The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ outstanding offseason continues as they have agreed to terms with star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. on a new four-year extension worth $84.1 million with $45 million fully guaranteed, CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones reports. This new contract makes Winfield the highest-paid defensive back in the league, and for the first time in NFL history, that highest-paid defensive back plays the safety position, according to NFL Media.
Agent David Mulugheta posted on social media a screengrab of his call to Winfield and congratulated his client.
“Couldn’t be happier to make this call and let @antoinewinfieldjr know he just made HISTORY! The first time that a safety is the highest paid defensive back in the NFL. In a year where the value of safeties has been questioned, the Buccaneer Organization, the Glazer Family and GM Jason Licht have stepped up and taken care of one of their most valuable family members,” he wrote in the post.
“Congratulations Antoine, you have accomplished something that has never been done before. You will forever be etched in history as the first. I appreciate your trust and cannot wait to see you back on the field.”
Winfield, 25, has 384 tackles, 15 sacks, 11 forced fumbles and 7 interceptions in 59 career games.
Embed from Getty ImagesWinfield, who was slapped with the franchise tag earlier this offseason, earned First Team All-Pro honors in 2023 after compiling a career year as a jack of all trades, with 122 combined tackles, eight quarterback hits, six forced fumbles, 12 passes defended and three interceptions in 17 games played. With that remarkable campaign, Winfield became the only player over the last quarter of a century to record 100+ tackles, 5+ forced fumbles, 5.0 sacks and 10 passes defended in a single season.
Winfield was originally a second-round pick of the Buccaneers out of the University of Minnesota in 2020. In four seasons, he has won a Super Bowl over the Kansas City Chiefs, been named an All-Pro, has been selected to the Pro Bowl and now is the highest-paid defensive back. What a resume! Winfield vaults over Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers on the safety market, who inked a four-year $76 million deal in 2022 that carries an Average Annual Value of $19 million. However, James did not crack the top five of highest-paid defensive backs.
In the 2021 wild-card round of the playoffs, Winfield sacked Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts for a 5-yard loss. In the divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams, he forced and recovered a Cam Akers fumble.
Buccaneers’ Licht made it a point to focus on rewarding in-house talent this offseason. He gave quarterback Baker Mayfield a new three-year, $100 million deal, signed star wide receiver Mike Evans for two additional years, and $41 million. He has spent his entire career with the organization. Licht also held on to linebacker Lavonte David with a one year, $8.5 million deal keeping him in the mix as well.
Winfield was one of only two players on the franchise tag that had not yet put pen to paper and agreed to terms on a long-term deal. Now, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is the lone wolf poised to play 2024 on the tag. Higgins, who requested a trade but has backed off that somewhat, said he expects to play for the Bengals this season, and has until July 15 to agree to a long-term contract or he will be forced to play out the 2024 season on the franchise tender.
