Saints Likely To Face Former Starting Quarterbacks Later This Season

Is it possible that Dennis Allen may need to beat two former Saints quarterbacks down the stretch of this season to save his own job?

Nov 20, 2022; New Orleans Saints quarterbacks Jameis Winston (2) and Andy Dalton (14) / Chuck Cook-Imagn Images

Life in the NFL is full of humorously ironic twists. For the New Orleans Saints, one twist may be the fact that they could face two of their recent starting quarterbacks down a crucial stretch of this season.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson went down in yesterday's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Watson suffered an Achilles injury, which will sideline him for the rest of the season.

Second-year QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson initially replaced Watson. He too, was knocked out of the game. Enter former New Orleans Saints QB Jameis Winston, who was surprisingly demoted to third-string behind Thompson-Robinson during the week.

Winston completed five of 11 passes for 67 yards and a late touchdown against the Bengals in a 21-14 loss. Thompson-Robinson had x-rays on his injured hand after the game. Initial reports are that he didn't sustain any broken bones. However, his status for Cleveland's Week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens will be up in the air.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) throws a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Cleveland, currently 1-6, may start the veteran Winston regardless of Thompson-Robinson's status. The Browns travel to New Orleans in Week 11 on November 17. In his first year with Cleveland, Winston spent his last four seasons with the Saints.

The first overall choice in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Winston signed with New Orleans as a free agent in 2020. He was initially the replacement for the retired Drew Brees in 2021 before a knee injury knocked him out for the year.

Winston returned as starter in 2021. However, foot and back injuries knocked him out of the lineup again. Once medically cleared, new Saints coach Dennis Allen elected to keep Winston as the backup for the rest of that season. He'd return as the backup the following year, this time to newly signed Derek Carr, where he'd appear in a few games when Carr was injured.

In four years with the Saints, Winston completed 59.9% of his throws for 2,367 yards with 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His last game appearance with New Orleans was during a 2023-24 season-ending rout of the Falcons. On the team's final offensive play, Winston and the offense went against Allen's instructions to kneel and run out the clock, instead handing the ball to RB Jamaal Williams for a touchdown in a 48-17 win.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (14) drops back to pass against the Atlanta Falcons / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers are already starting a recent New Orleans signal caller. In Week 3, Carolina benched 2023 first overall choice Bryce Young in favor of 14-year veteran Andy Dalton. Since replacing Young, Dalton has completed 66% of his throws for 989 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions in five games.

Dalton is in his second year with Carolina. Prior to that, he'd spent the 2022 campaign with the New Orleans Saints. He joined the Saints that offseason after spending his previous 11 years with Cincinnati, Dallas, and Chicago.

The addition of Dalton was meant to provide an experienced backup option to Jameis Winston. That changed drastically after the third week, when Winston was sidelined with back and foot issues.

Even when Winston was reportedly healthy enough to return to the lineup, Allen left Dalton as his starter. Over 14 games, Dalton completed 66.7% of his passes for 2,871 yards with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Dec 17, 2023; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) is congratulated by quarterback Jameis Winston (2) after a touchdown / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Saints play at Carolina next Sunday in Week 9 on November 3. It's a rematch of teams bringing up the rear of both the NFC South and the entire conference. Currently at 2-5, the Saints try to break a five-game losing streak when they take on the Los Angeles Chargers on the road this Sunday.

Since Drew Brees retired at the conclusion of the 2020 season, the Saints have started seven different quarterbacks. Only the Cleveland Browns (nine) have started more over that stretch, with Winston possibly extending it.

Derek Carr, Jameis Winston, and Andy Dalton are among five different quarterbacks (four starters) used by Dennis Allen in his 41 games as New Orleans head coach.

Now under intense scrutiny because of poor performance, how ironic would it be if the Saints fired Allen after this season because of losses to former quarterbacks Dalton and Winston? Such is life in the humorous and ironic world of the NFL.