New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen said earlier in the week that Andy Dalton was expected to be the starter in Week 6 against the Cincinnati Bengals. That's still the case, but Jameis Winston will actually be active and in uniform, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
The catch is Winston will simply be the emergency quarterback. As Fowler notes, the “plan is still for him for get healthy and not play but this prevents the team from having to release a current player had they brought up a QB from the practice squad.” The Saints released quarterback Jake Luton Saturday in order to get roster help in other areas.
Dalton has done an admirable job as the starter, and New Orleans does have do-it-all star Taysom Hill to take reps at quarterback if needed. Hill is coming off a monster game against the Seahawks in which he threw a touchdown pass and ran for three scores.
It seems that Winston could play if really needed, but it would take a catastrophic injury situation for that to occur. For now, the Saints quarterback is expected to watch from the bench as he heals up from back and ankle injuries. Winston has been battling injury problems basically all season, including back fractures that clearly hindered his play.
New Orleans is 2-3 on the season, which is a game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. The Saints did lose to Tom Brady and the Bucs earlier in the year, with Jameis Winston really struggling in the defeat. This Bengals game will be a tough one, but not all hope is lost.
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