Antoine Winfield No. 16
June 6th, 2024
He’s valuable.
Joe doesn’t know if this is bad or good.
Seth Walder of BSPN had a list of his top 100 most valuable players. Walder, a guy who never saw a number he didn’t like, based this strictly on a twisted numerical formula he hatched. Naturally.
At times, Joe really doesn’t believe Walder watches football. That’s normally a bad cliché, you know, like dudes who work for websites are “living in mom’s basement.” But how else can you explain how Walder’s formula has Dak Prescott as the league MVP?
Or as he put it, “the real” MVP? In this list, Walder has Bucs All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield as the league’s 16th-best player.
Safeties are the hardest position in football to quantify, but in the case of Winfield, his production makes his value obvious. The Pro Bowl snub had three interceptions, six sacks, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. On top of that, he led all defensive backs with at least 50 qualifying plays in run stop win rate (41%).
At least Walder is onto something here. In Joe’s mind, there was no better defender on the Bucs last season than Winfield.
Winfield was quite literally all over the field for the Bucs making several game-changing plays. it did not matter if a ball carrier was running down the left sideline and Winfield was at the far hashmark. He found a way to get there and affect the play.
Winfield’s ability to read how plays develop quickly and react just as quickly is way overlooked. His two forced fumbles at the goal line — the second may have saved the Bucs’ playoff hopes — were evidence of this.
Joe doesn’t think it is hyperbole to suggest without Winfield, the Bucs may have had a losing record last year and possibly, the Bucs would be breaking in a new coach this fall.
That’s how valuable Winfield was.
June 6th, 2024 at 2:00 am
He’s worth every cent. In two years his contract will be a bargain. In Greenberg we trust.
June 6th, 2024 at 3:25 am
Please stop Joe! Guys you find at BSPN, CBS, SI….etc. These are folks I would not hire to run the French Fry machine at Micky Ds! There is a cliche for you!
Geez!
Go Bucs!
June 6th, 2024 at 5:13 am
Todd owes Winfield a lifetime supply of prime beef tenderloins, and a place at the head of the table for Bowels family picnics. Todd would be executive spokesman for an AI company right now if not for Winfield.
June 6th, 2024 at 7:04 am
He is Da Man…. The acorn did not fall far from the tree with him.
June 6th, 2024 at 7:36 am
Exactly! B&B can both thank Winfield for saving their jobs last year.
June 6th, 2024 at 7:39 am
On an earlier thread a poster said, “Pump the brakes it’s only June”. I totally get and respect that. It’s the LOGICAL take of a football analyst.
But forgive me. I am not an analyst, I am a FAN!!! I’m not pumping the brakes it’s not in my DNA! I’m going to ENJOY all the many reasons to join #teampositive as we head into the ’24 season. Full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes this team has some genuine potential.
Is potential always realized? NO! But who gives an f? This is not the time for “objectivity”. There will be plenty of time for that late in the season or when it ends. For now jump on the bandwagon while there is still room.
GO BUCS!!!
June 6th, 2024 at 7:47 am
There’s plenty of room for objectivity in fandom.
June 6th, 2024 at 7:47 am
Bad or good? It’s neither. It’s irrelevant. As a ranking by just some guy, it has zero effect on what happens on the field.
June 6th, 2024 at 7:54 am
This makes no sense.
Everyone knows the only reason the Bucs won any games is because of Baker.
If not for him, well you know the story. If not just keep reading. Baker is the……… Wait, @Joe, are you saying AWJr saved Todd AND Baker’s job?
Interesting take Jose’s
June 6th, 2024 at 7:56 am
Antoine should be in the top fifteen along with Mike Evans. They have him at 43. That is not right. I am confused about Dak too. Are they trying to hurry up his contract for him? Number one, unbelievable!
June 6th, 2024 at 7:58 am
Absent that dude we are 7-10, probably talking about our new coach right now
June 6th, 2024 at 8:45 am
How he didn’t win DPOY is beyond me. Those are some of the best safety stats you will ever see. 3 more picks and fans would have rioted.
Scary Part?
Whitehead makes him even better!!!!
June 6th, 2024 at 8:56 am
I agree that “Safeties are the hardest position in football to quantify” but I would also add IOL are hard to quantify.
During the draft, the media loves to talk about QB’s, left tackles, and edge players. Fortunately Licht understands you also want safeties and lineman too. Licht brought in Win and Win is a Winner.
I’m optimistic that Licht has delivered some IOL players who can win games by preventing sacks and scoring TDs in the red zone.
June 6th, 2024 at 9:24 am
Exactly right, stpetebucFan. We are all fans! We are under 100 days until our first NFL game. Under 70 days until our first preseason game. But whose counting… Go Bucs!
June 6th, 2024 at 10:57 am
A. Winfield is the best safety in the league and there hasn’t been one like him since Ed Reed. He’s going to get more picks this season and be DPOY. Write that down
June 6th, 2024 at 12:36 pm
I am reminded of Cody Grimm who was so promising. Here’s hoping that AW keeps his already high standards up.
June 6th, 2024 at 2:32 pm
Imagine how much better he can be with an overall better secondary and a consistent pass rush. YaYa and Kancey need to flourish!
If that happens, then we are talking top five defense
June 6th, 2024 at 9:04 pm
@Bibfortuna. Nice comparison! Cody had the instincts and the ability to be where the ball was. AW has that with more speed to make game changing plays. No knock on Cody at all but obviously AW has more attributes to make a much different outcome.
June 6th, 2024 at 9:45 pm
St Pete is correct, objectivity will kick in when there’s a sample size to weigh against. Game 4 or 5 maybe. Right now we don’t have many facts about how this team is going to perform, so getting excited about what our players might be capable of this season is more than warranted.