Tampa Bay Buccaneers free safety Antoine Winfield Jr. still has a reputation around the league as one of the elite players at his position and one of the best players in the NFL overall, but even Bucs fans have to admit their disappointment with the talented defensive back over the past couple of seasons. He's been quiet this season with zero passes defended or tackles for loss in five games.
Granted, Winfield has been injured and only just came back last weekend to face the Atlanta Falcons, and he played pretty well, benefiting from the elements with seven tackles in the shutout win. But when ranking the best Buccaneers defensive backs, he's actually been the weak link of arguably the best secondary in the league this season. Zyon McCollum, Jacob Parrish, Tykee Smith, and Keionte Scott are all playing at a Pro Bowl level, while Winfield has, in all honesty, been pretty subpar.
The Buccaneers are going to need Winfield to be a star again this weekend against the Chicago Bears, because as the free safety against a Ben Johnson-coached offense, he'll be the last line of defense against Chicago's explosive passing game.
Buccaneers need Antoine Winfield Jr. to take over against the Bears
Chicago's offense made the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl winning-defense look like a JV squad in primetime last week, and after that statement win, the Bears are emerging as true championship contender this season.
Antoine Winfield Jr. has shown, even when he was at his best years ago for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense, that he can be prone to getting burned deep. He isn't the most traditional free safety, and tends to play his best near the line of scrimmage. The duo of Luther Burden and Rome Odunze is one of the best tandems in the entire NFL at making big plays, especially with the downfield accuracy of Bears star quarterback Caleb Williams.
The Buccaneers veteran safety is going to have to be on high alert on Sunday, because Odunze and Burden have the speed, athleticism, and YAC ability in open field to embarrass Winfield if he brings anything less than his "A" game.
Now, a Winfield at his best is one of the top safeties in the league, and the Buccaneers are going to need to see that on Sunday. He has to pull his weight against two big-play receivers who average at least 10 yards per target.
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