Packers Urged to Sign All-Pro to Headline New-Look Secondary.

The Green Bay Packers will likely attempt to remodel the secondary this offseason, and at least one analyst feels general manager Brian Gutekunst should shop at the top of the free agent market to do it.

After allowing Darnell Savage‘s contract to void, the veteran safety in all likelihood will be somewhere in 2024. However, ESPN’s Aaron Schatz says the Packers should sign Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr. as a top replacement, and upgrade at the position.

“The Packers’ top three safeties from last season are all free agents: Darnell Savage, Rudy Ford, and Jonathan Owens,” Schatz points out. “That leaves just rookie seventh-round pick Anthony Johnson and a couple of stragglers who rarely played. This gives the perfect chance for the Packers to replenish the position with young free agents who can hold down things on defense for the next few years.

“The best addition would be 26-year-old Antoine Winfield Jr. if Tampa Bay somehow lets him leave.”

Schatz also lists ascending talent Xavier McKinney of the New York Giants, New England Patriots veteran Kyle Dugger, and New York Jets standout Jordan Whitehead as potential targets for the Packers.

Winfield Jr. is a prime option for the Buccaneers to deploy the franchise tag, in order to keep the former second-round pick in Tampa, especially with reports the team has began talks with quarterback Baker Mayfield on a long-term deal extension.

However, if Winfield Jr. enters the open market on March 13, there’s little question that he would be a plug-and-play upgrade in the Packers’ secondary.

What Antoine Winfield Jr. Would Bring The Packers

An emerging star, Winfield is coming off the best season of his career.

“Antoine is the best player on that entire team,” an NFC Defensive Coach told Heavy, on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about another team. “Simply put, he checks every single box.”

As impactful a box defender as Winfield is, registering six sacks in 2023, he’s similarly consistent in deep coverage. Pro Football Focus reminds out that opposing quarterbacks produced a paltry 71 passer rating when targeting him as receivers averaged only 12 yards per reception.

Winfield’s flexibility might make him a perfect fit for Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hatley’s scheme, which is focused on constant pressure from all angles.

Through the first four seasons of his career, Winfield Jr. has registered 384 total tackles — including a career-high 122 in 2023, with 15 sacks and seven interceptions.

There is little doubt that replacing Winfield Jr. for Savage would be the kind of move that raises a whole defense.

Can The Packers Afford to Sign Antoine Winfield Jr.?

Regardless of how simple a transition from Savage to Winfield Jr. could go, and how great an upgrade the former Buccaneers star would be on the back end of the Packers’ defense, it will take some effort for Green Bay to be in a position to sign him.

That’s because as the new league year approaches, the Packers have just $12.45 million in cap room. Green Bay was boosted tremendously by the NFL stating that the salary ceiling in 2024 would jump to a historic $255.4 million per club.

However, Winfield Jr. could be on the edge of being the highest-paid safety in the league.

Along with establishing a higher salary limit, the NFL stated that the franchise tag fee for safeties would come in at $17.12 million.

According to Spotrac, Winfield Jr. could earn a five-year deal worth upwards of $92.25 million, while averaging $18.4 million, year.

If Winfield Jr. is on the Packers’ radar, Gutekunst and the front office have much work to do in order to create enough budget freedom to make one of the offseason’s largest additions.

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