According to Adam Schefter, the Buccaneers and franchise-tagged S Antoine Winfield Jr. have been working on a new long-term deal that will likely make him the NFL’s highest-paid safety once done.
Schefter adds there’s a lot of optimism between the two sides that a deal will get done. The current high-water mark for safeties is $19 million a year, belonging to Chargers S Derwin James.
Tampa Bay tagged Winfield earlier this offseason for $17.123 million in 2024. That sum is fully guaranteed and gives 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 was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent when the Buccaneers used the franchise tag on him at $17.123 million fully guaranteed.
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’ll have more on Winfield as the news is available.
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