“I’m Surprised They Couldn’t Come To A Deal”
March 6th, 2024
Antoine Winfield, Jr.
This intrigues Joe because the guy saying it was at the NFL Scouting Combine talking to Todd Bowles, and he has excellent relationships inside One Buc Palace.
Joe is referring Good Morning Football co-host Peter Schrager. Closet Bucs fan Schrager knows the Buccaneers well and it shows when he talks about the team on NFL Network.
Today, Schrager was opining about how the Bucs should have made Antoine Winfield Jr. the NFL’s highest paid safety rather than slapping him with the franchise tag ($17.1 million for 2024) as they did yesterday afternoon. As Bucs fans well know, the tag on Winfield made Baker Mayfield a potential free agent the minute legal tampering opens on Monday morning.
“I’m surprised they couldn’t come to a deal before the franchise tag,” Schrager said.
He added that Winfield hits all the marks: super teammate, Super Bowl winner, young and coming off an extraordinary season with his best football to come.
“Let’s give him the most money!” Schrager pleaded. ” … Give him 20 [million dollars per year], give him 21 ….”
Chargers safety Derwin James is the highest paid safety at $19 million per year as part of a contract he signed in August of 2022.
Of course, Winfield’s franchise tag can be ripped up between now and July in favor of a long term contract. After the summer contract deadline, Winfield would play on the 2024 tag and be a free agent next year, if the Bucs don’t slap the tag on him again. A second tag would cost nearly $21 million for 2025.
Joe is ok with Winfield playing this year on the franchise tag, even if it is salary cap unfriendly for the ’24 season.
March 6th, 2024 at 6:33 pm
The only hesitation I can think of is the concussions.
Personally I would have locked him last offseason – doing so would have saved the Bucs millions per year. But coming off a 1st team ALL-PRO season where he is the team MVP, that’s going to cost some huge money.
Still, I’d get a 6yr/$120m deal on the table. Plus by year 3 or 4 of the deal, $20m will probably not be that big of money anymore. Sort of how the Bucs got Evans to do a 5yr deal at an insane $17m/year, but at the end, he was one of the biggest values in football for an elite player not on a rookie deal.
March 6th, 2024 at 6:34 pm
Sign him for 5 years and kick the can because the cap will go up.
Both he and Wirfs are at the top of their positions. Hasn’t Trent Williams been playing for 20 years?
By the time they get to their year 3 or 4 it will be middle of the pack.
I would think those are the easiest deals to get done.
March 6th, 2024 at 6:37 pm
Nothing wrong with the franchise tag unless you get injured
March 6th, 2024 at 6:38 pm
Dont wanna have him on the tag. It kills the cap room.
After Mayfield, I Think Winfield is next
March 6th, 2024 at 6:40 pm
I think maybe they are waiting to see what happens with Mayfield before signing a deal with Winfield. If Mayfield costs too much, they maybe won’t be able to afford offering Winfield $20/year ?
March 6th, 2024 at 6:42 pm
Capt.Tim Says
“Dont wanna have him on the tag. It kills the cap room.
After Mayfield, I Think Winfield is next”
It’s been a while since I even thought about the tag…but if he signs a deal for $20/year, how would that affect the cap?
I also think Winfield is next.
March 6th, 2024 at 6:48 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai – if the Bucs sign Winfield to a deal, then you tear up the franchise tag numbers, they will have no bearing on the cap.
So you might be right, they might be waiting to figure out what they do at QB so they know how much money they’ll need to fill out the roster – then you go to Winfield with some 10yr deal (with void years) where he’s like a $1.3m cap hit this season.
March 6th, 2024 at 6:52 pm
I still hope the Bucs can work out a long-term deal with Winfiled – however – there is a diminishing point of returns with safeties, running backs and inside linebackers.
Let him play a year or two on the franchise tag if he doesn’t bend the knee. Then let him go get overpaid elsewhere.
March 6th, 2024 at 7:01 pm
Rod you seem to always know better then everyone why ain’t you a gm
March 6th, 2024 at 7:01 pm
There will be a lot more money to play with next year
March 6th, 2024 at 7:02 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai- Also to add to Rod Much, If he signs a 5 year deal averaging 20 mill a year you can play with the cap numbers as they did with Evans. His year 1 cap hit number is very low. With a 5 year deal and 2 ghost years you can spread around the cap hits pretty good making his cap numbers significantly under those 17 to 20 mill numbers. This is why people want Wirfs extended you can take his existing 18 mill a year number give him a raise and lower the cap number to whatever you agree to.
March 6th, 2024 at 7:05 pm
Well, that sounds like a good plan to me then!
March 6th, 2024 at 7:07 pm
I would think it’s a great way to irritate a player… they think they can command the highest salary and then have to settle for the average of the top 5. And there’s no multiple years, no signing bonus. It’s a lousy deal for the player.
If he thinks he’s worth $22M/year, and the market would pay it, then they just basically enslaved him for a year and stole $5M from him.
March 6th, 2024 at 7:08 pm
Scott Says
“There will be a lot more money to play with next year”
Depending on what happens this year. I mean…some virus might hit us…war could break out (likely), or any number of things could cause the cap to be reduced instead of raised.
March 6th, 2024 at 7:14 pm
Jeffs grandpa Says:
March 6th, 2024 at 7:01 pm
Rod you seem to always know better then everyone why ain’t you a gm
——–
You have to be a lizard person to become a GM. It’s sad we live in a world where that is the case, where normal humans can be discriminated against, but it’s true.
March 6th, 2024 at 7:29 pm
Hope they get a deal done with Winfield. Then pair him up with Eddie Jackson if he is fully recovered and ready to play ball this year. I wanted the Bucs to draft Jackson when he came into the league, solid player and a leader.
March 6th, 2024 at 7:33 pm
The rub with Antoine is that for all the players we have He has the most validity to claim being paid the highest at his position. Since as stated he can set that it might one up debates and disagreements as to that new high.
March 6th, 2024 at 7:38 pm
AW2 probably gets a lot of advice from his Daddy.
March 6th, 2024 at 7:48 pm
Bonzi,
Just to follow upbwith what the others have said. If Winfield plays under the franchise tag- the entire amount counts against our cap this year.
If the franchise tag for safety is 18 mil, then 18 mil goes againt the Cap.
If we sign him to a long term contract, the numbers can be manipulated, to where half of that counts against the cap. Meybe less.
Bear in mind. The cap can be greatly manipulated by skilled “Capologist”.
Yeah, thats a real job.
What really matters is what the Owner(money man!) thinks!
If he believes the team is a Championship level team, and he wants a Championship, he can use his Skilled accountants to work more money in the Budget. Ever notice how the Cowboys never seemto have real cap issues?
If the owner thinks the team is rebuilding- suddenly the Cap starts becoming an issue. The owner using it as an excuse not to dump money into a bad team
The Glazers are motivated owners, and Jason Licht’s team is very good.
We have the money to sign who we need to sign.
But only if we can keep the money “buried” in paperwork!
March 6th, 2024 at 7:49 pm
Rod Munch
On that we agree.
March 6th, 2024 at 7:55 pm
You can only franchise him so much. And if he thinks he is underpaid for a few years, he may very likely look elsewhere when given the chance. Pay him what he is worth and move on. He will earn his money.
March 6th, 2024 at 7:57 pm
LOL. Agree with your first post Rod.
Think they’re trying to get Mayfield done first, in order to figure out how creative they need get with Winfield’s for cap reasons this year.
But who knows? Maybe Baker’s season has gone to his head and he’s holding out for FA to see who the highest bidder is? Doubtful, but ya never know.
Or maybe Winfield wanted like 24m per season or something crazy.
March 6th, 2024 at 8:01 pm
Yeah, let’s give the one year wonder and 31 year old wr new deals and not lock in the young stud.
Buc life
March 6th, 2024 at 8:31 pm
Sure glad you are not GM Marine Buc ? Geeesh Really. They will get a deal done with Winfield . That’s why the franchise tag is there it is tool to use . Now they have time to sign him.
March 6th, 2024 at 8:34 pm
I wonder how Harbaugh likes Derwin’s big contract.
March 6th, 2024 at 8:44 pm
Don’t know for sure but I would imagine Winfield’s people are asking for Mike Evans type guaranteed money. Not sure that the Bucs wouldn’t make Winfield the highest paid safety in the league. I think they would because he played like the best safety in the league last year. Besides the Bucs can spread that money out over several years. The Bucs may not want to cough up guaranteed money because of his history with concussions. Just guessing here I don’t have any inside info, to me it is just what makes sense.
March 6th, 2024 at 9:14 pm
Licht is a good negotiator and tagging Winfield Jr was the right move because the tag is at least $3M less than what Winfield is asking for per year……
It gives Jason an advantage in continuing negotiations to get Winfield Jr under contract for the long term.
Baker was never going to be tagged at $38M. Bucs literally do not have the cap space in 2024 to cover that amount all at once….
March 6th, 2024 at 9:28 pm
I wonder if Winfields past concussions made the Bucs throw the tag on him and see if he can stay healthy one more year. Don’t get me wrong, after last year he really put himself up there as one of the best or the best in the league. But saying that, all the money they have tied up in the back end and have one of the worse pass defenses in the league doesn’t add up either. I really think the Bucs need to send either Davis or Dean to the trade line and which ever one they keep they need to buy him a jug machine for his house so he learns how to catch. Way too much money back there to not have a better pass D and never get picks.
March 6th, 2024 at 9:37 pm
What a stupid take.
Who here thinks Licht isn’t going to sign Winfield to a long term deal? Then everybody quit worrying.
Let’s see. They can either tag the player that will cost $17 mil, or tag the player that will cost $38 mil. Not a hard decision.
Winfield has been around the NFL his entire life. He knows exactly how this works. He’s not going anywhere. His deal will get done too.
March 6th, 2024 at 10:05 pm
Baker gets 3 years max can’t lock him in long term due to 1 good year it’s a no brainer. Need to lock in a solid defense that’s young. Build around a few all pros isn’t that what dungy did? 47,55,99,21 come on guys
March 6th, 2024 at 10:19 pm
@brooks. 20? No Buc wearing #21 amounted to anything.
March 6th, 2024 at 10:48 pm
gotbbucs totally agree good post.
March 6th, 2024 at 11:10 pm
Geez, there’s some really good veteran DB’s being released this year…
Seahawks release safeties Quandre Diggs & Jamal Adams (who was Bowles 1st round draft pic when he was Jets HC. They had awesome relationship)…
Tonite, Bills release Jordan Poyer & Tre’davious White 😳😳😳……
Wow, Licht needs to jump on some of these guys…….
Winfield could have an awesome partner 🤷🏻♂️……
Trade Carlton Davis & pick up White??? White’s awesome when he’s not hurt…
March 6th, 2024 at 11:57 pm
Oh yeah, also Bills let their stud center, Mitch Morse, go…..
He’s definitely another one that Tampa should look at.
March 7th, 2024 at 1:24 am
Ru kidding rod a GM of what volleyball?
March 7th, 2024 at 1:31 am
Capttim what happened 2 days ago u said Mayfield was a done deal why do u jokers make bs statements like u r the GM jokers
March 7th, 2024 at 7:25 am
NOW REALITY
The Bucs had FAs Evans, Baker, Win … and LVD. They’ve been working on Evans’ deal for over a year. He was the priority. Baker is being a drama queen. You can see how much time that is taking … and LVD is a lock.
Of the 3 FA, Winfield had the lowest Franchise Tag hit. It made sense to tag Winfield so they could get the two others done first. Winfield will get his contract before the season starts.
March 7th, 2024 at 9:40 am
It’s because of Baker Mayfield. They have to negotiate a mid-to-long-term contract with him, before they get back to Antoine. After Baker is signed up, they can see how money they have left over. Remember, they just signed Evans to a 52 million, 2 year contract. I’m not sure how much cap space is left for the Bucs, but it will probably take a substantial hit after Baker’s contract. Go Bucs.
March 7th, 2024 at 10:16 am
“vadertime Says:It’s because of Baker Mayfield. They have to negotiate a mid-to-long-term contract with him, before they get back to Antoine. After Baker is signed up, they can see how money they have left over.”
Or, could be the other way around.
If Antoine stays on the tag with no long term contract, and if the Bucs have to count all of it aginst 2024 cap, that leaves less for Baker.
Leverage
^^mtnman^^
Since ’76
March 7th, 2024 at 1:29 pm
Once they finalize Baker they will know more about what they have and what they will need for any FA’s cap wise so there’s no rush.
March 7th, 2024 at 5:38 pm
.