Saints name Winston starting QB
The New Orleans Saints will enter their post-Drew Brees era with Jameis Winston as their starter at quarterback.
Winston won the quarterback competition with Taysom Hill and is expected to be named the Saints’ starter for their Sept. 12 season opener against the Green Bay Packers in New Orleans. The decision was confirmed by a person familiar with the situation after being reported by ESPN and the NFL Network. The Saints declined through a spokesman to provide official confirmation.
Hill returns to the all-purpose role that has made him a valuable contributor on offense and special teams. Winston, the former top overall selection in the NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will continue his attempt to revive his career under the tutelage of Coach Sean Payton.
Winston provided some glimpses of promise during the preseason and increasingly appeared to be the clear-cut winner of the quarterback derby. He could bring the downfield passing game back into the Saints’ offense, although he’ll have to avoid the mistakes that marred his Buccaneers tenure.
“Are [people] really surprised that Jameis won the QB competition?” former NFL offensive lineman Damien Woody, an analyst for ESPN, wrote on Twitter.
New Orleans’ game canceled
The Saints canceled their home preseason game set for Saturday against the Cardinals because of the potential for Hurricane Ida to batter Louisiana’s coast with wind as high as 140 mph by Sunday.
After initially moving kickoff up by seven hours, the Saints announced the subsequent decision Friday night to cancel the game came after consultation with city officials in New Orleans, Gov. John Bel Edwards, the National Weather Service, The Department of Homeland Security and the NFL.
Ida struck Cuba on Friday showing hallmarks of a rapidly intensifying storm that could speed across warm Gulf waters and slam into Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane on Sunday, the National Hurricane Center warned.
Dallas’ Quinn still out as outbreak slows
Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn stayed away from practice with the Dallas Cowboys again Friday while safety Malik Hooker returned in the first sign that the team’s COVID-19 outbreak could be easing.
Quinn tested positive for the disease after feeling “a little off ” before last weekend’s 20-14 preseason loss to Houston and was sent home from the stadium along with defensive tackle Carlos Watkins.
Watkins remained out for health and safety protocols Friday along with receiver CeeDee Lamb, safety Damontae Kazee and left guard Connor Williams. Rookie safety Israel Mukuamu also was sidelined but has since returned.
Quinn, who is vaccinated, declined to tell reporters Thursday where he was in the process of returning.