Payton: Saints have 'big interest' in keeping Winston

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton wants to keep Jameis Winston as part of the team's future plans.

Payton shared his desire to retain the impending free-agent passer on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" when asked of the team's plans if Drew Brees retires.

"We had a great exposure for one year with Jameis Winston. We didn't have a normal offseason, but we had enough time to see what we had with him as a player, as a leader, as an athlete. I really like what we had a chance to see," Payton said Wednesday.

"He was a tremendous leader for this team, and that's hard to do when you come in new in free agency your first year as a backup quarterback. So, that'll be an important check mark for us.

"A lot of times you want to hold your cards closer to the vest, and he is a free agent, but him, along with Taysom Hill ... we've said it all along, we're gonna develop and coach those guys. Jameis is one of those guys that we have a big interest in."

Winston signed a one-year, $1.1-million deal with New Orleans last offseason and impressed the organization in a backup role. Payton previously noted that Winston would get a starting opportunity following Brees' retirement.

There's been speculation that Brees will walk away from the game this offseason. The 42-year-old signal-caller dealt with injuries and declining arm strength throughout the 2020 campaign but is still weighing his future.

Re-signing Winston won't be easy for the Saints. They're slated to be $104.6 million over the salary cap, per Spotrac.

Winston played five seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before joining the Saints. He's thrown 121 touchdowns and 88 interceptions over 70 career starts.