Jameis Winston not Buccaneers’ first choice according to NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal

In a column titled, “Panthers, Buccaneers ignite unpredictable quarterback carousel”, on NFL.com, writer Gregg Rosenthal has come to the summary the Tampa Bay Buccaneers do not view Jameis Winston as their top option at quarterback for 2020.

The article begins,

“Jameis Winston is not the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ No. 1 option at quarterback for 2020.”

Not much interpretation needed there. But the statement is Rosenthal’s interpretation of what was - or wasn’t - said in Indianapolis when Bucs head coach Bruce Arians spoke to the media, both in concert and individually.

The comment Rosenthal specifically sites in his own writing is Arians’ stating,

“As a head coach you have to decide ‘Is there a better option?’...I really don’t know who’s available. Licht can talk to agents now, so we’ll find out hopefully in 36 or 48 hours.”

Of course, by now, most everybody who cares about what’s going on in Tampa also knows Arians mentioned Tom Brady and Philip Rivers as two players he’d ‘pick up the phone’ to call as potential dance partners for the upcoming NFL season.

Those comments combined have led the NFL editor and writer to believe Winston is an option for Arians, just not the first one.

Rosenthal also speculates a landing spot for Winston, if he were to leave Tampa, could be with the Las Vegas Raiders and former Super Bowl winning Buccaneers head coach, Jon Gruden.

If the Raiders view Winston’s upside as being higher than incumbent Derek Carr’s, then it’s completely possible Gruden would want to pursue a former Heisman winner and the only quarterback in the NFL to throw for 5,000-yards in 2019.

Rosenthal’s conclusion is a reasonable one, but there are also those who took Arians’ comments as a sign Winston would in fact be back with the Buccaneers. James Yarcho and I discussed this fact on the most recent episode of the Locked On Bucs Podcast, and wanted to open the conversation here in the Bucs Nation community as well.

So, what do you make of what’s been said, and even what’s not been said, in Indianapolis so far?