Why Andy Dalton is starting for the Saints instead of Jameis Winston

Jacob Camenker

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Why Andy Dalton is starting for the Saints instead of Jameis Winston image

When the Saints opened the 2022 NFL season, Jameis Winston was serving as their starting quarterback. The veteran quarterback was entering his third year with the Saints, and he was hoping to build on what was a solid start to his 2021 campaign before it was derailed by a torn ACL.

Instead, however, the injury bug bit Winston once again. And now at the midpoint of the season, he is no longer the starter.

Andy Dalton is now the top quarterback for the Saints. Dalton had originally been signed by New Orleans to serve as its backup for the 2022 NFL season, but the 12-year veteran has worked his way into the starting lineup for the fourth different team of his NFL career.

How did Dalton earn the starting job, and why exactly is he starting over Winston? Here's what to know about how the Saints' quarterback battle played out during the 2022 season.

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Why is Andy Dalton starting over Jameis Winston?

Originally, Dalton was thrust into the starting lineup when Winston had to miss the team's Week 4 London game against the Vikings because of back and ankle injuries. Those maladies sidelined him for a couple of weeks, and that gave Dalton a chance to operate as the team's top quarterback.

From there, Dalton was able to hold onto the starting job for one simple reason. He has outperformed Winston during his time as a starter.

Dalton simply doesn't make as many negative plays per game as Winston does. The former Buccaneer has committed more turnovers per game and been sacked far more frequently than Dalton this year.

Below is a comparison of their per-game stats:

Player Comp. % Passing yards TDs INTs Rating Sacks
Andy Dalton 65.2 235 1.8 0.8 95.1 0.8
Jameis Winston 63.5 286 1.3 1.7 79.5 3.7

The Saints are also averaging 29.6 points per game when Dalton starts compared to 16.7 in games started by Winston. And Dalton has also done a better job of getting the ball to Alvin Kamara than Winston; Kamara is averaging 7.3 catches for 59 yards per game with Dalton compared to just 3.7 catches and 36.7 yards with Winston.

So, while Dalton doesn't have the same big-play upside that Winston possesses, he has operated the New Orleans offense at a more efficient clip. That's why the Saints are sticking with him.

MORE: What happened to Michael Thomas? Injury update on Saints' veteran WR

Jameis Winston
(Getty Images)

Jameis Winston injury update

Need further evidence that Dalton has won the Saints' starting job? Just look at the Saints' injury report to determine that.

Winston was listed on the Saints' injury report with back and ankle injuries from Weeks 2 through 8. The back injury was particularly problematic, as it was reported that he had fractured four vertebrae as part of the injury.

However, in Week 8, Winston logged full practices every day; and in Week 9, he didn't make an appearance among the listed injuries. That means he is fully healthy. If he wasn't, he would still be listed on the injury report.

So, it's clear that the injury is no longer what is holding Winston back from playing. It is simply that the Saints view him as the backup to Dalton at this point.

Andy Dalton
(Getty)

Saints QB depth chart

The Saints have dressed two players at quarterback throughout the season and will likely continue to do so for the rest of 2022. That said, they are one of the few teams that has three legitimate quarterback options available during a game because of a rare, hybrid player they have at tight end.

Here is the pecking order at quarterback for the Saints:

1. Andy Dalton

Dalton has established himself as the starter for the Saints and he figures to hold onto the job as long as he can continue to avoid turnovers. Outside of a shoddy "Thursday Night Football" effort against the Cardinals, Dalton has thrown just one interception.

Dalton, 35, is still occasionally visited by his prime-time demons, but save for that, he has been solid for the Saints. His record of 2-3 may not be overly impressive, but all three of the Saints' losses have all been decided by one score.

MORE: Why the Saints didn't deal Alvin Kamara before the 2022 trade deadline, explained

2. Jameis Winston

Winston has occupied each of the three spots on the quarterback depth chart. He began the year as the No. 1 option, was the No. 3 option when the Saints had him active as an emergency option at the position and has now risen back to the No. 2 spot. He figures to remain Dalton's backup as long as he remains healthy.

Winston had five interceptions in three games early in the season, and that — along with his injuries — is what caused him to lose the starting job. Perhaps he will do better if given a chance to play given that he is now closer to 100 percent.

3. Taysom Hill

Yes, the Saints' backup quarterback is technically listed as a tight end. That's what Hill is according to the team's depth chart, but his usage makes it clear that he's more of a Wildcat-type quarterback for the Saints.

Hill plays more snaps at the quarterback spot than any other position, per PFF. He has both run the ball more and thrown it more than he has caught it despite his listing as a tight end. So, in reality, he is a do-it-all weapon in the Saints' offense. And he can be a capable starting quarterback, as evidenced by his career record of 7-2 and passer rating of 86.5.

Jacob Camenker

Jacob Camenker Photo

Jacob Camenker first joined The Sporting News as a fantasy football intern in 2018 after his graduation from UMass. He became a full-time employee with TSN in 2021 and now serves as a senior content producer with a particular focus on the NFL. Jacob worked at NBC Sports Boston as a content producer from 2019 to 2021. He is an avid fan of the NFL Draft and ranked 10th in FantasyPros’ Mock Draft Accuracy metric in both 2021 and 2022.