The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made it a degree this offseason to increase their most essential gamers, and security Antoine Winfield Jr. made NFL historical past together with his contract extension on Monday.
Winfield reached an settlement with the Bucs on a four-year, $84.1 million deal that makes him the highest-paid defensive again in NFL history, based on a number of stories. He’s the primary security in NFL historical past to obtain this honor as properly.
Winfield can be getting $45 million assured on this deal, which can also be essentially the most ever given to a security, per ESPN.
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Antoine Winfield Jr. attends the thirteenth Annual NFL Honors at Resorts World Theatre on Feb. 8, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
A 2023 All-Professional and Super Bowl champion in 2021, Winfield has grown into probably the greatest safeties within the NFL over his rookie contract, which is why the Bucs slapped him with the franchise tag this offseason.
Nevertheless it wasn’t as a result of they have been simply making an attempt to maintain him for another 12 months. GM Jason Licht is aware of how essential Winfield is to go coach Todd Bowles’ protection, and the franchise tag was merely a option to lengthen the time to achieve a long-term deal.
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Winfield is now the eighth participant hit with the franchise tag this offseason to achieve a long-term extension together with his group. Solely Cincinnati Bengals star receiver Tee Higgins, who requested a commerce from the franchise, hasn’t reached an extension.
Antoine Winfield Jr. of the Buccaneers warms up for the New Orleans Saints recreation at Raymond James Stadium on Dec. 31, 2023, in Tampa, Florida. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Photographs)
For the Bucs, Winfield is the most recent participant prolonged this offseason, as quarterback Baker Mayfield re-signed on a three-year $100 million contract, whereas receiver Mike Evans (two years, $41 million) and linebacker Lavonte David (one 12 months, $8.5 million) keep put in Tampa Bay as properly.
As each participant needs to do in a contract 12 months, Winfield had a profession season with six pressured fumbles (led the NFL), whereas setting new profession highs in tackles (122), passes defended (12), sacks (6) and interceptions (3). He completed sixth in Defensive Participant of the Yr voting and earned his inaugural first-team All-Professional nod.
Winfield was named a group captain final season as properly, exhibiting how essential his presence is on and off the sphere for the Bucs.
Antoine Winfield Jr. of the Buccaneers provides a speech within the group huddle previous to the wild-card playoff recreation in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 15, 2024, in Tampa, Florida. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Photographs)
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It solely made sense for Licht and the franchise to achieve an settlement to maintain one in every of their finest defensive items on board for years to come back, and so they did far more than that with a historic deal.
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