During this offseason, nine players were designated with the franchise tag by their respective teams. Of these, seven have already inked new deals, either with their current teams like Justin Madubuike, Jaylon Johnson, Michael Pittman, Kyle Dugger, and Josh Allen or through a trade to a new team like Brian Burns and L’Jarius Sneed.
However, two players remain unsigned: Tee Higgins, the wide receiver for the Bengals who has expressed his desire for a trade, and Antoine Winfield, the safety for the Buccaneers. Negotiations are underway for Winfield to secure a contract that would position him as the highest-paid safety in the league.
There’s optimism surrounding the potential agreement, especially with the mid-July deadline looming for franchise-tagged players to finalize multi-year contracts.
Analysis: Winfield’s Path to a Lucrative Contract
Winfield, who is set to turn 26 this offseason, was selected in the second round (No. 45) in the 2020 NFL Draft. His recent achievements include earning First Team All-Pro honors after a standout season, tallying a career-best 122 tackles, along with three interceptions, 12 passes defensed, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, six sacks, and eight quarterback hits.
With such an impressive resume, Winfield is considered among the elite safeties in the league, deserving of a lucrative contract. The safety market has seen significant shifts this offseason, with several high-caliber players released due to salary-cap constraints, leading to an influx of talent.
Despite these changes, the top end of the market has remained stable, highlighted by Derwin James’ four-year, $76 million deal, with $38.6 million guaranteed, and Minkah Fitzpatrick’s four-year, $73 million contract, including $36 million in guarantees.
Winfield’s franchise tag for the 2024 season stands at $17.1 million, often serving as a reference point for contract negotiations. Based on this, his anticipated contract value falls between $18.8 million and $21.7 million annually, reflecting his status as the highest-paid safety in the league. While the final figures are yet to be determined, expectations are for a substantial contract for Winfield.
