The Chicago Bears will make a move at quarterback this offseason, whether it’s in free agency, the NFL draft, or via trade. And while most of the attention on the quarterback decision has focused on trade speculation, former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston remains a high-upside option.
The Bears just have to hope he actually hits free agency.
According to ESPN’s Diana Russini, it doesn’t look like Winston will get out of New Orleans.
It's no secret in New Orleans they like Jameis Winston and want to bring him back. The two sides are working on getting a deal done, per sources. This would not mean Winston is the starter if it gets done, it was explained to me, this will be a quarterback competition at camp.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 15, 2021
As Russini points out, the Saints want to bring Winston back in the wake of Drew Brees’ retirement, but does Winston want to enter a quarterback competition with Taysom Hill, who is a well-documented favorite of coach Sean Payton?
If Winston’s goal for 2021 is to be on a team where the starting job is his and only his, the Bears would make more sense. And while Winston is certainly a risky target for GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy, the upside his arm offers is far greater than anything Mitch Trubisky accomplished and anything Nick Foles is capable of.
For now, Winston can negotiate with other teams starting Monday afternoon. If the Saints don’t re-sign him by then, and the Bears don’t have a trade locked up for Russell Wilson, all bets are off.
