The New Orleans Saints brought back quarterback Jameis Winston after missing an opportunity to chase Deshawn Watson.
Winston and the Saints have agreed to a two-year contract with a base value of $28 million, including a guaranteed $21 million, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday.
The Saints were one of four teams vying for the acquisition of Watson, who was eventually traded to the Cleveland Browns.
Winston, 28, went 5-2 in his first year with the Saints last season, but on October 31, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The former No. 1 overall NFL Draft and Heisman Trophy winner posted a career-high 102.8 passer rating with the Saints last season, throwing 95 of 161 passes (59%) for 1,170 yards and 14 touchdowns with three interceptions. He also rushed for 166 yards, scored one touchdown and lost one fumble.
Although Winston only averaged 186 passing yards in his six full games, he still showed his big game ability, completing 49-plus yards of passing four times. And he proved he could overcome the turnover problems that plagued him during his first five NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Winston went 28-42 as a starter with the Buccaneers, completing 61.3% of his passes for 19,737 yards and 131 touchdowns, including 10 rushes. He also had 88 interceptions and 23 fumble losses.
He has had some dynamic ups and downs during his tenure with the Bucks, most notably in 2019 when he led the league with 5,109 passing yards and also became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw at least 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a single season. . (33 TD and 30 INT).
When Tampa Bay decided to move to Tom Brady in 2020, Winston joined the Saints as a stand-in to try to revive his career under then-coach Sean Payton and starter Drew Brees. Winston signed a one-year contract worth just $1.1 million, plus benefits, because he said he wanted a “Harvard Quarterback School education.”
Winston signed another one-year deal with the Saints ahead of the 2021 season, which included $5.5 million in guarantees and up to $7 million in incentives following Brees’ retirement. He beat Tysome Hill to become a starter in the preseason, and was repeatedly praised by Payton for both his hand strength and his leadership qualities.
Mike Triplett of ESPN contributed to this report.