Saints ask Jameis Winston to accept amended contract

The New Orleans Saints have offered quarterback Jameis Winston a restructured deal to stay with the team, sources told ESPN’s Dianna Russini on Friday.

Winston has until Wednesday, the start of the new league year, to accept the offer or he will be released, sources said.

The Saints’ request follows Monday’s signing of former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to a four-year contract. Sources had told ESPN that Carr agreed to a deal that could be worth up to $150 million and includes up to $100 million in guarantees.

Winston signed a two-year deal with the Saints in March 2022 with the expectation that he would likely be the starting quarterback following a 2021 season in which he went 5-2 before suffering a season-ending ACL tear. But Winston injured his foot in the preseason and then fractured his back during the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. He attempted to play the first three games despite his injuries, but coach Dennis Allen made the decision to sit him for the Week 4 game in London against the Minnesota Vikings.

Allen said he made the switch to Andy Dalton so that Winston could heal from his injuries. The Saints never went back to Winston, however, and the quarterback publicly lamented the change later in the season.

“I lost my job due to injury, and the policy has always been you don’t lose your job due to injury,” Winston said in November. “And that’s what happened.”

The Saints would save $4.4 million against the salary cap by releasing Winston. That could rise to $12.8 million in savings if Winston was designated as a post-June 1 cut.