Several Jameis Winston defenders have come at me this season for pointing out the obvious, which is that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be better off parting ways with the quarterback at the end of the season and going in a different direction.
It’s no secret that the former Heisman Trophy winner’s tenure in Tampa Bay has been marred by inconsistent play and a very public scandal involving an Uber driver, an incident which ultimately resulted in the league handing Winston a three-game suspension prior to the 2018 season.
After the team hired quarterback guru Bruce Arians this past offseason, it was clear the organization was giving Winston one more chance to prove himself in the fifth and final year of his rookie contract.
But at 4-7 and with Winston leading the league in interceptions with 20 through 11 games, the team needs to think about the long-term plan. They have a proven head coach in Arians and the best receiving duo in the game in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, so it’s imperative the Bucs find a way to turn things around sooner rather than later.
Should they land a high draft pick, the 2020 NFL Draft could be the perfect spot to find a quarterback. Guys like Tua Tagovailoa (should he declare), Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow are sure to be the biggest names on the draft board come next year, but there could be one quarterback we are overlooking: Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts.
Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times gave a list earlier this month of five college prospects worth scouting for the Bucs, and along with Oregon quarterback Herbert, Stroud had Hurts on the list.
Here’s what he had to say:
“He could go midway in the first round where the Bucs are most likely to pick. Again, if Winston moves on, no reason Hurts couldn’t do what Kyler Murray is doing for the Cardinals. Proven winner but would have to change the offense.”
Comparing Hurts to Murray may be a stretch, but there’s no denying that Hurts has evolved as a passer in Lincoln Riley’s system at OU. The chart below, courtesy of Sports Reference, shows the leap Hurts has made this year.
Remember, Hurts played a supporting role in 2018 when he served as Tagovailoa’s backup.
Hurts has the ability to be a dual-threat quarterback in the NFL, and spending a year under Riley will certainly go a long way in convincing NFL scouts that he can play at the next level. I mean, after all, Oklahoma has produced the last two number one picks in the NFL draft in both Murray and Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Plus, can you imagine teams having to account for Hurts’ ability to run the ball on top of trying to defend Evans and Godwin? It would open this offense up even more.
Again, it’s all speculation at this point, but you have to imagine the Bucs will leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding a new franchise quarterback.
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