With the 2022 NFL regular season set to kick off in just a week, many are now providing their own hot takes for the upcoming campaign. In the case of former linebacker Bart Scott, he is predicting that New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston will shock the NFL this season.

During a Thursday appearance on ESPN’s “First Take” program, Scott was asked who he believes will end up taking home the 2022 NFL MVP award. Without much hesitation, Scott went with Winston, which left ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith in disbelief.

“That will be Jameis Winston,” Scott said. “I picked the Saints for the Super Bowl. … He might lead the league in passing.”

Smith went on to counter Scott’s claim that Winston “might” top the NFL in passing yards by noting that the veteran passer “might lead the league in interceptions, too.”

Winston is coming off of a roller-coaster second campaign with the Saints. He guided the NFC South side to five wins in its opening seven contests of the year. While the Saints looked poised to clinch a spot in the playoffs in the first year of the post-Drew Brees era, Winston’s season-ending torn ACL injury in Week 8 wound up putting an end to such hopes.

Winston spent much time in the offseason rehabbing his injury, and his work paid off last week, as he made his long-awaited return to in-game action during the Saints’ preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Winston sure will have his work cut out for him if he aims to win the NFL MVP honor this season, especially as the likes of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor may end up emerging as serious contenders for the award.