Bucs Nation
We conclude the defensive side of the team with the safeties.
The defensive side of our Buccaneers quarter century team wraps up with the safeties. Let’s dive right into it.
The Bucs came away with Tristan Wirfs AND Antoine Winfield, Jr. in top 50 picks of 2020 NFL Draft – let Jason Licht cook.
Winfield’s role on defense was nearly as critical as Wirfs’s was on offense. The son of NFL legend Antoine Winfield Sr., the junior Winfield stepped in and immediately became a full-season starter, forming a strong trio with Mike Edwards and Jordan Whitehead.
He made a huge impact throughout the 2020 playoff run, starting three of the four games and logging 18 total tackles, 2 passes defensed, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble – and one very iconic peace sign.
His play continued to ascend in the years following, including a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro nod. In 68 starts, Winfield has collected 444 tackles (20 for loss), 17 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, 9 fumble recoveries, and 7 interceptions.
The 27-year-old dealt with a litany of injuries in 2024, but early reports from training camp indicate a reinvigorated Winfield heading into 2025. He should continue to cement his Bucs legacy.
Another safety serving a key role in a Super Bowl victory, Dexter Jackson didn’t enjoy as long of a Bucs tenure but still made a prominent impact in his time.
Originally a fourth rounder in 1999, Jackson played as a backup for two seasons before being a quality starter in 2001 and 2002. He helped solidify the backend of the secondary alongside Hall of Famer John Lynch, and Jackson’s two early interceptions in Super Bowl 37 cemented him MVP honors for the game.
He left the team in 2003 but returned shortly after for 2004-05 to provide additional help before finishing his career in Cincinnati.
In six seasons and 73 games for Tampa (42 starts), he logged 251 total tackles, 8 interceptions, 19 passes defensed, 3 forced fumbles, and 3.5 sacks.
Tanard Jackson could’ve been Tampa’s next great safety but continually self-sabotaged en route to essentially earning a lifetime ban from the NFL.
Drafted in 2007, Jackson immediately made an impact as a rookie by earning a full-time starting role in Monte Kiffin’s defense – no easy feat. He proceeded to play well the following season but started running into trouble thereafter with drug-related suspensions. Truncated 2010-11 seasons eventually resulted in his indefinite ban.
In five years, Jackson started every game he played (56) and tallied 239 tackles, 10 interceptions (2 pick-6s), 5 forced fumbles, and 6 fumble recoveries. His talent for ranging the backend of the defense and creating plays seemed special, but we can only imagine what he could’ve been.
Was there really any doubt?
Lynch dominated well before the turn of the century as one of the...
