Going into Week 8 the Buccaneers currently sit at a record of 2-4. It hasn’t been the season they hoped six games in, but there are plenty of games left to figure out what this team is really made of.

The most important ingredient to the recipe of what they are made of is at quarterback. At times this season, Jameis Winston has been spectacular. There was a three game stretch between the first Panthers game and the Rams game where Winston threw 10 touchdowns to just two interceptions, amassed almost 1,000 yards through the air, and maintained a good completion percentage. In other games, such as the Niners game and the last game against the Panthers, his turnovers turned out to hurt the team more than they could overcome.

Hot and cold has been the story of Winston’s career so far in Tampa Bay, and when asked about how Arians sees Winston’s future – more importantly what role Arians might have in Winston’s fate either staying or going this offseason – Arians was candid, as usual.

“I will not lie, that’s for sure,” Arians said when asked what he would tell front office/the Glazers if they asked him about Winston this offseason.

Following the Bucs’ turnover-driven loss to the Panthers, a game where Winston threw five interceptions and lost a fumble, Arians said that it didn’t change his mind on whether Winston could be a franchise quarterback or not, something he has spoken highly of with Winston before. But Arians did say that if it happens again it will worry him.

The future is unknown with Winston. He’s had some of the best games of in his career in 2019, yet he can’t seem to shake the poor performances that divide them.

Whatever Arians’ honest assessment of Winston will be over these next 10 games, he won’t shy away from making it known.