Antoine Winfield Jr. Signs Contract Extension With Bucs

The move ensures that Antoine Winfield Jr. will stay with the Bucs for years to come. He entered this offseason as one of five key free agents for Tampa Bay, and he was the most likely candidate for the franchise tag. But the team prioritized Winfield Jr. along with prolific receiver Mike Evans as the two most important players to lock down.

Antoine Winfield Jr. Has Been Critical To Bucs’ Success

Winfield was a major contributor to the Bucs’ Super Bowl run during his rookie campaign, racking up 94 tackles, three sacks, an interception, six passes defensed, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. That year, he finished fourth in voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

He has only grown from there, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2021. In 2022, he moved to the slot and played well in a new role. But in 2023, head coach Todd Bowles moved him back to his primary safety position, and it all culminated in a career year. He set career highs in tackles (122), sacks (six), forced fumbles (six – led the league), fumble recoveries (four), interceptions (three) and passes defensed (12). That earned him his first All-Pro selection and led to a sixth-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Winfield became a human highlight reel in 2023 and ascended into the conversation for best safety in the NFL. Initially, he was a part of a stellar 2020 NFL Draft that brought him and All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs on board for what would be the teams Super Bowl run. Wirfs was already locked in to the 2024 season on his 5th year option.

Winfield came in 4th in voting for defensive rookie of the year in 2020, earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2021 and this past year was named an All-Pro. For his career Winfield Jr. has 384 tackles, 18 for loss, 15 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, seven interceptions and eight fumbles recovered.