Lovie Smith basically called Jameis Winston the starter today

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been a little coy about Jameis Winston's status as a starting quarterback, keeping him with the second team for extended periods and refusing to comment on whether or not he'll start on opening day. Quotes similar to "the process has to play itself out" have popped up in nearly every press conference. But today, Lovie Smith maybe let slip something telling.

Telling quote from Lovie Smith on who starting QB is today: "It's just not about Jameis. We need to get our backup quarterback ready, too."

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) June 16, 2015

In case you didn't catch that: Smith effectively said that they have Winston, and then they have someone else who's a backup quarterback. That leaves the starting job for Winston. This was obvious as soon as the Buccaneers made him the first overall pick, of course. You don't draft quarterbacks first overall to sit them on the bench in this day and age. Winston will start, it's just good to get a little verbal confirmation of that fact.