Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston parts ways with agents

Last week, the NFL suspended Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston three games for violating the league's personal conduct policy, and on Monday it was reported that Winston and his agents have parted ways.

Winston has been represented by Greg Genske and Kenny Felder since he entered the NFL, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that the relationship has ended.

It remains unclear whether the agents or Winston initiated the breakup.

A source told Florio that the change had been discussed for a few months.

Winston wants more experienced football agents to negotiate his next contract, according to Florio's source. Genske and Felder are primarily baseball agents, and they handled Winston's first contract, a deal that ended with the Bucs picking up a 2019 option worth $20.9 million.

Winston must wait five days after parting ways with his agents to hire a new agent.

When Florio asked one prominent agent whether he would want to represent Winston, the agent responded, "Would you?"

Although Winston wasn't arrested or criminally charged, his punishment from the NFL comes in the wake of the league's lengthy investigation into allegations that he groped a female Uber driver in March of 2016 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The NFL said in its statement that Winston advised the league office that he accepts the discipline. Winston noted in his statement that he looks forward "to putting this behind me and I will continue to work hard every day to be a positive influence in my community and be the best person, teammate and leader I can be."

Winston's suspension will go into effect on Sept. 1. He will miss the season opener at New Orleans and home games against reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia and Pittsburgh before he is eligible to return on Sept. 25.

He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.