Tampa Bay’s secondary will without its highest-paid member for the time being. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is dealing with an ankle and foot sprain suffered on Sunday, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. 
Winfield is set to miss a “couple weeks” as a result of the ailment, Schultz adds. Tampa’s cornerback depth was tested in Week 1, and Bryce Hall is likely out for the season. Missing Winfield for any period of time would deal a more notable blow to the Buccaneers’ defense, of course. Fox Sports’ Greg Auman notes Winfield’s timeline may actually be in the three-to-four week range.
The 26-year-old was a full-time starter throughout his first four seasons with Tampa. In 2023, he set career highs in tackles (122), sacks (six), interceptions (three) and pass breakups (12) while leading the league with six forced fumbles. Filling that statsheet to that extent earned him a first-team All-Pro nod and cemented his status as a prime extension candidate.
Winfield was one of many Buccaneers who received a long-term deal in the offseason keeping him in place for the foreseeable future. The Minnesota product landed $84.1MM on a four-year extension, making him the league’s highest-paid defensive back at the time. The lead in terms of AAV briefly went to Patrick Surtain before returning to fellow corner Jalen Ramsey, but the lucrative nature of Tampa’s Winfield commitment underscores his importance to the team’s defense.
The Buccaneers brought back Jordan Whitehead in free agency after he spent two years with the Jets. The 27-year-old played every snap in the team’s win over the Commanders, and he will be counted on to remain a full-time starter with Winfield temporarily out of the fold. Christian Izien worked as a safety in training camp this year after he played as a slot corner during his rookie campaign; the former UDFA ended Sunday as a boundary corner due to injuries, but he could return to the backend as early as Week 2.
Tampa Bay also has veteran Tavierre Thomas and third-round rookie Tykee Smith in place. Both players have experience at multiple spots in the secondary, and the team’s healthy defensive backs may need to wear multiple hats depending on the health situation at corner. No one player will be expected to duplicate Winfield’s versatility while he is away, but the Bucs will need to find a means of replacing his production for the coming weeks.
It could be worse…but at least there is a backup plan
As usual with today’s game players going down like flies.