The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are continuing to try and improve their team for next season and have been active so far this offseason.
The Bucs has now restructured the contract of safety Antoine Winfield Jr., according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Tampa adjusted his $21 million base salary to the minimum salary and bonus. This move is creating $15.86 million in new cap space.
Tampa Bay made this move to potentially address other roster needs and prepare for future signings.
Winfield signed a four-year, $84.1 million extension ($45 million guaranteed) last season. The contract made him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history at that time.
The former second-round draft pick has established himself as one of the league’s top safeties. While a lingering ankle injury limited him to only nine games last season, he still managed to compile 60 tackles, two sacks, and a defensive TD. He also earned All-Pro Honors during the 2023 season for the first time in his career.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles addressed Winfield’s health at the NFL Annual Meeting on Tuesday.
“[We’re] 100% confident he’ll be healthy,” Bowles said. “He’s been training his butt off. ‘Win’ is a guy who’s going to train, he’s not going to say much, he’s going to train and get back to himself. He always has a chip on his shoulder – whether he’s a first-round pick or a free agent, he’s going to practice. Him and Lavonte [David] are going to practice the same way. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be the same guy he was two years ago.”
Winfield Jr. was not the first to have their contracts reworked. Wide receiver Mike Evans and left tackle Tristan Wirfs also had their contracts restructured as well.
These moves will be of interest to fans to see what the Bucs are going to do and if this results in a couple more things coming for the franchise.
