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NFL hot seat: 5 quarterbacks who will be under pressure in 2019

By Peter Panacy

TAMPA, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 25: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gets interviewed after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 27-9 at Raymond James Stadium on November 25, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 25: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gets interviewed after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 27-9 at Raymond James Stadium on November 25, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 28: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stands in the bench area after being replaced against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 28: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stands in the bench area after being replaced against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

No. 1: Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

And the No. 1 quarterback on our NFL hot list entering 2019? None other than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Jameis Winston.

This season could easily be a make-or-break year for the former No. 1 overall pick from the 2015 NFL Draft. The Bucs brought in veteran head coach Bruce Arians out of retirement, and that should bode well for the 25-year-old Winston. But it doesn’t change the idea Winston will have a ton on the line amid a changing Tampa Bay squad this season.

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Winston, whose injury-riddled and disappointing 2018 campaign relegated him to just nine starts last year, won’t have to play with now-Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick looking over his shoulder. And the Buccaneers essentially put their short-term faith in Winston by not taking a quarterback in this year’s NFL Draft.

Still, Winston is playing on his fifth-year option, and there has been little reason for Tampa Bay to be convinced into signing him long term.

Especially if Arians wants to groom a new guy under center next year.

As such, Winston finds himself in a precarious situation. Sure, a stellar campaign under Arians would go a long way into a potential new contract with the Bucs. Or, if Arians wants his own guy at quarterback in 2020, a solid season would at least give Winston the chance to land what would likely be a good deal on the open free-agent market a little less than a year from now.

Next. 5 49ers players who need to stay healthy in 2019. dark

But if he struggles yet again? If that’s not a prototypical player on the NFL hot seat, it’s hard to suggest what is.