The Tampa Bay Buccaneers know just how important quarterback Jameis Winston will be to their future. The former No. 1 overall pick has shown flashes of stardom, but he still has some things he has to learn before he can become a truly outstanding quarterback.
Offensive coordinator Todd Monken believes one such lesson Winston must learn is to not try so hard and just be himself.
“The thing is what I've seen, irrespective of the physical stuff on the field, let's not try so hard,” Monken said, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “He's got natural leadership qualities. A toughness about him. Guys want to follow him.
“It's OK to fail. He's human. It's OK to be hurt. It's OK to have that side of you. Let's just go. You don't have to try so hard. Guys will follow you. Just be yourself.”
Veteran Bucs wide receiver DeSean Jackson shared some similar advice to the young quarterback a couple months ago, so it’s clear that others within the organization also see this shortcoming in Winston’s current makeup.
It’s obviously admirable for a young quarterback like Winston to so readily accept all the responsibility of being the team’s leader. However, Monken and Jackson likely see that Winston is taking it a bit too far, which has been to the detriment of his game overall.
Winston clearly has the ability and the physical tools to be among the top quarterbacks in the league. But before he can reach that level, he’ll first need to learn how to play with a much freer attitude that will allow him to shine.
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