Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign Antoine Winfield Jr. to four-year megadeal after franchise tag

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are making safety Antoine Winfield Jr. the highest-paid defensive back in the NFL with a new megadeal this week. According to multiple reports, Winfield is signing a new four-year deal that is worth $84.1 million. The deal includes $45 million in guaranteed money and makes him the highest-paid defensive back in the league.

Tampa Bay initially placed the franchise tag on Winfield to keep him from becoming a free agent this offseason. However, the tag was simply a placeholder while the two sides negotiated a long-term deal. The franchise tag would have paid him $17.123 million for the 2024 season. Now, he’s making over $20 million a year.

The Buccaneers have given multiple stars big deals this offseason. On top of Winfield, they also gave quarterback Baker Mayfield a three-year deal for $100 million and wide receiver Mike Evans a two-year deal for $41 million.

Now, behind Winfield, the highest-paid safeties in the league are Chargers’ Derwin James, making $19 million a year, and Steelers’ Minkah Fitzpatrick, making $18.25 million a year. The Buccaneers star edged out cornerbacks Jaire Alexander, Denzel Ward, and Jalen Ramsey with his new deal.

With Winfield signing a long-term deal, the only player in the league remaining on a franchise tag, out of nine that initially received it, is Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Higgins has requested a trade out of Cincinnati since his franchise tagging.

Buccaneers lock in Antoine Winfield Jr. to long-term deal

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Antoine Winfield Jr. in the 2020 NFL Draft with the No. 45 overall pick in the second round out of Minnesota. He made an immediate impact for the team, helping to lead them to a Super Bowl victory in his rookie season. In 2020, he posted 94 tackles with three sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles. He added another 18 tackles and an interception in their four-game postseason run to the Lombardi Trophy.

Winfield, now nearing his 26th birthday, has four seasons in the league under his belt. He initially signed a four-year rookie deal for $7.3 million. In his first four seasons, he accumulated 384 tackles, 15 sacks, seven interceptions and 11 forced fumbles with eight recoveries. He also has 14 tackles for loss.

During the 2023 season, Winfield posted a career-high for tackles with 122. He also had six sacks and three interceptions, which were also career highs.