The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2019 season was all about quarterback Jameis Winston, and whether or not the former No. 1 overall pick could keep the starting job beyond this season.
Entering the year, Winston had failed to lead the Buccaneers to a postseason appearance since taking over as starter in 2015, and had logged just one winning season in that stretch. But, with a new head coach in Bruce Arians, many felt that Winston would finally turn the corner in 2019.
And, while the quarterback ended up throwing for over 5,000 yards, becoming just the eighth player in NFL history to do so, he also had 30 interceptions on the season.
Now, the Bucs franchise must decide whether or not to bring Winston back in 2020. Head coach Bruce Arians has said the team will evaluate the quarterback in the coming weeks, but that an announcement isn’t imminent. Still, as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times pointed out yesterday, there’s one free agent quarterback that could be an option for the Bucs, especially when you consider how Bruce Arians feels about him.
That quarterback is New Orleans Saints backup Teddy Bridgewater, who filled in admirably for an injured Drew Brees earlier in the year. Bridgewater downed the Bucs back in Week 5 by throwing for 314 yards and four touchdowns.
After the game, Arians had this to say about Bridgewater:
“I’ve always loved Teddy. He’s a good, solid player and should be a starter in this league.”
Bridgewater may not have the arm strength that Winston does, which could limit the amount of downfield plays the Bucs could run with him under center. But, he protects the football, which is a trade off the Bucs might be more than willing to accept given how Winston played this year.
There’s no guarantee that Bridgewater will leave New Orleans, however. With Brees set to turn 41 in less than two weeks, the Saints need to start planning for the post-Brees era, which could very well include Bridgewater.
Still, the Bucs will leave no stone unturned as they look to figure out their own quarterback situation.
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