Jameis Winston enters free agency after posting one of the more confusing seasons to evaluate in recent memory. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ signal-caller recorded the first-ever 30 touchdown, 30 interception season while throwing at least 5,000 yards.
Winston’s talent from a pure-passer standpoint is quite obvious, dating back to his days at Florida State. However, he often becomes careless when going through his progressions and that’s what hurts his accuracy more frequently than not.
His relentless contribution to let it rip downfield is why he’s an intriguing option under center, but 30 interceptions last season is the main denominator that holds him back from commanding top dollar on the open market.
One team that should kick the tires on Winston as their next quarterback is the Chicago Bears. Since Matt Nagy arrived in Chicago, he’s been handed Mitchell Trubisky as his quarterback and his offensive play calling has been capped due to Trubisky’s capabilities.
It’s no secret, the jury is out on Trubisky. Meanwhile, Winston isn’t the end all be all, but he at the very least would allow Nagy to draw up explosive-type plays with an improved chance of sparking the offense compared to what occurred last season.
The Bears’ defense is already among one of the better units in the league and their skill positions are decent enough to move the ball effectively. Despite a limited quarterback, the Bears still won eight games last season. If you insert Winston into the equation with Allen Robinson, Jimmy Graham, Trey Burton, Anthony Miller, and David Montgomery, a young nucleus is created with many years to grow as a collective group.
Winston’s market is likely to demand a contract along the lines of $25 million annually. Currently, the Bears don’t have that kind of cap space, so trading off pieces to get themselves around that threshold could come to fruition in the coming days or weeks.
Ultimately, the Bears need an upgrade at quarterback and Winston would serve that purpose without exposing them financially.
