Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston Primed For Huge Sophomore Year
By Ryan Disdier
Jameis Winston is the most important player on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he’s in line for a huge second season.
When Jameis Winston entered the league, I had more than my fair share of reservations. I didn’t think he was going to come in and succeed as a rookie, and I didn’t think he was going to give Tampa Bay the franchise quarterback it has lacked since forever.
I pointed to his immaturity, as well as his 18 interceptions in his final year in college. Perhaps I was biased against Winston, as I — a Miami Hurricanes fan — found it tough to believe an ex-Florida State Seminole quarterback could survive in the NFL after seeing Christian Ponder and E.J. Manuel fail before him.
More from Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- 2023 NFL Season: NFC South shaping up to be an exciting division
- 2023 NFL Season: 3 teams who are already doomed
- Ranking the 5 best NFL uniform changes for the 2023 season
- Baker Mayfield gets big endorsement from Buccaneers teammate
- 2023 NFL Season: 3 major in-season trades that could go down
It just seemed like Winston would be another quarterback whose college spotlight and reputation would be too much to overcome as a pro.
I was dead wrong, and I have zero problem admitting that.
Winston put together a remarkable rookie season, which ended with a trip to the Pro Bowl. He shook off a more-than-shaky debut, in which he tossed four interceptions against the No. 2 pick Marcus Mariota‘s Titans.
Related Story: 30 Greatest Quarterbacks of All-Time
The ex-Seminole ended his first year in the league with 22 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, 4,042 yards and a quarterback rating of 84.2. Winston also added 213 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
Winston improved on a weekly basis, showing the world why he was selected with the first overall pick in the draft.
He put his impressive passing ability on display, making pin-point accurate passes. Winston also flashed his physical running style, refusing denial on more than one occasion.
What a lot of people didn’t expect, however, was the way Winston’s football IQ would translate to the professional level.
For starters, Winston’s attitude actually proved to be a huge positive during his rookie year, which I certainly didn’t see coming. The player who could have easily been labeled cocky and immature during his FSU days didn’t even think he was worthy of being named a top 100 player for 2016.
I think that’s what’s the most impressive facet of Winston’s game. He came in as a rookie, undertook a leadership role and proved to his teammates he was for real. He used his infectious personality and charisma to become a vocal presence in his first year in the league.
The great thing for Winston is the fact that he has an abundance of weapons at his disposal. He can show off his own talents by slinging the rock to Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson and Austin Seferian-Jenkins. He has the talent around him. But make no mistake about it; this is Winston’s team.
There’s really no reason to think Winston won’t have a great 2016. He has every tool a team looks for in an upper-echelon quarterback. Yes, he’s young. And yes, he still has a penchant for making mistakes. But that’s just a part of his game, and it’s gotten him pretty far as it is.
Winston also has the resounding approval of the team’s defensive anchor, Gerald McCoy.
“I love Jameis, man,” McCoy said, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. “He’s like my brother. I referred to him as the face of the franchise, because he is. When they show commercials of the Bucs, they’re not showing Gerald. They’re showing Jameis. That’s for a reason, and I’m happy about that. If your quarterback is the face of your franchise, usually that tags to winning or going in a positive direction. I’m excited about it.”
McCoy’s sentiments are abundantly true. Winston is the face of this franchise, and it’s easy to see why.
When you break it down and put Winston’s superstar aura aside, you begin to realize exactly what he is. He’s the first franchise quarterback the Buccaneers have ever had, and he’s a damn good one at that.
In 2016, expect Winston to continue to develop and establish himself as a top-15 quarterback in the league by season’s end.