BREAKING: Jameis Winston signs two-year deal to remain in New Orleans

The options have dried up over the last few days and Winston will remain with the Saints.

It has been nearly a week since free agency began in the NFL. During that time, there have been a series of blockbuster moves and signings that have the league looking a lot different heading into 2022. 

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The first few days of free agency were quiet for former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston as starting spots began to fill up around the league. Deshaun Watson was traded to Cleveland, Matt Ryan was traded to Indianapolis, Russell Wilson was traded to Denver, and Carson Wentz was traded to Washington. The Pittsburgh Steelers signed former Buffalo quarterback Mitch Tribusky to a contract last week, likely taking them out of the running for Winston. 

With the options dwindling up, it became clear over the weekend that Winston and the New Orleans Saints would likely reunite. That came true on Monday as Jameis Winston has inked a two-year/$28 million deal to remain with the Saints. $21 million of the contract is guaranteed.

Saints are re-signing Jameis Winston to a two-year, $28M deal ($21M guaranteed), per @TomPelissero and @RapSheet pic.twitter.com/EmLziL387v

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 21, 2022

Though Winston will no longer be playing under the guidance of Sean Payton, who elected to retire earlier this offseason, he has a lot of familiarity with the franchise after spending the last two seasons in New Orleans. New head coach Dennis Allen has been the defensive coordinator for the team since 2021 and he's had the opportunity to keep a close eye on Winston since he originally signed with the Saints in 2020.

The Alabama native took a step forward in his development as a passer this past year. Winston was noticeably better at throwing the ball away and not forcing passes into coverage. In seven games, he completed 59% of his passes for 1170 yards with 14 touchdowns to three interceptions. The Saints went 5-2 with Winston under center and 4-6 without him.

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Despite tearing his ACL in late October, Winston has already progressed to cutting laterally, light running, and fieldwork. He has rigorously attacked the rehab process and is ahead of schedule at this point in the spring. There is optimism that Winston will be a full go when training camp rolls around this summer.

With Winston back in the fold, it's imperative for the Saints to add some talent around him. Outside of star running back Alvin Kamara, the franchise's skill players were largely a disappointment in 2021. No receiver on the roster averaged more than 43.8 yards per game a season ago. That's not going to cut it for a team that is looking to make a playoff run.

It would be huge if New Orleans could count on wide receiver Michael Thomas to contribute after injuries plagued him the last two years.

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