The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have secured the future of one of their key defensive players.
Safety Antoine Winfield Jr has agreed a new four-year, $84.1million deal with the Bucs, as per the NFL Network.
The deal will see Winfield make $5million in guaranteed money, which makes him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive back ever, which is the first time a safety has earned that honour.
Winfield was franchise-tagged by Tampa Bay in March, but the team has been able to agree a long-term deal for the 25-year-old.
Winfield’s standout 2023 campaign saw him named to the All-Pro team as he became just the fourth player to register at least five sacks and claim seven takeaways since sacks became a stat in 1982.
His 2023 marks of 112 tackles, six sacks, three intereceptions, four fumble recoveries and 12 passes defensed were all caeer-highs.
Winfield was a part of the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl LV-winning side in his rookie year and has been to the post-season in every year in the NFL so far.
This deal means that Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins remains the sole franchise-tagged player not to agree a new deal this year.
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