Antoine Winfield, Bucs Reach Deal
May 13th, 2024
Hit the lottery.
Antoine Winfield is now a very rich young man.
The All-Pro Bucs safety, who the team franchised this spring, has agreed on a new deal. per Adam Schefter of BSPN. Winfield is now the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history on a four-year deal worth $84.1 million. Over half ($45 million) is guaranteed.
Joe is confident in the process. This loosened up the salary cap for the Bucs, at least for this year.
Tampa Bay franchised Winfield in the winter and Joe wasn’t concerned one iota that Winfield would not be re-signed to a longer deal. That’s how much the Bucs think of him. And that shows in the dollar figures.
The franchise tag just meant the Bucs bought extra time to work out a deal.
Now, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has to sign left tackle Tristan Wirfs, who is in his contract year. The Bucs have plenty of time to take care of that.
Antoine Winfield Jr. is now the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history after he and the Bucs reached agreement on a 4-year, $84.1M deal, per sources. It’s the first time in modern NFL history that a safety has set this mark.
Deal negotiated and confirmed by David Mulugheta… pic.twitter.com/wMi4MtxWuJ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 13, 2024
May 13th, 2024 at 2:16 pm
LFB!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!
May 13th, 2024 at 2:19 pm
Now to sign Wirfs to a long-term deal.
May 13th, 2024 at 2:20 pm
Best player on the field for the Bucs last season. Glad it got done.
May 13th, 2024 at 2:21 pm
Players like this bring your rings. Glad to see it got done.
May 13th, 2024 at 2:21 pm
Good for him! LFG
May 13th, 2024 at 2:21 pm
Yes, well deserved! The highest-paid defensive back in NFL history! Good for Antoine and good for us.
May 13th, 2024 at 2:22 pm
Wow!
May 13th, 2024 at 2:22 pm
Yes!!!! Glad for him. Glad for the Bucs LFG!!
May 13th, 2024 at 2:23 pm
✌️
May 13th, 2024 at 2:23 pm
huge signing. Ants a beast
May 13th, 2024 at 2:26 pm
AWJ31 just got PAID!!!!
WOWWWWSERS, cha-Ching!!
Life-changing money….
Good for you kid!
Hope you continue to ball out this year like you did last year.
This year you got help!!!
Glad to see Whitehead back there again 🙂
Go Bucs!!!
May 13th, 2024 at 2:30 pm
All-Pro selection. 6th place in Defensive player of the year. The highest ranking for a safety in the voting since 2016.
Last 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).
May 13th, 2024 at 2:32 pm
Well deserved!
May 13th, 2024 at 2:36 pm
Every penny EARNED!!!! LFG
May 13th, 2024 at 2:37 pm
Very Well Deserved!
May 13th, 2024 at 2:41 pm
my man!!!
May 13th, 2024 at 2:41 pm
Well deserved. He’s the best safety in the NFL in my opinion and a game wrecker.
May 13th, 2024 at 2:41 pm
Take care of your own. Good job Slayer/Eminem/Tom Jones/ArethaFranklin/Obituary loving Gm Jason Licht. See how annoying that is?! Go Bucs!!
May 13th, 2024 at 2:42 pm
Damn !
Built Back Better
May 13th, 2024 at 2:45 pm
Mike has been my favorite player for years now but AW is breaking through to try and steal that position. I’m so happy for him and Us! BAG MAN BAG MAN!!
May 13th, 2024 at 2:51 pm
President of defense 4 more years 4 more years
May 13th, 2024 at 2:54 pm
Outstanding!
May 13th, 2024 at 2:57 pm
Relieved that we signed Winfield to a long-term contract, but the number ($21 mil per year) still boggles my mind. Bucs now have 7 players (Mayfield, Winfield, Evans, Godwin, Wirfs, Vea & Dean) making over $144 mil together in actual salaries (over $20 mil average annually), but their CAP Hit is significantly less than that.
Undoubtedly the major reason why the Bucs, despite having the 7th youngest team, rank at the bottom of the Top-51 Total CAP. We’ll make it through 2024 I’m convinced, but I’d expect to see at least 2 (and maybe 3) of our highest paid players walk the plank next year.
May 13th, 2024 at 3:01 pm
Worth every penny. The number 1 free agent I wanted back. Go Bucs!!
May 13th, 2024 at 3:01 pm
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
May 13th, 2024 at 3:02 pm
Hugh Culverhouse wouldn’t budge above 260,000 for Doug Williams.
We are getting closer and closer to the first billion dollars QB contract
May 13th, 2024 at 3:07 pm
Huge big play man in the secondary. Rhonde barber clone imo.
May 13th, 2024 at 3:10 pm
Well deserved and glad this deal got done. And once again it blows up in the faces of the faces of the armchair GM’s and their we are broke. can’t move money and all the other BS only to watch the real experts do what they want to do. And next year it will be the same. We can’t , they can’t Then they do.
May 13th, 2024 at 3:11 pm
Awesome!
LFG!!!
In Licht We trust!!!!!
May 13th, 2024 at 3:25 pm
worth every penny
May 13th, 2024 at 3:26 pm
If there was one player that you can be sure the money won’t negatively influence his play, it’s Winfield……he’s a solid character…..a real pro.
May 13th, 2024 at 3:28 pm
Congratulations to (((Mr Cool Breeze.)))
Love this guy’s game. Great news.
Bucs fans around the globe rejoice.
May 13th, 2024 at 3:32 pm
Winfield saved our ass more than a few times last year. He and Whitehead are going to cause havoc back there.
May 13th, 2024 at 3:32 pm
Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! Get on up, its bobsled time! Cool Runnings!
May 13th, 2024 at 3:42 pm
Congrats, he earned it. I’d love to see him replicate what he did last year but I’m not sure he can. Thats a compliment, he set the bar insanely high. One of the best seasons for a safefty, EVER!
The best thing about AW is that he always comes to play, this deal won’t change anything, perhaps it even motivates him further.
May 13th, 2024 at 4:06 pm
Great news, time to wok on Wirfs now.
May 13th, 2024 at 4:08 pm
That’s an insane amount of money, but good for him! Well deserved of course.
Just don’t let your foot off the gas young man. Onward and upward!
May 13th, 2024 at 4:10 pm
Nice deal to get done, why is no one talking about if he regresses like they do with Mayfield all the time. Just pointing out how hypocritical the big media is. As far as game changing plays I think he will regress because that comes down to opportunities presented in games. Does he deserve this contract, you betcha.
May 13th, 2024 at 4:11 pm
Congratulations Antoine!
You earned it man.
Keep the pedal to the metal and you may well end up in the HOF…..
May 13th, 2024 at 4:19 pm
Congrats. Well deserved.
Stay fun to watch:-) Stay hungry… You got one more Superbowl in you.
May 13th, 2024 at 4:46 pm
AWJ31 just had the best season possibly ever by a safety. He deserves every penny of it. Well done my friend
May 13th, 2024 at 4:47 pm
Winfield is the best safety in the league, but $21 million a year for a safety…I dunno..
May 13th, 2024 at 5:04 pm
Fro Yo on AW this summer.
May 13th, 2024 at 5:07 pm
Congratulations, Mr. Winfield! Next up: Mr. Wirfs!
May 13th, 2024 at 5:11 pm
Fred, it’s not your money. And as long as the cap is workable, it’s not an albatross. And we all knew he was going to get the biggest safety deal in the league. What exactly were you hoping for? 19 million a year? Point is it was going to be high. But only 45 guaranteed is not that bad. And the restructures will start as soon as the big money kicks in I’m sure.
May 13th, 2024 at 5:15 pm
Great news! Leader, baller, All-pro and with JWhite#3 will fortify our secondary for the next few years.
May 13th, 2024 at 5:15 pm
PAID!!!! Way to go, this is the to make some noise, putting the other 31 on notice we take care of our stars that take care of the team!
May 13th, 2024 at 5:21 pm
Day 1-76 .. no one makes you come here.
May 13th, 2024 at 5:30 pm
I thought JTS was our best defensive back going forward??? Why didn’t we pay him instead???
The kid deserved to be paid. Hopefully the high level play increases from here.
May 13th, 2024 at 5:35 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says:
May 13th, 2024 at 3:26 pm
If there was one player that you can be sure the money won’t negatively influence his play, it’s Winfield……he’s a solid character…..a real pro.
Plus, his dad would kick his ass!
May 13th, 2024 at 5:52 pm
Defense Rules
We already know which 2 wont be here next year.
Dean and Godwin.
Probably Vea the following year.
They had to keep him and he is worth every penny.
May 13th, 2024 at 6:18 pm
Mannnnnnn! Just watched the highlights on buccaneers.com of Winfield for 2023 and he really was a heat seeking missile. The announcers are calling his name multiple times a game every game it seems. Usually in the right place at the right time = all out effort + super high football IQ. Worth every penny!!!
May 13th, 2024 at 6:21 pm
… additionally I think it’s funny how people scoff at the amount of money but AWJ was the league’s best safety & probably our best cornerback & edge rusher. Safety just happened to be his general positional location at the beginning of a defensive play before he turned into whatever position we needed him to be.. edge, corner, linebacker. Everything but tackle.
May 13th, 2024 at 6:58 pm
Nice! Would have been even better if we could have got it completed prior to free agency. It would have helped the Bucs address a few other needs prior to the draft. Nothing but scraps left now. But I guess this signing will enable us enough room to sign the draft picks and have enough working capital for in season injuries / replacements.
May 13th, 2024 at 7:02 pm
I don’t care how many years it was for as long as they just found a way to keep him. Not let him go to some vultures like NE.
May 13th, 2024 at 8:01 pm
Deserves it.
May 13th, 2024 at 8:18 pm
The dude is a baller and a game changer. Congrats 31. Well deserved!
May 13th, 2024 at 8:46 pm
Good job he was one of the main reasons why we made the playoffs!!
May 13th, 2024 at 9:22 pm
He is way more than a safety and his pay reflects that 💯
May 13th, 2024 at 9:25 pm
Bucs should sign Wirfs, sign their draft class and then call the Bengals about a trade for Trey Hendrickson.
May 13th, 2024 at 10:45 pm
Well done Antoine! Couldn’t be more deserving!
May 13th, 2024 at 10:54 pm
Being real real…Need to see the contract language before I get stoked.
4yrs/$84M is hella expensive for a Safety…Even a great one. Given the S market has been depressed & surpassing the $20M aav was unheard of for the position.
At least the Bucs aren’t buying any yrs past age 29 season.
May 13th, 2024 at 11:03 pm
Mr Winfield, since i pushed for you to be drafted, can i get a few benjamins please, lol. Na jk. Well deserved my man.
May 14th, 2024 at 12:07 am
Him and Wirfs are your two pillars, the two best players on the team. Glad they got it done – just why only 4-years? I’d have locked him up for as long as possible, because an expensive deal today will be a bargain deal in 5-6 years.
May 14th, 2024 at 7:10 am
Looks like cap hit is under $10 million for 2024. He gets $4 million in salary plus $20 million signing bonus…..which should be spread out over 4 yrs. Should free up $7 million or so. If they get Wirfs deal done, maybe there’s some cash to trade for a pass rusher.
May 14th, 2024 at 10:12 am
Bee Says:
Best player on the field for the Bucs last season.
^^^^^
First defensive player I can remember since Troy Palamalu to single handedly win. He was a monster last season.
Plus, THE NFL CHANGED RULES because of his peace sign to the Cheetah in the Super Bowl.
Bucs don’t win the Super Bowl or make the playoffs last year without him.
Well deserved.
May 14th, 2024 at 1:57 pm
@MadMax
I did, too! I wanted them to draft him also. I would’ve taken Josh Allen over Devin that year & I guess I would’ve got that one, too! I’m just torn on Braswell right now but hope he does well.