Bucs go defense in Round 2, adding S Antoine Winfield, Jr.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. in the second round of the NFL draft on Friday night.
Winfield was the 13th player player taken in Round 2 — No. 45 overall — and joins first-round selection Tristan Wirfs as the latest players acquired to help Tom Brady be successful with the six-time Super Bowl champion’s new team.
Winfield is the son of one-time Pro Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield, Sr., who was a first-round draft pick of the Buffalo Bills in 1999.
Drafting Wirfs addressed a glaring need on offense, where Tampa Bay has a chance to be among the best in the league after adding Brady and one of his favorite targets, Rob Gronkowski, this offseason.
The 6-foot-5, 265-pound All-Big Ten selection and Outland Trophy semifinalist was the last of four highly regarded tackles selected within the first 13 picks.
And while general manager Jason Licht declined to say how the Bucs rated the former Iowa star among that group of players, the GM and coach Bruce Arians liked Wirfs enough that they traded up one shot from No. 14 to get him.
The price was a fourth-round draft pick.
“We had to give up a little capital. … But in this case, we thought because of the player, the position — but especially because of the player — it was worth it,” Licht said.
“On the tape he’s a powerful, powerful run-blocker — extremely light-footed. You see everything you’re looking for, it’s just when is he going to be ready,” Arians said, adding that the Bucs are not in a position where they have rush Wirfs’ development.
“We did spend a lot of time talking to him. We did virtual interviews. Did everything to get to know him,” Arians added. “He’s a very, very humble, quiet guy. I really like the guy. I think it’s going to be a really good fit.”
Arians and Licht are also confident the Bucs will be improved defensively, too, after placing the franchise tage on NFL sack leader Shaquil Barrett and re-signing linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul and tackle Ndamukong Suh.
The remainder of the draft is about bolstering depth.
Winfield will compete for playing time in a young secondary that finished last season with three rookie starters — cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean, as well as safety Mike Edwards.
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL