Bucs’ Winfield Jr. agrees to 4-year, $84M deal, making him NFL’s highest-paid DB

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has become the highest-paid defensive back in National Football League history after agreeing to a four-year deal on Monday.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced the news on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating that the multi-year deal, worth $84.1 million, is the “first time in modern NFL history that a safety has set this mark.”

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“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,” Schefter reported. “Deal negotiated and confirmed by David Mulugheta of Athletes First.”

Winfield Jr. will take home $21.025 million on average per year. The contract also includes $45 million guaranteed — the most ever given to a safety.

The extension comes months after the Bucs placed a franchise tag on him while the two sides worked to hammer out a long-term deal.

In 2023-24, the 25-year-old safety put forth an unprecedented NFL Defensive Player of the Year-caliber season, amassing 122 tackles (six for loss), 12 passes defensed, eight quarterback hits, six sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three interceptions.

He finished the year with a share of the league lead in both forced fumbles and fumble recoveries, joining Haason Reddick (2022) as the only players to accomplish that feat since at least 2000.

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According to the Bucs, Winfield Jr. is the only player since data became available in 1999 with 100 or more tackles, three or more interceptions, three or more forced fumbles, three or more fumble recoveries, and three or more sacks.

He is also the lone defensive back since 200 with over six sacks, six or more forced fumbles in a season, and the only defensive back with seven or more takeaways and more than five sacks.

Despite his achievements this season, Winfield Jr. was snubbed of a Pro Bowl. Instead, Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker was elected to the Pro Bowl team despite recording zero interceptions, zero forced fumbles, zero fumble recoveries and zero sacks this season.

Additionally, Winfield Jr. was also the Tampa Bay Buccaneers nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year.

Since entering the league in 2020, Winfield Jr. leads all defensive backs in sacks (15), quarterback hits (21), forced fumbles (11) and fumble recoveries (eight). He is also tied for seventh in takeaways with 15. Winfield Jr. also leads the NFL among all players with 19 forced fumbles plus fumble recoveries since 2020.

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