Simply a few months forward of the deadline in the course of July, the Bucs and All-Professional security Antoine Winfield Jr. have agreed to phrases on a long-term contract extension, in keeping with Ian Rapoport of the NFL Community.
This can be a four-year deal value $84.1 million with $45 million of it assured. It makes Winfield the highest-paid defensive again within the league.
The transfer ensures that Antoine Winfield Jr. will stick with the Bucs for years to return. He entered this offseason as considered one of 5 key free brokers for Tampa Bay, and he was the most probably candidate for the franchise tag. He was initially tagged whereas the crew prioritized reaching an settlement with prolific receiver Mike Evans, Baker Mayfield, Lavonte David and Chase McLaughlin.
The Bucs might’ve let Winfield play out the 2024 season on the tag, however basic supervisor Jason Licht made it clear all alongside that signing him on a long-term deal was all the time the objective. And now, with a deal carried out a full two months earlier than the July deadline, Winfield will probably be taking part in on a profitable new multi-year contract slightly than the one-year franchise tag.
Antoine Winfield Jr. Has Been Essential To Bucs’ Success
Bucs S Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photograph by: USA At present
Antoine Winfield Jr. was a serious contributor to the Bucs’ Tremendous Bowl run throughout his rookie marketing campaign, racking up 94 tackles, three sacks, an interception, six passes defensed, two compelled fumbles and a fumble restoration. That yr, he completed fourth in voting for Defensive Rookie of the Yr.
He has solely grown from there, incomes a Professional Bowl nod in 2021. In 2022, he then moved to the slot and performed nicely in a brand new position.
However in 2023, head coach Todd Bowles moved him again to his main security place, and all of it culminated in a profession yr.
He set profession highs in tackles (122), sacks (six), compelled fumbles (six – led the league), fumble recoveries (4), interceptions (three) and passes defensed (12). That earned him his first All-Professional choice and led to a sixth-place end in Defensive Participant of the Yr voting. He was egregiously snubbed from the Professional Bowl, however the All-Professional honor — and this new contract — ought to soften the blow.
Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Winfield really grew to become a human spotlight reel in 2023 and ascended into the dialog for finest security within the NFL. Initially, he was part of a stellar 2020 NFL Draft that introduced him and All-Professional left deal with Tristan Wirfs on board for what can be the crew’s Tremendous Bowl run.
Wirfs is already locked in to the 2024 season on his fifth-year possibility, although a long-term extension for him can be within the crew’s plans sooner slightly than later.
Winfield got here in fourth in voting for defensive rookie of the yr in 2020, earned a Professional Bowl nod in 2021 and this previous yr was named an All-Professional. For his profession, Winfield has 384 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, 11 compelled fumbles, seven interceptions and eight fumbles recovered.
