The beginning of the post-Drew Brees era didn't go according to plan for the New Orleans Saints. Due to injuries, ineffective performances, and COVID-19 headaches, the team played four quarterbacks in 17 games this past season. Their preseason starter, Jameis Winston, suffered a season-ending torn ACL in early November, thus the quarterback scramble ensued.
At the moment, the Saints' quarterback plan for the 2022 campaign remains unknown. Their search for a starter could go in several different directions -- look internally, scour the NFL trade market, or pursue in the upcoming draft. New Orleans isn't short on options, so, who will play under center next year? The answer seems to be Winston, according to Larry Holder of The Athletic.
"I don't want to say 100-percent [chance], but I don't want to undersell it. I'd say 90-percent," Holder told The Zach Gelb Show on Wednesday. "I just think it makes the most sense for both sides -- especially that Pete Carmichael is going to stay as offensive coordinator. The system's the same... I think Jameis also feels a bit of loyalty to the Saints. Teams are going to be looking for a QB. He's a free agent. And I think there's a sense of loyalty for him.
"Do the Saints want to go long-term, break the bank? That's probably not the best route they would take... I do think it makes the most sense -- of any of this quarterback carousel we're talking about here -- for Jameis to stay with the Saints. Not to say that the Saints won't explore other options, but I think that makes the most sense of anything around the league, really."
Winston, the first overall pick in the 2015 draft, has played the past two years with the Saints. In 2021, the 28-year-old completed 59-percent of his passes for 1,170 yards with 14 touchdowns, just three interceptions, and a career-high 102.8 passer rating. If the franchise picks him, they'll need to come to terms on a new contract -- Winston becomes an unrestricted free agent this March.
Dennis Allen, who spent the past seven seasons as New Orleans' defensive coordinator, will have his hands full as the successor to Payton. According to Spotrac, the Saints are projected to be $76 million over the cap in 2022 -- the worst mark in the NFL -- and in 2021, they were the only offense that failed to produce a single 300-yard passing game.
The entire Saints conversation between Holder and Gelb can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow The Zach Gelb Show on Twitter @ZachGelb and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.