Filling the void of a longtime franchise player is never easy. The New Orleans Saints are learning this the hard way as they look to find a more permanent replacement for Drew Brees.

Last season, Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian each started at least four games for the Saints. They were able to post a winning record but came just short of the playoffs. Winston performed the best out of the group, playing well in the first seven games of the season before tearing his ACL. His recovery has been going well but could get away from the Saints in free agency.

New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis said that Winston is an option and that he hopes the feeling is reciprocated.

Winston was their best option at quarterback last season, though that says more about the Saints than it does him. To Winston's credit, though, he slashed his interception rate in half and sported a relatively high touchdown rate. He threw 14 touchdowns in seven games with a quarterback rating of 102.8, which was the best of his career. Although the sample size was pretty small, he proved to be a dependable option.

Several other teams need quarterbacks and could sign Winston in free agency. His old team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, could be one of them, according to head coach Bruce Arians. If they don't make a move in the draft for a top quarterback, the Saints should bring back Winston and try to build on the improvements he made.