After four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, quarterback Jameis Winston is leaving in NFL free agency for the Cleveland Browns.

The former Alabama prep star’s contract with the Saints expires at 3 p.m. CDT Wednesday. He has an agreement in place to sign a one-year contract with Cleveland, Bleacher Report and ESPN reported on Tuesday.

Winston’s time in New Orleans was sidetracked by injuries.

The No. 1 selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, Winston spent five seasons as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ starting quarterback. But after Winston led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards and 30 interceptions in the 2019 season, the Bucs switched to Tom Brady in 2020.

RELATED: ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOLS’ NFL SINGLE-SEASON BESTS

Winston chose to sign with New Orleans to back up Drew Brees. When Brees retired after the 2020 season, Winston won a quarterback competition with Taysom Hill for the 2021 season.

Winston had 14 touchdown passes and three interceptions with New Orleans at 5-2 when a knee injury ended his first season as the Saints’ starter.

The Saints responded by trying to acquire unhappy Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson in the offseason. New Orleans lost that sweepstakes to the Browns and re-signed Winston to a two-year, $28 million contract.

Injuries sent Winston off the field again in 2022, this time after he started the first three games. Back and ankle ailments kept Winston out of uniform for a couple of contests, but when he returned, he didn’t get his job back. The Saints stuck with Andy Dalton at quarterback all the way to the end of a 7-10 season, and Winston didn’t play after Sept. 25.

Last offseason, New Orleans succeeded in its quarterback pursuit – signing Derek Carr after the Las Vegas Raiders released him. That came with an offer to Winston: Take less money to stay on the team in 2023 or be released.

Winston chose the former. In 2023, he completed 25-of-47 passes for 264 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions while playing 76 snaps in seven games.

Cleveland has a starting quarterback, although Deshaun Watson played in only six games last season because of injuries and has played in 12 games in the past three seasons.

The Browns started five quarterbacks in 2023. Dorian Thompson-Robinson remains under contract for 2024 after starting three games as a rookie. Joe Flacco, who started the final five regular-season games and a playoff contest, will become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday.

A two-time All-State selection at Hueytown High School, Winston was the Class 5A Back of the Year and a Parade and Under Armour All-American in 2011.

At Florida State, Winston won the Heisman Trophy in 2013, when the Seminoles captured the BCS national championship with an undefeated record.

In 93 NFL regular-season games, Winston has completed 1,763-of-2,882 passes for 22,104 yards with 141 touchdowns and 99 interceptions and run for 1,214 yards and 11 touchdowns on 298 carries.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.