Free agents for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to be highly rated across the NFL.
Pro Football Focus released their top 200 free agents on Monday, and five Tampa Bay Buccaneers players not only made the cut, but were featured in the top 75 players. Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was ranked the highest at No. 8, followed by wide receiver Mike Evans (No. 13), linebacker Lavonte David (No. 39), linebacker Devin White (No., 73) and quarterback Baker Mayfield (No. 75).
Here’s what they had to say about Winfield Jr., who is their sixth-highest defensive free agent on the list:
“Winfield can line up in the box, take on receivers in the slot and play as a roaming deep-third free safety, finding success in single-high and two-high coverage shells. The former second-round pick is a difference-maker on the backend, and his remarkable versatility carries value at a position that appreciates it more than perhaps any other.”
Winfield Jr. is a likely candidate for a franchise tag coming up, so it’s likely he remains with the Bucs. Mayfield, too, has strong links to Tampa Bay, and although he’ll likely test free agency, a stable team after his hectic 2022 and stability with new offensive coordinator Liam Coen are likely to woo him back to the Bucs. Unless a very small deal could be reached, White is the most likely of the group to leave, as he’s vastly underplayed his worth the past few years.
Evans and David are somewhat more complicated. While it’s hard to imagine David playing anywhere else if he does intend to play in 2024, he could still end up retiring. Evans will likely favor Tampa Bay in negotiations in free agency, but a team that could offer him above market value may be enough to lure him away if the Bucs don’t match of get in the ballpark of a big offer.
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