NFL
Will Jameis Winston Remain The Starting Buccaneers Quarterback After His Suspension?
In the offseason, Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston was suspended by the NFL under the personal conduct policy. This arose from an incident in 2016 where Winston allegedly groped an Uber driver.
There were several conflicting reports over what actually transpired. After the suspension, it was revealed that longtime journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick would be starting for Tampa in Winston’s place. Fitzpatrick has started for many different teams during his career and been a decent player overall.
This weekend was Fitzpatrick’s first start, and he showed out. Fitzpatrick threw for 417 yards and four touchdowns, also adding a rushing touchdown. His performance helped lead the Buccaneers to a 48-40 win over the New Orleans Saints.
In the shootout, Fitzpatrick showed poise and ability to attack a decent Saints defense with short passes and deep bombs. If Fitzpatrick can play this well on a consistent basis, there is some that think that he could take over the Bucs’ starting job.
Winston’s Off-Field Issues
This is something that obviously gives a Fitzpatrick a leg up. Jameis Winston has had many off-field incidents throughout his career in college and the NFL. Everything from the sexual assault allegations that followed him during his time at FSU to the theft of crab legs from a supermarket are all negative reflections on Winston.
This is something the Buccaneers organization has to be getting tired of. Winston has been a distraction for the team often during his career. The Bucs could decide to decline Winston’s option this offseason if they want to go in another direction at QB.
Rumors have continued circulating about the Buccaneers’ ongoing displeasure with Winston being such a distraction. You’d have to think that they’re at least discussing the possibility of not keeping him in Tampa Bay next season.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, has been one of the best players in terms of off-field issues. His record is completely clean. That is a notable factor that has allowed Fitzpatrick to have such a long career. It is also something that would help the complexion of the Buccaneers’ locker room.
If he stays clean during the season, there is a possibility for him to carve out a role with the organization going forward. Ryan Fitzpatrick could be kept on to help develop a future rookie or even to take the starting role if his play continues.
Winston’s Play
Winston has not lived up to his billing as a former first overall pick that he is. He’s coming off a season where he threw for 3,504 yards with 19 touchdowns and 11 picks in the 13 games he played. His 11 interceptions on the season was a career-low for Winston.
He combined for 33 interceptions the previous two years. It hasn’t been all bad, though, as he does have two 4,000+ yard seasons under his belt. The real issue has been that Winston hasn’t led the Bucs to a winning record, going 18-27 in 45 starts.
The Buccaneers QB also has a 2.8% career interception rate, which is on par with players such as Blake Bortles. This is not the type of play that teams expect from a franchise quarterback. Another interesting stat is that, in last year’s 13 games, Winston threw a staggering 32 intercept-able passes — the second worst among QBs for all 16 games.
Winston has also been one of the worst deep-ball passers, with only a 26.6% completion rate on deep balls last year. That was the worst in the league last year. Winston’s poor passing numbers are even more puzzling considering his receiving corps, boasting the likes of Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, and other key pieces like Cameron Brate.
Fitzpatrick’s Play
While Fitzpatrick has not been much better over his career, he has shown the ability to be a sold mid-range QB. He would be an ideal bridge QB if the Buccaneers decide to address the position in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Ryan Fitzpatrick has never recorded over 4,000 yards in a season and has only had one 30+ touchdown season. The latter, it should be noted, is still something Winston has yet to accomplish. The journeyman has never been able to stick with one team during his career, mainly due to his inability to avoid turnovers.
Fitzpatrick has had seven double-digit interception seasons in his 12-year career. (Fun fact: Fitzpatrick threw 23 interceptions in 2011 with the Bills.)
So, Does Winston have a Job?
Not to overreact, because it is obviously still very early in the season, but Fitz is coming for the starting job. It may be better for the Bucs, in the long run, to cut bait with Jameis Winston. He is scheduled to make $20 million next season if his fifth-year contract option is picked up.
If Fitzpatrick continues to play well and the Bucs continue to win, there’s no solid reason to give Winston the job. He has shown an inability to win or play well consistently and remains a problem off the field.
As mentioned before, Fitzpatrick would also be an ideal QB to develop a younger prospect. It remains to be seen what Tampa will do when Winston comes off of his suspension or who the Buccaneers QB will be this season.
Photo Credit: Keith Allison via Flickr
Follow Ben Glassmire on Twitter: @brglass10
