Jameis Winston says he was thinking more about opportunity than his bank account when he signed with the New Orleans Saints, and the contract he agreed to is proof of that.
Winston officially signed his one-year deal with the Saints on Tuesday. ESPN’s Field Yates has shared some of the details of the contract, and let’s just say it is not difficult to believe Winston could have gotten more money from another team. The deal is worth just $1.1 million in base value with about $2 million more in incentives.
Jameis Winston’s one-year contract with the Saints carries a base value of $1.1M, per source. He got a $148,000 signing bonus, a base salary of $952,000 and $3.4M is available in incentives. Jameis prioritized the chance to learn and grow as a player.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 29, 2020
Winston has been a starter throughout his entire career. While his NFL-worst 30 interceptions last season clearly hurt his stock, you would think a team would at least be willing to pay Jameis like one of the top backups in the league. For comparison, Case Keenum signed a three-year, $18 million deal with the Cleveland Browns this offseason. Marcus Mariota, who was drafted second overall the same year Winston was taken first, signed a two-year, $17.6 million contract with the Oakland Raiders that includes $7.5 million guaranteed.
You have to admire Winston’s rationale for choosing the Saints. His hope is that he will be able to revive his career the way Teddy Bridgewater did last year, and Winston is gambling on himself in an attempt to make that happen.
