The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ... Not only is Winston not going to get paid like a starting quarterback this year in New Orleans, he’s not even going to make as much as most second-string quarterbacks. Winston’s contract carries a base value of just $1.1 million, according to Field Yates of ESPN. That comes from a $148,000 signing bonus and a $952,000 base salary. With incentives, Winston can make up to $3.4 million more.

Diehards Line: But if Drew Brees stays healthy Winston will presumably not hit those incentives. And even if Winston does end up playing and playing well, he’d make less than $5 million — a bargain for a quarterback. Still, Winston said he signed with the Saints in large part because he believes he can learn a lot playing for Sean Payton and sharing a quarterback room with Brees. In fact, Winston told his Instagram followers on Monday that he was looking forward to getting a “Harvard education” in playing quarterback while in New Orleans. He said during a Wednesday conference call that he turned down offers from other teams for more money in order to get that education. He called it the “best opportunity to grow as a quarterback” and that was worth more than any money he may have left on the table. Indeed, serving as the No. 2 in New Orleans paid off for Teddy Bridgewater this offseason as he signed a three-year, $63 million contract with the Panthers as a free agent. Winston may not find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but it’s clear he thinks it is the best way to get to where he wants to go in the future.