Coach Bruce Arians said Monday that a decision on Winston's status with the organization heading into the 2020 season will likely be made within the next couple of weeks, though the Buccaneers aren't expected to publicly announce their plans for the quarterback until March, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
After completing his first year on the job for Tampa Bay, Arians didn't exactly offer up a ringing endorsement for Winston, who became the first player in NFL history to throw for 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a season. According to Stroud, Arians told the media that Winston is "bright" and "hard working," but on the other hand noted the Buccaneers also could win with another quarterback. With Tampa Bay expected to make inking wideout Chris Godwin to an extension a priority this offseason, Winston -- if retained -- would be a more logical choice for the Bucs' franchise tag rather than a candidate to re-sign on a long-term deal. If the organization determines Winston isn't the answer for 2020, expect the team to turn its attention to the trade market or free agency for a starting quarterback and/or address the position with the No. 14 overall pick in April's draft.