Like this: We’re football coaches. It’s our job to get done whatever they put in front of us and if they want us to play on Sept. 3 in the Walmart parking lot, then we’ve got to find a way to get that done.” For now, the NCAA remains in a holding pattern.
threw a career-high 33 touchdowns. But he also led the league with 30 interceptions while losing five fumbles. That resulted in 112 points off turnovers, the most in the league.
No terms of the contract were announced. Winston said his decision was not financial, but about improving as a quarterback to secure his future in the league.
“Just understanding where I’m at in my career,” said Winston, when asked why he chose New Orleans knowing he couldn’t compete for the starting job with Brees. “I’ve done some great things with the Bucs. I’m going to miss being a starting quarterback. But you never know what happens. I think this is just a great and unique step to join Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints and learn from him. Learn from one of the best to ever do it and make a great transition in my career.
“There’s a proverb: ‘Humility comes before honor.’ So I have to humble myself and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be with Drew Brees and be with the
New Orleans Saints and just prepare. Just prepare for when my next opportunity is going to present itself.”
The Bucs signed Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to a two-year, $50 million contract. Winston, meanwhile, said he has just been preparing for the season and wondering when his next opportunity would come.
“I wasn’t waiting. I was preparing,” he said. “And I love how you define patience. Because a lot of people, especially our Christian brothers and sisters, they’re big fans of ‘let go and let God.’ Not only do you got to let go, but if you’re going to let go, God needs to see your actions. He needs to see your faithful steps. So I’ve just been preparing, I’ve been in the weight room. I’ve been on the football field throwing. I actually teamed up with some of my old ‘Noles, Kenny Shaw and Rashad Greene a couple weekends ago and just been preparing for this opportunity.
“It’s been a very humbling experience. But God always wins. He always has that last move, so I’m blessed to be in New Orleans now.”
Winston sounded excited to join his new team.
“Now I’m officially a New Orleans Saint,” Winston said
“Who dat, who dat, who dat all the way! Yessir. At least I don’t got the garnet, but I got the gold all the way.” sure is, but I think that’s a collective thing whether it’s the call, whether it’s the group in terms of making sure the setup is right. Very seldom is it a oneperson show. That’s not how we’re set up. He’s just got to keep working hard and keep grinding.”
With Harris gone, DeVante Parker is the only one of the team’s six firstrounders from 2013 to
2018 to make it to a second contract with the Dolphins. Dion Jordan was cut, Ja’Wuan James left for Denver in free agency, and Laremy Tunsil and Minkah Fitzpatrick were traded.
The Dolphins are flush with edge defenders after free agency and the draft, and so Harris and Taco Charlton, who was cut Thursday, were the odd men out. Among the new additions are Shaq Lawson, Emmanuel Ogbah, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jason Strowbridge and Curtis Weaver.
The trade continues to add to the Dolphins’ already large cache of 2021 draft picks, with 10 total picks and two in the first and second rounds. They acquired an additional sixth-rounder last week in a trade with the Seahawks.
The trade also clears another $1.9 million in salary cap space, bringing the Dolphins roughly $24 million under the 2020 cap. About half of that will be needed to sign their rookie class.