Bucs Star Defender Shares Thoughts on Position Change
Buccaneers' stud safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is likely to take on a new, but familiar, role in head coach Todd Bowles' defense in 2023. Following one of the Bucs' first organized team activities (OTAs), Winfield Jr. took time to speak to the media and discussed his transition back to his normal role of free safety - the position he played coming in as a rookie.
This past season, Winfield Jr. was able to show off his versatility in the backfield of the defense lining up at both free safety and slot corner when the Bucs were in nickel defense - which they played a ton of last season. This was evidenced by the fact that Winfield nearly doubled his snaps at the slot corner position (445) compared to the free safety spot (236).
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Winfield Jr. may be one of the more multi-faceted and versatile safeties in the league, however, his natural position is being able to roam the field and make plays no matter what defense is called. This is exactly what Winfield was able to do during his rookie season at the free safety position on the Bucs' path to their second-ever Super Bowl. During that season, Winfield posted 94 tackles (64 solo), three sacks, an interception, six passes defended, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery through 16 regular season games, and also had an incredible playoff appearance accumulating an interception, two passes defended and a critical forced fumble.
Now that he is switching back to his most comfortable position, Winfield is looking forward the change.
"I will probably be in the middle of the field more," Winfield assessed. "I like having that freedom to roam around and be in the middle of the field, have that presence…I'm able to play around and cover different things than being in the slot."
Bucs' head coach, Todd Bowles, also echoed the praises of Winfield and what he is able to do from a football perspective during the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.
"His tackling is outstanding, his intensity is outstanding, what he does for the team is outstanding," Todd Bowles described at the 2023 Scouting Combine. "I think he's one of our top three defensive players. He can only get better with experience, you know?... I don't want to move him around as much this coming season than I have this year – I'll try to leave him at one spot as best as I can," said Bowles. "I think he'll master that spot and get even better for us."
With some pieces now gone from the Bucs' defense, things will definitely look different, but one thing will remain the same - the team will get the most out of their young, star safety in Winfield Jr.
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