The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are likely to give S Antoine Winfield Jr. the franchise tag, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
Stroud adds QB Baker Mayfield and WR Mike Evans were also under consideration for the tag from the Buccaneers, but they would have been far more expensive.
The franchise tag for quarterbacks is projected to be around $36.3 million in 2024, while it would cost the Bucs over $28 million to franchise Evans due to the 120 percent rule. The Buccaneers are expected to try and work out long-term deals for both players.
Tampa Bay would pay a projected $16.2 million to franchise Winfield in 2024. That sum is fully guaranteed and would give the two sides until mid-July to work on a long-term deal.
Winfield, 25, was a four-year starter at Minnesota and earned All-American honors in 2019. The Buccaneers selected him in the second round with the No. 45 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Winfield played out the final year of a four-year, $7,307,182 rookie contract that included a $2,874,314 signing bonus. Winfield is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent next month.
In 2023, Winfield appeared in all 17 games for the Buccaneers and recorded 122 tackles, six sacks, six forced fumbles, three interceptions, four recoveries and 12 pass defenses.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2024 Free Agents list.
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