Last season was one of one for Tampa Bay Buccaneers star safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. The Bucs' second round pick from the 2020 NFL Draft had perhaps the greatest season not just by a safety, but perhaps by any defender in the twenty-first century.
However, given the popularity contest that it unfortunately is, that didn't earn him Pro Bowl honors for the first time in his career. Instead, Arizona safety Budda Baker, who failed to notch even a single sack, interception, forced fumble, or fumble recovery on the year, was given the nod in one of the biggest head scratchers of the selection process.
Fortunately, almost literally everyone else recognized Winfield, Jr.'s greatness, from the AP voters to the Buccaneers. Winfield received first-team All-Pro honors from the AP back in January. He also signed a mega-extension back in May with the Bucs, which set a new market high for safeties at $21 million average annual value.
The kudos didn't stop then. On Thursday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler posted a list of the top 10 safeties in the NFL based on conversations with executives, coaches, and scouts, and Winfield, Jr. came in at number one.
"Winfield had a season for the ages in 2023. He recorded six sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three interceptions.
His 27.9% ball hawk rate was the fourth highest among defensive players targeted at least 30 times. He probably should have been higher than No. 6 in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.
The Bucs unlocked Winfield by playing him more in the post in 2023 -- he was primarily a nickelback the previous season.
'He had more opportunities as a single-high defender to take throws away with his instincts, range and creating turnovers,' an NFC executive said. 'He was already excellent in run support and as a blitzer, so it was the perfect combination.'"
Winfield was actually voted the seventh-best safety by one of the voters, which is comically low. Fortunately, the rest of the group had more sense.
And ESPN's commentary is spot on, in that he deserved to be higher than #6 in Defensive Player of the Year voting. A performance like Winfield's from the safety spot - recording three or more sacks, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, and interceptions in one season - is something that comes along very rarely.
It's nice that Winfield finally got the recognition he deserved. It's also great for the Bucs and their fans that he's locked in for the next four years.
We'll see at the end of the year if the players, coaches, and fans will belatedly give Winfield, Jr. his due and vote him to the Pro Bowl in 2024.
