Predicting where each of the top-30 NFL free agents will sign

9. Antoine Winfield Jr.
Previous Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Future Team: Atlanta Falcons

So, Evans signs with the Falcons, and Antoine Winfield follows him. First, let’s talk about Winfield’s chops. He started his career as a cornerback, but like so many, he moved to safety and he’s excelling. He finished last year with 122 total tackles, six sacks, three interceptions, 12 passes defensed, six forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries. That’s truly an amazing stat line. 

Winfield is going to cash in on his great stats. The Bucs could franchise tag him, as he would likely go down as a safety, not a cornerback, making him incredibly cheaper to retain. That could drive them to use a tag, but it’s possible the Bucs don’t want to spend the money it takes to keep him. Winfield, beyond the franchise tag, is going to command north of $20 million per season. 

The Bucs have the lowest amount of dead money in the league, responsible for just over $200,000. They were smart with their money, but that has come with some hard decisions. 

Winfield would join A.J. Terrell as a great tandem in the NFC South. This division is up for grabs, and the Falcons have the desire to go all in on this year. They still need a quarterback, but they are locking up every other position of weakness.