Bucs hope Antonio Winfield Jr. can get back to his old self

After a season in which injuries and roster instability forced the Buccaneers‘ secondary into constant adjustments, the All-Pro safety is hopeful that a healthier and revamped defensive backfield will allow him to return to his natural role as a movable chess piece in Todd Bowles’ defense. Winfield has built his reputation on versatility.

Over his career, he has lined up deep as a traditional free safety, walked into the box as a run defender, blitzed off the edge, and even matched up in the slot against receivers and tight ends. But that type of freedom depends heavily on stability around him, and that was something the Buccaneers struggled to maintain at times last season.

Now, with the secondary retooled and key contributors back healthy, Winfield is seeing the kind of structure that could open things back up. The Buccaneers have invested heavily in rebuilding depth and flexibility in the defensive backfield, giving Bowles more options to mix coverages and disguise pressures without overloading any single player. That balance is exactly what Winfield believes could restore his ability to roam.

“I just want to be able to move around and impact the game in different ways,” Winfield has indicated in offseason conversations, a mindset that aligns closely with how Bowles deploys his safeties when the defense is operating at full strength. In past seasons, Winfield’s role often expanded out of necessity, especially when injuries hit the cornerback room or when the pass rush needed additional support.

While he thrived in those moments, it also limited how consistently he could be used as a true matchup weapon rather than a reactive piece. With a healthier group in place, Tampa Bay can now afford to be more intentional with its usage. That could mean more disguised blitz packages, more slot matchups against tight ends, and more opportunities for Winfield to rotate between deep coverage and box responsibilities.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs’ Antoine Winfield Jr. can return to form in 2026