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Saints head coach Sean Payton confirmed Monday that Winston (knee) suffered a torn ACL in addition to MCL damage in Sunday's win over the Buccaneers.

The injury occurred in the second quarter of the 36-27 victory after Winston went down awkwardly while he was on the receiving end of a horse-collar tackle by Buccaneers linebacker Devin White. Winston likely will undergo season-ending surgery on his left knee in the near future, leaving the Saints' quarterback situation in flux heading into a Week 9 matchup with the Falcons. Payton declined to name a replacement starter for Winston on Monday, but Taysom Hill presumably is in line for starting duties if he can clear the five-step concussion protocol ahead of the upcoming weekend. Trevor Siemian served as the No. 2 option against Tampa Bay and completed 16 of 29 attempts for 155 yards and a touchdown in relief of Winston. Meanwhile, Winston will become a free agent this offseason and could have to settle for a backup role heading into 2022, given that the timing of his injury could keep him sidelined for the start of NFL training camps next summer. Over his seven outings with New Orleans, the 27-year-old completed 59 percent of his throws for 7.3 yards per attempt and a 14:3 TD:INT. He also added 166 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

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