Buccaneers' Star Safety Remains in Concussion Protocol

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were without one of their top defensive stars for their dramatic 16-13 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9, and it appears his availability for Sunday's matchup in Germany with the Seattle Seahawks will likely come down to the wire as well. According to head coach Todd Bowles, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. remains in concussion protocol.

Todd Bowles says S Antoine Winfield Jr. has not yet cleared the concussion protocol. Winfield was participating in the part of practice open to the media today.
— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) November 9, 2022

Winfield's return to practice activity indicates he has a shot to see the field in Week 10, but it will all depend on his progress over the next few days. He has missed the last two games since suffering a concussion midway through the Buccaneers' Week 7 21-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers. His return should provide a boost to a defense that has found itself in a lot of low-scoring games this season due to the struggles of the Bucs' 25th-ranked scoring offense.

Winfield has been arguably the Bucs' best defensive back since being drafted 45th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. After a strong rookie season in which he earned a 67.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, he broke out with a Pro Bowl season in 2021. He was off to a similarly excellent start through his first seven games this season, playing every defensive snap before his injury and earning an 83.1 overall grade from PFF.