Jameis Winston will start at QB vs. Chargers and play the full first half

HC Dennis Allen announces Jameis Winston will start and play first half vs Chargers. This may mean Derek Carr is done for the preseason | @southexclusives

New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen shared with team reporter Erin Summers that Jameis Winston will be getting the start at quarterback in their second preseason game with the Los Angeles Chargers. After a strong showing on the first drive of the first preseason game and a heavy workload in two days of joint practices with the Chargers, this may indicate we won’t see Derek Carr for the rest of the preseason.

The Saints have another pair of joint practices with the Houston Texans next week, so a repeat of this week’s approach is likely. Carr gets multiple reps against an opponent’s first-team defense in practice and makes the game itself less necessary. It’s a smart approach.

Winston will most likely get the full first half to himself before passing it off to Jake Haener. Another wrinkle, per Summers’ report: both quarterbacks will be receiving play calls from passing game coordinator Ronald Curry. Pete Carmichael will be the gameday play caller in the regular season. The Saints like Curry and he seems to have a bright future in the NFL. The preseason is the perfect opportunity for him to develop his craft in a very low-risk situation that mimics a regular season game. This could come in handy this season in a pinch or in the future for Curry.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]