Saints OC: Jameis Winston smart, sharp, asking the right questions

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Jameis Winston hasn’t had a chance to work with the Saints on the field this offseason, but the quarterback has found a way to make a positive impression on offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael.

Carmichael had a conference call with reporters on Tuesday and many of the questions dealt with the members of the team’s quarterback room. The nature of those questions varied whether they were about Drew Brees, Taysom Hill or Winston with queries concerning Winston having a lot to do with whether Carmichael thinks the team can fix the turnover issues that left Winston to take a backup job this offseason.

Carmichael said he thinks “we can make improvements” once they get on the field and part of the reason for that is because of how engaged Winston has been in the team’s remote work over the last few months.

“I think he’s a talented football player and he’s done a lot of great things in this league already and we’re excited to have him,” Carmichael said. “Just in these meetings that we’ve been having with these virtual meetings, the one thing that stands out to me right away is that he’s sharp, he’s smart, he has asked the right questions. And so he has that experience and he’s got the ability, you see him throw the ball down field, he’s got excellent arm strength. So there’s a lot to be excited about and we’re looking forward to working with him.”

The Saints plan to dial back some of Brees’ reps in practice in order to provide ample rest while also making sure that Hill and Winston get work with the first team. Doing well in any chances with the starters would help Winston’s chances of moving back up the depth chart in the future.