Antoine Winfield Contract Called Out As “Player-Friendly”
June 28th, 2025
Antoine Winfield, Jr.
In theory, a team wants to hear how its roster is loaded with “team-friendly” contracts.
The alternative is scary, a bunch of player-friendly deals like the Dolphins and other mismanaged teams have.
Thankfully, the Bucs have a pile of team-friendly contracts on the books. Baker Mayfield’s deal is Exhibit-A. He’s underpaid nearly $20 million a year.
ESPN.com dropped a feature today focused on “team-friendly” contracts and those that are “player-friendly.” They chose one of each at various positions.
Antoine Winfield was given a victory nod at safety.
The deal: Four years, $84.1 million with $45 million fully guaranteed at signing and $45 million in total guarantees
Winfield is the league’s second-highest-paid safety by average annual salary, just slightly behind [Kerby] Joseph. But the rest of the deal is great for Winfield in comparison.
Winfield got a $20 million roster bonus in 2024 and fully guaranteed salaries of $4 million in 2024 and $21 million in 2025. He’s sure to make $45 million over the first two years of the deal and would make $64.5 million over the first three if he stays in Tampa Bay. It’s strong money, given the rest of the safety market.
Winfield had an off-year last season after an All-Pro 2023 campaign. He missed eight games with injuries. So it seems obvious that his decline was because of his foot and knee issues, though Hall of Fame cornerback Rondé Barber said on his WFLA-TV streaming show this week that Winfield underachieved last season “when he was healthy.” And Barber loves saying how he’s an insider who watches all Bucs game film.
Joe can’t be sure of everything that knocked Winfield’s game from consistently spectacular to consistently meh.
If he’s back to form this season, then his contract certainly will be “team-friendly.” That’s how good Winfield was two seasons ago.
Ira Kaufman Dives Deep Into The Many Angles Of The Todd Bowles Contract Extension, Rondé Barber’s Insider Comments & Chest-Pounding, And Much More