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QB Jameis Winston, NO (4 Viewers)

From Licht's press conference:

(On if the new coaching candidate would have to accept Jameis as their starting quarterback, and if that excludes some candidates from being the Bucs coach because they don’t want him)

“Based on the texts and phone calls and emails that I’ve been getting since roughly eight o’clock last night, I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.”

 
Well before the Buccaneers hired Bruce Arians as their new head coach, the team made it clear that they intended to have quarterback Jameis Winston on the team for the 2019 season.

Given the $20.9 million Winston is set to make, they weren’t going to hire a coach who wasn’t thinking about Winston as the starter and Arians is on board with that program. During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show Wednesday, Arians referred to Winston as the central piece of the team’s offense.

“I’ve known him for a long time,” Arians said, via Greg Auman of The Athletic. “We all make mistakes. He’s made his. I’ve made mine. I feel like I’ve got a great feel for him, his excitement for the game. His willingness to work is unbelievable. He’s in the office at 5 o’clock in the morning. I have no qualms about that. There’s no doubt. The whole thing is going to be built around him. I think he can win it all. I mean, he has the intelligence, the toughness, and obviously the arm, ability to lead a team. We have to put the right pieces around him.”

Arians has had success with a variety of quarterbacks with a variety of teams over the years and getting more out of Winston would be the best way to make his tenure in Tampa a winning one.

 
Bruce Arians And Jameis Winston: A Match Made In Heaven by Chase Stuart

Chase's argument: Arians & Winston both thrive at the downfield passing game, and so Winston has a good chance of developing into the next Carson Palmer.
He is the ideal Arians QB. Big and strong to take the hits that come with the 5/7 step drops, big arm and is very willing to chuck the ball down field regularly. I love the synergy of Arians and the Bucs passing offense. My only concern is that the TE usage. Arians has to show that he can use OJ Howard. 

 
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He is the ideal Arians QB. Big and strong to take the hits that come with the 5/7 step drops, big arm and is very willing to chuck the ball down field regularly. I love the synergy of Arians and the Bucs passing offense. My only concern is that the TE usage. Arians has to show that he can use OJ Howard. 
He wasn't known as a coordinator who used the RB out of the backfield either.  Until he had David Johnson. 

 
Speaking Thursday, new Bucs coach Bruce Arians said Jameis Winston just needs to be a "little bit smarter."

"No pressure. No pressure whatsoever," Arians said of his expectations for his new quarterback. "I want him to relax and play the game. Talent is no issue. It’s just becoming a little bit smarter." It's a fair appraisal of Winston's to-date skill-set. Arians made it clear in so many words he would only come out of "retirement" for the right quarterback situation. He didn't get the Browns/Baker Mayfield job, but he must be comfortable with 25-year-old Winston. Winston's down-field mindset certainly jibes with Arians'. He simply must cut down on his turnovers. It's going to be a tricky needle to thread.

Source: Rick Stroud on Twitter 

Jan 10 - 4:56 PM

 
Tool said:
Yeah I dunno, still have a hard time believing in Winston. 
He needs to be more consistent early in the season. 2017 and 2018 he’s been pretty great down the stretch when the games no longer mattered. 

If he can cut down the turnover rate and the new look defense can get some stops/turnovers this is a playoff team. 

Fans of NFC South opponents did not like this hire. 

I think Tampa Bay finally has a competent coaching staff. 

 
As a Winston owner I’m ecstatic over this hire.  Anyone hear how Winston is doing in controlling his drinking problem?  Staying on the straight & narrow?

 
As a Winston owner I’m ecstatic over this hire.  Anyone hear how Winston is doing in controlling his drinking problem?  Staying on the straight & narrow?
I haven't seen any stories about him being out on the town in Tampa or anything.  Supposedly he was absolutely smashed when the Uber drive incident happened, but that was back in 2016. 

I'm looking forward to seeing what, if anything, changes with Jameis because of Bruce.  The only thing holding Winston back are the interceptions.  Arians runs a similar offense to  Koetter's.  The big difference for the team as a whole will likely be on the other side of the ball in all honesty.

 
Grahamburn said:
I haven't seen any stories about him being out on the town in Tampa or anything.  Supposedly he was absolutely smashed when the Uber drive incident happened, but that was back in 2016. 

I'm looking forward to seeing what, if anything, changes with Jameis because of Bruce.  The only thing holding Winston back are the interceptions.  Arians runs a similar offense to  Koetter's.  The big difference for the team as a whole will likely be on the other side of the ball in all honesty.
Very  :goodposting:

 
The first time I saw Winston play it was his frosh season at FSU, the guy was incredible. I had never seen a better performance by any college QB. 

I do think he can come on, he just has too much talent.

 
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New Bucs coach Bruce Arians believes "so much" of Jameis Winston's issues with turnovers are "mechanical."

"Clyde [Christensen] has watched every throw he’s made since his rookie year and Byron [Leftwich], too," Arians said. "And it’s like you’re trying to look safeties off too long and your feet are crossed. So much of it is mechanical." Arians also blamed the organization for consistently putting Winston in bad situations. "Anybody down 21 is going to throw a pick or two and he’s down 21 a bunch." Whether or not Arians can develop Winston into a consistent, reliable starter will define his tenure in Tampa Bay.

Source: Tampa Bay Times

 Feb 11 - 11:49 AM
 
Jameis Winston hopes to play at 250 pounds this season.

That's 19 pounds heavier than his listed weight of 231. Winston's physique has been a recurring thread throughout his career. The former Heisman Trophy winner has previously made efforts to slim down but this year he's putting an emphasis on muscle to improve his durability. "I’m going to play bigger this year," said Winston in an interview at coach Bruce Arians' charity golf tournament in Arizona. "A solid 250. It’s just about hydration and being at the peak body, too." Heading into the final year of his current deal, Winston will have plenty to prove in 2019.

SOURCE: Tampa Bay Times

Mar 24, 2019, 6:50 AM

 
FMIA Guest: PFF On How Data Is Changing NFL’s Present And Future

Excerpt:

6. We think Jameis Winston will challenge for the passing yardage title in 2019. Last year he trailed only Josh Allen in average depth of target. These throws put Winston in a position to do great things at times (he was second among quarterbacks in the percentage of throws we grade as “positive”), as well as bad things (he was 21st in limiting negatively-graded throws). New Bucs head coach Bruce Arians has a track record of succeeding with high-variance quarterbacks like Winston.  In 2015 Carson Palmer had an MVP-caliber season under Arians, posting roughly the same average depth of target as Winston in 2018 and leading the league in percentage of positively-graded throws.  With Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and O.J. Howard a very capable trio of pass catchers, look for Winston to either make good on his 2015 draft position or give the Bucs no other option but to find his replacement the following year.

 
For Winston and Mariota, 2019 Will Be a Make-or-Break Season

Excerpt:

Clyde Christensen’s view on where Jameis Winston is, as a pro, is in part colored by some research he did before getting his hands on his new quarterback in April.

Knowing he had to instill confidence in the 25-year-old former first-rounder, and develop a partnership with him, the Buccaneers’ new quarterbacks coach dived into the numbers on comparable players at the position—highly drafted and thrust into a starting job right away. Christensen found that, while acknowledging Winston had work to do, his issues were hardly outliers among his peers.

One example came with the perceived (and probably real) primary problem in Winston’s game: He threw 58 interceptions over his first four years. Just like Andrew Luck threw 55, Cam Newton threw 54, and Matthew Stafford threw 54 (despite missing 19 games due to injury).

Heck, Peyton Manning—Peyton Manning—threw 81.

“Your first four years, you throw a bunch of interceptions,” Christensen said over his cell just after the Bucs broke for summer last week. “Almost all of them did. [Matt] Ryan had less, but they ran the ball in Atlanta, he went to a little bit better football team. But you look at all the numbers, [Winston] had thrown for fourteen-thousand yards. I just hadn’t seen [the Bucs] on TV and they hadn’t won.

“So I wasn’t aware of it, but his numbers were solid for a guy who missed a couple of games with injury, a couple of games with suspension. His numbers were right up in there with all the others, what we would assess as really good players.”

OK, now here’s the flip side.

If we’re judging the Bucs by their actions, they’re seeing the flaws too. The GM who drafted Winston, Jason Licht, is still there, and Winston hasn’t gotten the second contract that serves as affirmation of a QB’s standing as his franchise’s face. They hired Bruce Arians—whose memoirs were entitled The Quarterback Whisperer—as head coach. Arians hired quarterback gurus Christensen and Byron Leftwich.

More simply put, Tampa emerged from four years with Winston lacking a clear answer whether he’s the right quarterback for the franchise, and the team reconfigured its football operation this year to get that answer. Christensen has no problem conceding the second part of this complicated equation.

“You’re going into your fifth year, you’re not the rookie anymore,” he said. “It’s time. Stuff really should show up now. That fourth and fifth year, the sixth year, is when it should click. Now, you have to put a supporting cast around him, and give him a chance too. That’s a big part of this thing. But you’re a veteran guy now. Dumb interceptions are not OK, bad judgment’s not OK, that stuff is what you’ve been working on for four years, getting the experience.”

What’s really fascinating about this summer subplot in the NFL? The team that drafted a quarterback right after Tampa took Winston in 2015 is going through the exact same thing.

 
Let's run some numbers...

408 completions (5th in NFL)

624 attempts (3rd in NFL)

5358 passing yards (1st in NFL)

36 passing TD's (3rd in NFL)

447.40 fantasy points (2nd in NFL)

The above numbers are the combined stats for Winston & Fitzpatrick last year.  This year, there will be no QB carousel in TB.  Jameis is in the last year of his rookie contract, and he is playing for a new one.  His backup is Blaine Gabbert, who is no threat to supplant him.  TB was one of only 2 teams to produce a WR1 (Evans), WR2 (Humphries), and WR3 (Godwin).  ATL was the other, BTW.  Humphries is gone of course, making Godwin the clear cut WR2 in TB, and he should excel.  OJ Howard and Cameron Brate are 2 very capable TE's who combined for 850/11.  TB did nothing to bolster their running game in the offseason.  And their defense blows.  They gave up 464 points, second only to OAK, with 467.  TB's games were the 3rd highest scoring, trailing only KC and LAR.  TB is in for another year of shootout games, and Winston is the benefactor.  If Winston plays all 16 games, how can he not finish in the top 6, at the least?   

 
Let's run some numbers...

408 completions (5th in NFL)

624 attempts (3rd in NFL)

5358 passing yards (1st in NFL)

36 passing TD's (3rd in NFL)

447.40 fantasy points (2nd in NFL)

The above numbers are the combined stats for Winston & Fitzpatrick last year.  This year, there will be no QB carousel in TB.  Jameis is in the last year of his rookie contract, and he is playing for a new one.  His backup is Blaine Gabbert, who is no threat to supplant him.  TB was one of only 2 teams to produce a WR1 (Evans), WR2 (Humphries), and WR3 (Godwin).  ATL was the other, BTW.  Humphries is gone of course, making Godwin the clear cut WR2 in TB, and he should excel.  OJ Howard and Cameron Brate are 2 very capable TE's who combined for 850/11.  TB did nothing to bolster their running game in the offseason.  And their defense blows.  They gave up 464 points, second only to OAK, with 467.  TB's games were the 3rd highest scoring, trailing only KC and LAR.  TB is in for another year of shootout games, and Winston is the benefactor.  If Winston plays all 16 games, how can he not finish in the top 6, at the least?   
All excellent points and I fully agree, big year coming. That is, If you can handle the up and downs with the interceptions and mistakes, he's a perfect later round QB. Don't know what his ADP is but he should be relatively cheap at auction compared to the likes of Watson and Brees. I do see a lot of games of the type 450/3/3 like last year unless huge improvements have been made in his decision making and accuracy but he has a cannon arm and tons of weapons.

 
All excellent points and I fully agree, big year coming. That is, If you can handle the up and downs with the interceptions and mistakes, he's a perfect later round QB. Don't know what his ADP is but he should be relatively cheap at auction compared to the likes of Watson and Brees. I do see a lot of games of the type 450/3/3 like last year unless huge improvements have been made in his decision making and accuracy but he has a cannon arm and tons of weapons.
Just to be clear, I don't think Winston is a great QB - he is just in a perfect situation - great receiving weapons, no running game, and a crappy defense.  Peyton Manning in his prime could put up 6K yards and 60 TD's... and rush for 5 TD's!  OK, I will dial back the 5 rushing TD's.  Winston can throw all the INT's he wants, as long as he doesn't get yanked.  It will just turn into more passing yardage.  Oh, and let's not forget, Winston can run too.

 
I decided to do some quick research on a team's win-loss record as it pertains to QB fantasy rankings.  I went back 5 years, and only concentrated on the top 6 QB's each year, for a total of 30 QB's.  It's a fairly small sample size, but the results were still surprising.  Of all 30 QB's, only 6 had losing records (20%).  And of those 6, 5 had records of 7-9.  The only QB on a crappy team went 5-11 in 2015, and his name was....  Blake friggin Bortles!

Here's to hoping Winston can make it to 7 wins.

 
Just to be clear, I don't think Winston is a great QB - he is just in a perfect situation - great receiving weapons, no running game, and a crappy defense.  Peyton Manning in his prime could put up 6K yards and 60 TD's... and rush for 5 TD's!  OK, I will dial back the 5 rushing TD's.  Winston can throw all the INT's he wants, as long as he doesn't get yanked.  It will just turn into more passing yardage.  Oh, and let's not forget, Winston can run too.
Like you said, the #2 is Blaine Gabbert, Winston's leash will likely be unlimited this year. Perfect QB for a QBBC.

 
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Like you said, the #2 is Blaine Gabbert, Winston's leash will likely be unlimited this year. Perfect QB for a QBBC.
Agree.  TB has put their chips on Winston for 2019, and he knows it.  Of all NFL QB's this year, he is the most likely to reach 5K, even ahead of... gulp... Mahomes.

 
Agree.  TB has put their chips on Winston for 2019, and he knows it.  Of all NFL QB's this year, he is the most likely to reach 5K, even ahead of... gulp... Mahomes.
I'm putting my money on Matt Ryan to lead the NFL in passing yards. 

4,500 yards and 29 TD's feels like a fair over/under for Winston. No reason he won't be a solid QB1, with top-5 upside.

 
I'm putting my money on Matt Ryan to lead the NFL in passing yards. 

4,500 yards and 29 TD's feels like a fair over/under for Winston. No reason he won't be a solid QB1, with top-5 upside.
I won't argue with you on Matt Ryan, as he was my #2 to reach 5K.  I think both will finish top 5, along with Mahomes, Luck, and Watson.

 
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Bucs coach Bruce Arians said Jameis Winston has shown "consistency" during training camp.

Winston has struggled with consistency since entering the league, regressing each of the last two seasons. He has a clean slate under a new coaching staff and there's hope a change in mechanics can cut down on his turnovers. The Bucs haven't done much to upgrade his supporting cast, but playing in a better scheme gives Winston a chance to rehab his value in a make-or-break 2019.

SOURCE: Carmen Vitali on Twitter

Aug 3, 2019, 9:20 AM ET

 
Jameis Winston said he is focused on improving his decision making.

"Be a game manager when I need to. Be a playmaker when I need to. Check it down when I need to. Cut my losses and throw the ball away when I need to," Winston told NBC Sports' Peter King. "It’s a part of learning the game — understanding a throwaway is okay. If a defense gets you on a play, it’s okay." New coach Bruce Arians and OC Byron Leftwich appear to be happy with Winston's progress -- Arians said he has seen "the light go on" -- but the quarterback has not earned the benefit of the doubt after throwing 58 interceptions in 56 career games. If he can limit those mistakes, however, the Bucs have the firepower for one of the best passing games in the league.

SOURCE: Football Morning in America

Aug 5, 2019, 11:27 AM ET
 
Jameis Winston said he is focused on checking down more this season.

"But sometimes checking that ball down is the simple decision," Winston said. "It’s about moving the chains. It’s about a completion here and a completion there. And that’s how you know the game really slows down is when you’re able to do that." New coach Bruce Arians likes to involve his running backs as pass catchers, while Winston has two pass-catching tight ends at his disposal. The theme of Winston's camp has been improved decision-making. Whether he can actually translate that to the regular season will define the Bucs' 2019.

SOURCE: Tampa Bay Times

Aug 6, 2019, 2:26 PM ET

 

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