The Bucs landed two franchise cornerstones at the top of the 2020 NFL draft
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t just land the GOAT in the 2020 offseason; they also found a franchise cornerstone on either side of the ball, both of whom would come to define a new era for the franchise.
In the first round of the 2020 NFL draft, the Bucs moved up one spot to grab Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs. With their second-round pick, they selected safety Antoine Winfield Jr. out of Minnesota.
Both were immediately thrust into the starting lineup, making an instant impact for a team that fought their way to a Lombardi Trophy alongside Brady and a star-studded roster.
A few years later, both Wirfs and Winfield have established themselves as the best in the league at their respective positions, both earning first-team All-Pro honors.
They’re also tied for the fourth-highest career grade of any players from the 2020 draft class, according to Pro Football Focus:
Tristan Wirfs: 91.0 career PFF Grade Antoine Winfield Jr: 91.0 career PFF Grade
Both players are expected to receive long-term contract extensions at some point this year that will make them the highest-paid players at their respective positions, and with good reason.
Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin has just about every attribute required for NFL success… if he can just clean up a few rogue elements.
After Antoine Winfield Jr. left Minnesota and became a star safety with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 NFL draft, it was eventually up to Nubin to be the tone-setter in the back of the Golden Gophers’ defense. Nubin really started to live up to that in the 2021 season when, in 341 coverage snaps, he allowed eight catches on 26 targets for 128 yards, 35 yards after the catch, one touchdown, three interceptions, three pass breakups, and an absurd opponent passer rating of 21.5.
In the two seasons since, the 6-foot-1, 191-pound Nubin has been one of the NCAA’s most efficient coverage safeties. In 2023, he gave up six catches on 20 targets for 90 yards, 38 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, five interceptions, four pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 39.6.
There are a few things about Nubin’s NFL transition that cause a bit of concern that don’t show up in the metrics, but are obvious on tape. He’s got the capacity to be a top-tier deep-third safety at the next level if he works those things out. He’s not at Winfield’s level when Winfield came out of college, but the tools are impressive, and the development curve could be highly rewarding.
PLUSES
— Smart, aggressive defender in coverage when he’s got the target in front of him and can use his smooth backpedal to match and cover.
— Very quick to hide in the weeds and jump routes for pass breakups and interceptions; Nubin has a great sense for that.
— Will use that sense of timing to break to receivers and prevent receptions with hits.
— Has the open-field speed and lateral agility to credibly cover sideline-to-sideline when he’s in single-high, or half the field when in two-high.
— Comes down like a shot from the box and deep third to tackle at the line of scrimmage; when it works, it’s great. When it doesn’t, well…
MINUSES
— Recovery speed at the turn of the route is inconsistent; there are times when he’s on his target, and other times, he’ll be a step behind.
— Needs to work over the receiver too often and can run into trouble in tight spaces.
— Can be waylaid from the box to the deep third by receivers running quicker, more angular routes.
— Needs to process run fits more accurately; reads can be predetermined and he’ll hit the wrong gap.
— Similarly, he’s not always accurate with his tackling angles, and it shows up pretty clearly on tape. He had 35 missed tackles through his career at Minnesota.
Nubin has a ton of talent, and I’d love him in a quarters-heavy defense, but his NFL team will have work to do with run fits, tackling, and decisiveness in coverage. He’s not a project per se, but I’d struggle a lot with a first-round grade. I’d also like to see him in the box more often so he’s not trying to get to running backs from 20 yards upfield all the time.
Tyler Nubin, Safety, Minnesota
PLUSES
— Smart, aggressive defender in coverage when he's got the target in front of him and can use his smooth backpedal to match and cover.
— Very quick to hide in the weeds and jump routes for pass breakups and interceptions; Nubin has a… pic.twitter.com/x48tbKmwiB
See which Tampa Bay Buccaneers made Pro Football Focus’ list of the top 100 players in the NFL from last season
Pro Football Focus just released their list of the top 100 players in the NFL from the 2023 season, and a pair of Tampa Bay Buccaneers made the cut.
Left tackle Tristan Wirfs came in at the No. 50 spot, proving himself to be one of the best blockers in the league despite making the move from the right side.
Here’s what PFF had to say about Wirfs’ performance last season:
Wirfs, in his first season on the left side of the line after three years at right tackle, remained a force to be reckoned with in 2023. He allowed 24 pressures in 19 games and had seven perfect games of pass protection.
Higher up on the list was All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. at No. 19, PFF’s highest-graded safety from last season.
Here’s the note on Winfield from PFF’s rankings:
Wirfs, in his first season on the left side of the line after three years at right tackle, remained a force to be reckoned with in 2023. He allowed 24 pressures in 19 games and had seven perfect games of pass protection.
Winfield and Wirfs have become two of the best players in the league at their respective positions, as well as growing into valued leaders in the Tampa Bay locker room. The Bucs’ first two picks in the 2020 NFL draft, Winfield and Wirfs both played key roles in leading the Bucs to a Super Bowl win in their rookie season.
Both up for contract extensions at the moment, expect the Bucs to keep Winfield and Wirfs in a Tampa Bay uniform for years to come.
To check out PFF’s full list of the best players in the NFL last season, click here.
Breaking down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ safety situation heading into the 2024 offseason
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ safety position is about one name: Antoine Winfield Jr., the first-team All-Pro.
Winfield is the key to the Bucs’ entire defensive backfield. While the rest of the position is in flux, little matters while he’s on the roster.
Moreso than any other Buccaneer, Winfield single-handedly prevented the Bucs from losing games last season, forcing game changing fumbles against Minnesota and Carolina. He led all NFL defenders in forced fumbles, finished top-three among safeties in pressures, pass breakups and sacks and finished top-ten in tackles and interceptions. He was easily the Bucs’ best defensive player in 2023.
Winfield was due to become a free agent this offseason, but the Bucs applied the franchise tag to the safety, almost certainly as a placeholder while they work out a long-term deal. While on the tag, Winfield’s cap number is $17.1 million, a figure that’s likely lower than his inevitable average yearly salary on a contract extension.
(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
For as good a season Winfield had, Tampa Bay’s other starting safety, Ryan Neal, had a season to forget. He was an actual liability in coverage last year, allowing a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeted. He was adequate in run support but far from a difference-maker. His return to Tampa Bay in 2024 is unlikely.
Backup safety Dee Delaney was a solid replacement in coverage but a downgrade against the run. Rookie Kaevon Merriweather was a key special teamer if typically uneven on the handful of snaps he played on defense.
The Bucs will need to find another starter this offseason, but with an All-Pro at the other safety spot, they will enjoy plenty of flexibility in finding him a new partner.
The most obvious free agent options are former Bucs safeties Jordan Whitehead and Mike Edwards. Whitehead is still a solid starting box safety with a penchant for spurts of big plays. Similarly, Edwards is starting caliber, though his strengths lean towards coverage and ball-hawking. Neither would break the bank and are known fits for Todd Bowles’ defense.
(Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
A riskier option is the New York Jets’ Chuck Clark. After six years in Baltimore, Clark was traded to New York but tore his ACL during training camp. Clark was a reliable safety before he hurt his knee and could revitalize his career in Tampa Bay.
Safety likely will not be a priority for the Bucs in the draft, but they could look to bolster their safety room in the middle and late rounds. Prime targets could be Utah’s 2023 safety tandem, Sione Vaki and Cole Bishop. Both are NFL-caliber athletes and were impressive at the NFL Combine. Vaki excels more in coverage while Bishop is a little stronger in run defense. Either would fit next to Winfield.
A dark horse candidate is Maryland’s Beau Brade. He is a bigger defensive back at 6’1″ and 210 pounds and plays with an aggressiveness to match. Though he is not as impressive an athlete as Vaki or Bishop, Brade fits the attitude profile of a Todd Bowles safety.
All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was always going to stay in Tampa Bay, and a long-term deal should quickly follow the franchise tag
The least surprising news of the day for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday was placing the franchise tag on All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. just ahead of the league deadline.
While many other fan bases may have had hopes of Winfield hitting free agency, that was never going to happen.
Whether it was the franchise tag or a long-term contract extension, Winfield was always going to stay in Tampa Bay for the foreseeable future. Placing the tag on Winfield not only locks him in for the 2024 season, but also gives the Bucs more time to work out a new deal that should make Winfield the highest-paid safety in the NFL.
A second-round pick out of Minnesota in 2020, Winfield made an immediate impact for the Bucs, helping them win a Super Bowl as a rookie. He’s since established himself as arguably the best safety in the game, and at 25 years old, he’s just now entering the prime of his career.
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Winfield has not only become a dynamic playmaker on the field, but also a respected leader in the locker room, something that has been extremely valuable as the Bucs have transitioned out of the Tom Brady era. Young players like Winfield stepping into those leadership roles has been a huge reason why the Bucs are currently riding a three-year streak of winning the NFC South, and should be the favorites to do it again next season.
So, while it’s understandable that fans across the league may be disappointed that Winfield won’t be available on the open market when free agency kicks off next week, the reality is that the Bucs were never going to let that happen under any circumstances.
The franchise tag will keep Winfield in Tampa Bay for the short-term, but don’t be surprised when a long-term extension is announced in the coming weeks or months that ensures he’ll remain a Buc for much longer.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are placing the franchise tag on All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are placing the franchise tag on star safety Antoine Winfield Jr., per multiple reports.
A first-team All-Pro last season, Winfield has established himself as arguably the best safety in the NFL, putting up historic numbers for the Bucs last season. Winfield’s knack for making big plays in clutch moments led to the former second-round pick out of Minnesota saving multiple games almost single-handedly in 2023.
It’s still expected that Winfield and the Bucs will come to an agreement on a long-term contract that will make him the highest-paid safety in the entire league, but for now, using the franchise tag will give both parties more time to hammer out that bigger deal down the road.
Make no mistake, Winfield isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Buccaneers officially are placing their franchise tag on S Antoine Winfield Jr., but really as a placeholder until the two sides can hammer out a long-term deal that they continue to work on and want to get done, per sources. pic.twitter.com/0DjzQYAvA4
Re-signing Mike Evans should set off a chain reaction that sees the Bucs keep all of their most important free agents this offseason
The first big domino has fallen for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2024 offseason, as star wide receiver Mike Evans has agreed to terms on a new two-year contract extension.
Keeping Evans from hitting the open market is a huge win for the Bucs, and now, it allows them to move to the next order of business in their free agency plan.
Now that Evans is secured for the next two seasons, Tampa Bay can focus their attentions on the rest of their big-name free agent class, which has key players on both sides of the ball who will also need new contracts.
The next shoe to drop could be a new deal for quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is coming off the best season of his career, and clearly developed a valuable connection with Evans last year. Now that Evans is back in the fold, it would make sense for the Bucs to hammer something out with Mayfield, who should be enticed to build on last year’s success in Tampa Bay rather than chasing a few million extra dollars with a new team, where he’d have to start over yet again.
Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports
Tampa Bay also has some key players on defense who are on expiring contracts.
Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is the prize of the group, as arguably the best safety in the entire NFL at just 25 years old. At worst, the Bucs will keep him with the franchise tag, but they’d prefer to work out a long-term deal that would ensure Winfield remains a cornerstone of their defense for years to come, as well as giving them more financial flexibility with this year’s salary cap.
Both of Tampa Bay’s starting inside linebackers are headed for free agency, and while Devin White is the younger of the two, it’s unlikely the Bucs make an offer to keep him after he was basically benched toward the end of last season in favor of K.J. Britt, and relegated to a rotational role.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Longtime captain Lavonte David is the linebacker the Bucs will want to retain, as he proved last year that he’s still one of the best in the league at his position, even at 33 years old. If he wants to keep playing, another one-year deal should keep him in Tampa Bay.
The underrated free agent the Bucs also want to keep around is kicker Chase McLaughlin, who was nearly automatic last season. That kind of stability in the kicking game is invaluable, and Tampa Bay will want to reward McLaughlin for giving it to them.
There’s plenty more work for the Bucs to do if they want to keep their big-name free agents from hitting the market next week, but getting a deal done with Evans was a critical first step that should set off a chain reaction in the coming days in which Mayfield, Winfield, David and McLaughlin should all end up with new deals to stay in Tampa Bay.
Winfield Jr. has been a notable candidate for the tag this offseason, and we now know exactly how much that tag will cost.
The financial world of the NFL experienced a seismic change Friday afternoon. The NFL announced its 2024 salary cap will be $255.4 million for each team next season. It’s a $30 million jump from 2023’s salary cap.
The change gives way to new franchise and transition tag numbers, which will open up options for the Bucs to reclaim players during the offseason.
Tampa Bay’s 2023 All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield is one of the biggest priorities for the Bucs to sign during the offseason. Now, if Tampa Bay franchise tags the safety, it’ll cost the team $17.1 million next season.
It’s expected the Bucs will opt to franchise tag Winfield rather than signing him to a long-term deal. If tagged, he’ll receive nearly $5 million more than what he would’ve been tagged for in 2023.
So if Bucs want to use franchise tag on Antoine Winfield, it’ll cost $17.1 million for him to play in 2024: https://t.co/YnynGj9Td3
Quite a few Bucs could earn some big money this offseason. See just how much four of Tampa Bay’s biggest free agents could make per year after free agency:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some decisions to make in the coming month.
The team has quite a few notable free agents, with players like Mike Evans, Baker Mayfield and Antoine Winfield Jr. being major contributors in the team’s 2023 run that saw them reach the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs. The Bucs will likely want most of their free agents back, but whether or not they are able to do so will depend on what each player wants and what they can make work going forward in 2024 and beyond.
Spotrac estimates the market value per year for the top free agents of the league, and they’ve given four evaluations for the Bucs. Check out the ballpark number for four big Tampa Bay free agents down below:
The Carolina Panthers probably won’t be hunting down some of the best safeties on the open market this offseason. Heck, they’re likely to depart with a pretty decent-sized name of their own.
Nonetheless, let’s wrap these rankings up and give you the top 12 safeties of free agency.
