior being the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Winston turned in a historic career at Florida State filled with numerous individual and team accolades. In his two seasons at the helm in Tallahassee, Winston posted a 27-1 record as a starter, became only the second freshman to win the Heisman Trophy in 2013 and led the Seminoles to back-to-back 13-0 regular seasons as well as a victory over Auburn in the 2014 BCS National Championship where he was named the game’s Offensive Most Valuable Player. Winston finished his career at Florida State with 7,964 passing yards, 65 touchdown passes and a 163.3 passer rating.
