NFL Rumors: Saints expected to cut Jameis Winston following Derek Carr's arrival
Jameis Winston has spent most of the last two NFL seasons recovering from several injuries with the New Orleans Saints. He was then replaced by Andy Dalton as the starter for the remainder of the 2022 NFL season.
Winston was hoping to get another opporting at the starting quarterback role for the 2023 NFL season, but that no longer appears to be the case.
The Saints are reportedly close to finalizing a deal to make Derek Carr their quarterback for the 2023 season and beyond. Carr is seeking a new deal after recently being released by the Las Vegas Raiders. If Carr signs with the Saints, that could mar the end of Jameis Winston's time with the team.
With Derek Carr headed to New Orleans, Jameis Winston’s now becomes a likely salary-cap casualty. New Orleans could move on and save $4.4M against the salary cap, but it would take on $11.2M in dead money. A post-June 1 cut would save $12.8M, but no savings until then. twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/XjANYPZ0Qe
Due to the way Winston's contract with the Saints is structured, it's unlikely that they will release him before June 1. The organization will create an additional $8.4 million in salary cap space this year by waiting until then.
New Orleans will likely need all of the cap space they can find as they are still currently estimated to be about $18 million over the limit before giving Carr a massive contract.
Carr is considered by most around the NFL to be the best available quarterback during the 2023 NFL free agency period. This means he should be expected to receive a contract somewhere around $40 million in AAV. Jameis Winston is currently making just $14 million in AAV, so the Saints must believe they are signing a significant upgrade.
Is Derek Carr a significant upgrade from Jameis Winston for the Saints?
Jameis Winston began his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He put together mixed results, including the 2019 NFL season, which was a perfect example of his polarizing play. He led the entire NFL with an impressive 5,109 passing yards, but also led the way with an alarming 30 interceptions.
The New Orleans Saints signed Jameis Winston during the 2020 offseason to initially serve as a backup for Drew Brees. He took over the starting role in 2021, but injuries limited him to just ten starts in two years. Winston posted a solid 6-4 record with just eight interceptions. He showed promise that he could be on the right track to fixing his glaring problem.
The Saints appear to be out of patience with Jameis Winston as they are reportedly close to landing Derek Carr in free agency. Sean Payton was the head coach when they signed Winston, so maybe Dennis Allen doesn't feel the same way about him. What Carr brings is the consistency and efficiency that Winston sometimes lacks.
Carr has thrown just three more interceptions than Winston, despite starting in 62 additional games. He has four Pro Bowl appearances compared to Winston's one, while also leading the Raiders to the NFL playoffs in the 2021 season. Jameis Winston has never led a team to the playoffs as a starter.
Derek Carr's proven reliability is likely why the Saints believe he's a significant upgrade for them in the most important position. He has also missed just two games due to injuries throughout his entire career so far.