The arrow is pointing up for Jameis Winston.
Nursing an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder, the Buccaneers quarterback told reporters Thursday he expects to be on the field Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
"My thought process is to play," Winston said, adding: "I'm ready. When it's time to let me go, I'm ready."
Optimism aside, Winston noted that his status for Week 7 remains a "team decision" to be made by coaches and club trainers. Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter told reporters that Winston did not throw during Thursday's session, but he expects the signal-caller to take all the first-team reps during Friday's session.
Per Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times, Winston did not look like a quarterback on the verge of returning to action Thursday.
Winston suffered the injury last Sunday against Arizona when he was knocked to the ground by Cardinals edge rusher Chandler Jones during a second-quarter pass attempt. With the Bucs sitting at 2-3, Tampa desperately needs to get healthy and put a run together.
