Saints' Sean Payton makes 'easy' assessment of Jameis Winston after first year: 'We have a big interest'

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The quarterback situation in New Orleans is still up in the air after many say Drew Brees has played his final season with the Saints -- but what isn’t in question is Sean Payton’s interest in backup quarterback Jameis Winston.

Payton raved about Winston during an appearance on the NFL Network's Good Morning Football on Wednesday, adding that the Saints have "a big interest" in him after his first season. 

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"We had a great exposure for one year with Jameis Winston," he said. "We didn't have a normal offseason, but we had enough time to see what we had with him as a player, as a leader, as an athlete. I really like what we had a chance to see. He was a tremendous leader for this team, and that's hard to do when you come in new in free agency your first year as a backup quarterback. So that'll be an important checkmark for us."

Winston signed a one-year contract with the Saints in April 2020 but Payton said that the organization is interested in developing him and Taysom Hill. 

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"A lot of times you want to hold your cards closer to the vest, and he is a free agent, but him along with Taysom Hill, who's in the building, we've said it all along, we're going to develop and coach those guys. Jameis is one of those guys that we have a big interest in," he said.

A Heisman Trophy winner, Winston was drafted No. 1 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015. He finished his rookie season with 4,042 passing yards and made franchise rookie records in pass attempts, pass completions and passing touchdowns. 

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In his final season with the Bucs, Winston threw for 5,109 passing yards and 33 touchdowns, but he turned the ball over a total of 35 times (30 interceptions and five lost fumbles). Tampa Bay moved on from Winston, and now they’re headed to Super Bowl LV with Tom Brady.