Buccaneers All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr. dealing with injury

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have high expectations heading into 2025.

On Wednesday, Todd Bowles revealed some concerning news. All-Pro Bucs safety, Antoine Winfield Jr., missed practice as he is dealing with a lower leg injury.

The Bucs had one of the best offenses in the NFL last season, and with each starter from that group returning, a lot of the optimism regarding the team's outlook this year stems from the continuity that exists on that side of the ball.

Not only that, but the Buccaneers are expecting a big improvement on the defensive side of the ball. After adding players like Haason Reddick, Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish -- all expected to play major roles this year -- there is reason to believe that Todd Bowles' group will be much more well-rounded this season.

One of the biggest issues that plagued the Bucs last season was missed games in the secondary. Winfield Jr., Jordan Whitehead, Jamel Dean, and Zyon McCollum all missed their fair share of games, forcing the team to turn to rely on young, unproven players on the back end of their defense.

The additions of Morrison and Parrish should immediately pay dividends from a depth perspective, but that doesn't guarantee the health of the team's most important defensive players.

HC Todd Bowles said S Antoine Winfield Jr. didn’t practice today due to a lower leg issue. No specificity on if Winfield would miss more time.
— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) August 13, 2025

Winfield's health paramount to Buccaneers success

Dec 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (31) and cornerback Tavierre Thomas (37) leave the field after the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

There's no way around it. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a significantly better football team when Antoine Winfield Jr. is in the lineup. Unfortunately, coming off a season that saw Winfield miss four consecutive regular season games on two separate occasions, questions about his durability have begun to enter the equation.

That all being said, it seems as if the team is simply being cautious with Winfield Jr.'s injury. NFL reporter Ian Rapoport reported not long after the news broke that the team still expects Winfield Jr. to be ready for Week 1.

Sounds like it's all eyes on Week 1 for Antoine Winfield. Doesn't sound like anything that'll keep him off the field for the opener. https://t.co/o7q89ufuoV
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 13, 2025

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