Bucs UDFA Safety Reminds Antoine Winfield Jr. Of Himself

As far as safeties in the league go, the Bucs have a premiere talent in Antoine Winfield Jr. But after Winfield, a Super Bowl LV champion and 2021 Pro Bowler, and free agent signing Ryan Neal, the depth at safety is questionable at best – and incredibly young.

After the aforementioned safeties, the five other players that the Bucs have on their roster at that position are all undrafted free agents with the exception of this year’s sixth-round pick, Josh Hayes. Four out of the five are rookies.

Nolan Turner is the only second-year player and technically the second longest tenured Buccaneer at safety after Winfield. The other safeties are Hayes, who is spending most of his time at nickelback, Kaevon Merriweather out of Iowa, Christian Izien from Rutgers and Delaware product Kedrick Whitehead.

Antoine Winfield Jr. Sees Potential In Bucs’ Safety

Could any of these players end up having an important role for the Bucs’ defense this year? Someone needs to step up just for the Bucs to have depth at the position and Antoine Winfield Jr. already has his eye on one of the plays. Because he has a similar build, Winfield has been a fan of what Izien has brought to practice each day.

“He reminds me of myself,” the 5-foot-9, 203-pound Winfield said. “We’re kind of similar stature. He’s put into the same roles that I was in so it’s good seeing him out there. He’s learning, he’s a smart player, but he’s learning.”