Written by @davide_street17
Jessie Bates III may have more interceptions, and Kyle Hamilton may have more passes defended, but Antoine Winfield Jr. stands out as the best safety in the NFL due to his versatility. If you watched the previous episode of Total Sports Talk, you saw me vouching for Winfield. Now, yes, I am a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan, so I am admittedly biased. However, I believe a strong case can be made for my assertion.
Winfield By The Numbers
I mentioned Winfield’s versatility. As of today, he has 110 tackles, five sacks, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three interceptions, and 12 passes defended. According to Bucs reporter Scott Smith, Winfield is the first player since the league started tracking fumbles in 1999 to have at least 100 tackles and at least three sacks, interceptions, forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries.
We also have to give a nod to his tackling abilities because he is, hands down, the best tackling safety in the NFL. You want proof? There are nine safeties who have at least 100 tackles. Does Winfield lead safeties in tackles? No, he does not. But what he lacks in quantity, he more than makes up for in efficiency. Of all the safeties with at least 100 tackles, Winfield has the fewest missed tackles (six) and the lowest missed tackle percentage (5.2%). When he has his eyes on his target, he almost never misses.
Consistent Play
But it goes beyond the numbers. Just watch Winfield play, and you’ll see how much of an impact he makes on the field. The Bucs have been inconsistent for much of the season, but one thing that has not been inconsistent is Winfield’s play. It’s one of the most significant reasons the Bucs haven’t completely fallen off a cliff and also why they’re atop the NFC South while riding a four-game winning streak after they were 4-7 at one point.
Pay The Man
Winfield is not just a stat-producing machine; he’s also a leader. With all due respect to Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, the Bucs would not be in first place in the NFC South without Winfield. He has earned a massive payday, and I look forward to watching him give offenses nightmares for many more years to come.
Photo retrieved from bucsnation.com