The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have always been able to find promising draft picks and turn them into long-lasting professionals. Even those who do not stick around in Tampa Bay very long end up being in the league awhile. It speaks to the talent evaluation of Jason Licht and his staff more than anything.
According to PFF, one former Bucs first-round draft pick has stuck around and even played his way into being a value-free agent for someone.
Jameis Winston was once the first overall pick and the future of the franchise starting in 2015. Since then, his career has taken him to the New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns. In both stops, he showed promise, especially in glimpses during the 2024 season.
That was enough for PFF to name him a value-free agent target and write, “. . .Winston’s 74.6 PFF overall grade in 2024 ranked 24th among 46 qualifying quarterbacks. . .he earned a 69.9 PFF passing grade, which placed him 27th at the position. Even though Winston is not a long-term solution, he is probably still a top-32 quarterback in the NFL.”
Winston is often in the news for his turnovers and quirky off-the-field moments, but his play shouldn’t be ignored. He still has some gunpowder in that cannon arm; someone will use it.