Bucs' GM: Winston might not start following suspension

When Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston was handed a three-game suspension in June for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, it was believed the team may struggle to fill his shoes.

General manager Jason Licht thinks differently, admitting that Winston's job is up for grabs if either Ryan Fitzpatrick or Ryan Griffin perform well in his stead. Come Week 4, Winston could be the odd man out.

"I don't think it's fair to say right now that he's going to be the guy," Licht said on the WFLA TV broadcast of the Buccaneers' preseason game on Thursday, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN.

Fitzpatrick is the team's presumptive No. 2 under center, while 28-year-old Griffin is listed third on the team's official depth chart.

"(If) Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Griffin, whoever it is, is playing lights out, I don't think it's fair right now just to say, 'Yes, automatically, Jameis is going to be the guy,'" Licht said. "Now, he may be. Dirk (Koetter) and I - Dirk in particular - he's got some time to think about that."

The Buccaneers open the season on the road against the New Orleans Saints before returning home for games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 and 3.