More Details On Antoine Winfield Jr.’s Contract

ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted out the allotted payments that Antoine Winfield Jr. will receive each season. He will get $24 million in 2024 and $21 million in 2025. The important detail for these two seasons is that they are all guaranteed. In 2026, Antoine Winfield Jr will get $19.5 million followed by $19.6 million in 2027, the final year of his contract.

While the guaranteed money is most important, the average annual value is pretty well rounded out through the four years. The initial two seasons give more to Winfield, but it’s well balanced with not a crazy difference. In other mega contracts, the later years see gigantic numbers to the point where teams have no choice but to release their player after the guaranteed money is over or ask them to take a pay cut.

That won’t be the case for the Bucs and they’d be crazy to even think of letting go their All-Pro safety down the road, but thankfully this contract ensures that they don’t really even have to consider it. Antoine Winfield Jr. will be 26 in August, so he can likely get himself another big dig deal when this contract is done.

Bucs’ Cap Hit On Antoine Winfield Jr. Deal

Tampa Bay’s front office has done a fantastic job in getting their star players the money they deserve while also making sure their yearly salary cap doesn’t take too much of a hit.

They do this in several ways, including signing bonuses and void years that still get each player the full value but lessens the amount that ends up on the cap.

The Bucs did this again with Antoine Winfield Jr.’s new contract. Pewter Report has reported that his cap hit for this upcoming season will be $7.3 million, which saves them another $10 million. This allows the Bucs financial flexibility to sign the rest of their rookie draft class and have some money left over to sign other free agents throughout the season if they need to.

It’s been a great offseason for the Bucs’ safeties, who must have a joyful room going into this year. Winfield and Jordan Whitehead both got new contracts and are able to reunite for the first time in three seasons. Meanwhile, Tykee Smith was drafted in the third round and enters the NFL playing with two great players at that position.

Winfield is going to to lead the room coming off of an All-Pro season. What will he do next? Maybe winning defensive player of the year is another goal that isn’t too far off.