Dennis Allen reveals Jameis Winston will participate in team drills during training camp
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston may be back on the field sooner than expected. The former Florida State standout and No. 1 overall pick in 2015 tore his ACL and suffered damage to his MCL during Week 8 last season. Winston participated in OTAs with the Saints but the timetable for his return was still cloudy.
The latest update on the former Heisman QB came from new Saints head coach Dennis Allen with New Orleans’ training camp opening this week. Per Michael Cauble of WBRZ out of Baton Rouge, Allen says Winston will begin working in team drills during camp.
Jameis Winston has had a successful pair of seasons in New Orleans minus the injury. He played well as Drew Brees’ backup in 2020. He was the starter last season and led the Saints to a 5-2 record in his seven games. Winston threw for 1,170 yards with a 14 touchdowns before his surgery cut his year short.
While this is a positive step for Winston, the franchise will be cautious with him as their projected QB1 over names like Taysom Hill and Andy Dalton. This will all lead into Jameis Winston hopefully making an earlier debut for New Orleans come the start of the NFL season.
Saints announce Tyrann Mathieu excused from camp due to a family matter
Tyrann Mathieu won’t be reporting to training camp just yet, as the New Orleans Saints revealed on Tuesday that the former LSU star will be excused from participation as he deals with a family matter at the moment.
“Saints announce 6 roster moves,” tweeted the franchise. “The Saints also announced that S Tyrann Mathieu has been excused from the beginning of training camp to handle a personal family matter.”
While the extent of the family matter or the length of Mathieu’s absence wasn’t revealed, the football world is hoping for the best for the star defensive back and his family.
Continuing, Mathieu signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Saints. While it isn’t the biggest contract of his career, he’s still averaging a top-15 salary amongst safeties.
The almost-30-year-old is coming off of a strong year for the aforementioned Chiefs. He made 76 total tackles, three interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and a sack. He led the defense in tackles and interceptions. As a captain, he helped lead Kansas City to the AFC championship game – where they lost to the Cincinnati Bengals.
At this stage of his career, Tyrann Mathieu has done a ton of winning, proving his mettle at every stop during his football career. Back home in Louisiana with the Saints, 2022 will be a special season for the former LSU star.