Saints QB Jameis Winston says not taking part in ‘hurts my soul’

METAIRIE, La. — New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston stated he did not suppose he would completely lose his beginning job to Andy Dalton after getting injured early within the season.

However the job is Dalton’s for no less than one other week after Saints coach Dennis Allen introduced Wednesday that he would not be making a swap.

Dalton has been the beginning quarterback because the Saints’ recreation in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings in London on Oct. 2. Allen hinted in the beginning of this week that he was contemplating a quarterback change due to offensive struggles for the previous two video games, however he in the end determined in opposition to it.

Winston stated he was beneath the impression that he would ultimately return because the starter after a dialog with Allen in London. Allen stated on the time that he was resting Winston to permit his again and foot accidents to heal, however he determined Dalton can be the starter a couple of weeks later, so long as the offense continued to carry out nicely.

“I misplaced my job as a result of damage and the coverage has all the time been you do not lose your job as a result of damage. And that is what occurred,” Winston stated.

Winston, who injured his again in Week 1 in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons, admitted that he in all probability mustn’t have performed the next week in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers however needed to be on the market. The Bucs not solely drafted him with the primary choose within the 2015 NFL draft, however Winston was additionally taking part in in opposition to them when he tore an ACL final season.

Winston stated that is not the case now, as he feels he is wholesome sufficient to play. Allen stated it was unlikely Winston can be 100% this season, however Winston stated he is been getting higher since he isn’t taking part in.

“I am therapeutic up. I have not been taking part in. That is the perfect therapeutic I can get,” Winston stated.

Winston stated it has been a tough season for him, however he is making an attempt to give attention to being a frontrunner from the sidelines.

“What is going on on proper now’s what I’ve received to take care of proper now and give attention to proper now. I am going to deal with what is going on on proper now, and when that point comes for me to ultimately come again on the sector, which hopefully it should, I’ll assist Andy, I’ll assist this offense, I’ll assist everybody on this offensive workers the perfect I probably can, and that is it,” Winston stated. “As a result of, like I stated, I put on that shirt that claims, ‘Massive group, little me,’ regardless that it hurts my coronary heart. It hurts my soul the way in which issues have turned out to be this 12 months, however it’s what it’s.”

He added: “I owe it to this group to be within the position that I am proper now, to this offense, to everybody. I apologize to the followers. I do know a few of them need to see me on the market. However I believe successful makes plenty of issues higher, so we have to go on the market and begin with this week, get a win as a group. Nobody particular person makes a group win. We have to get a group win and I believe we’ll all be higher on the finish of the day.”

Winston is one on an extended listing of gamers who probably won’t be taking part in in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Saints veteran defensive finish Cameron Jordan, who has by no means missed a recreation due to damage in his 12-year profession (he missed his first recreation final 12 months in opposition to the New York Jets due to the COVID-19 protocol), will sit this recreation with an eye fixed damage.

Jordan stated that he performed most of final week’s recreation in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers with considered one of his eyes virtually swollen shut.

“Maaaan unreal. Smh management what you possibly can management,” he posted to his Twitter account on Thursday. Jordan didn’t observe all week after the sport.

The Saints additionally won’t have defensive finish Marcus Davenport, security J.T. Grey, left sort out James Hurst, operating again Mark Ingram II, cornerback Marshon Lattimore and linebacker Pete Werner. Left guard Andrus Peat, who missed final week’s recreation, is questionable.