POLL: Grade the Jameis Winston signing

It’s been a long time coming, but it’s time to share your thoughts on the Jameis Winston signing.

The New Orleans Saints now have their quarterback set for the 2022 season after re-signing Jameis Winston on a two-year deal after previously missing out on Deshaun Watson. We’ve covered what this means for the 2022 Saints on the field and what the current quarterback room looks like in New Orleans, but now it’s time for you to weigh in.

Winston’s two-year contract is technically a five-year deal, as it contains three ghost years following two years of active play. For 2022, Winston makes a $1.2 million dollar base salary that increases to $12.8 million in 2023. A $14 million dollar signing bonus is spread out over the five years, meaning Winston is set to count $4 million total against the 2022 cap ($1.2 million base plus $2.8 million signing bonus) and $15.6 million in 2023. Only a little less than $6 million of Winston’s 2023 salary is fully guaranteed, though, with the rest hitting the cap on the third day of the league year in 2023. Of note, Winston can also earn an additional $8 million per year in 2022 and 2023 in incentives.

The deal obviously provides the Saints with a ton of flexibility. It gives the team a quarterback for both this season and next, without counting too much against the cap this year to still allow for additional moves to improve the team. The contract is also high enough to compensate Winston for his performance in limited action in 2021 while also not being so high to prohibit the Saints from drafting a quarterback early in this year’s (or next year’s) draft.

But what is your take on the Winston contract? Grade the signing in the poll. Explain in the comments. Send me presents.