Antoine Winfield expected to visit Seahawks

AP

The Seahawks have a strong cornerback tandem in Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman, but they may be looking to add another Pro Bowler to the mix.

Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that cornerback Antoine Winfield is expected to meet with the Seahawks this week. Winfield has spent a lot of time in the slot in recent seasons, something he’d likely do if he wound up with the Seahawks thanks to the presence of Browner and Sherman on the outside.

Winfield visited with the Redskins earlier in the offseason and there’s reportedly still interest in Washington despite the return of DeAngelo Hall to their secondary. Winfield has also been talking to the Vikings, who cut him to save cap room early last month. Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said he wants Winfield back, but the two sides haven’t been able to strike a deal to this point.

If the Seahawks do land Winfield, it will make one of the league’s best secondaries even deeper and add a little more star power to what should be an entertaining NFC West race with the 49ers in 2013.

72 responses to “Antoine Winfield expected to visit Seahawks

  1. Winfield would be an interesting choice. He is older for a cornerback (35) and not in keeping with the Seahawks’ philosophy about height (he’s only 5’9″). But there is no denying the 27 interceptions and 14 forced fumbles in his career. He has been All Pro. Since he has just been cut by the Vikings, we could get an experienced slot CB pretty inexpensively. We would be amazingly deep on defense.

  2. Most players who would love to play for the Redskins so they can win Super Bowls as part of the best franchise in NFL history don’t get the chance to join. Roster sizes are limited. HTTR.

  3. Completely a Class act. One of the few Cb’s left in the league that actually makes FORMED tackles instead of launching into someone. As a Viking fan I wish to see him come back to MN for less money, but wherever he goes I wish him the complete best. Thanks for 9 great years Antoine, I hope you come back but if you don’t thanks for the memories…

  4. Lets hope he is just trying to get the Vikes to pony up more cash because if you were Antoine, wouldn’t you want to play for the Seahawks this year as oppose to us? As much of a homer and a rube I am; I would probably want to play for the Seahawks at 36 they are closer to a bowl than we are.

  5. Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Brandon Browner, Richard Sherman……AND!! Antoine Winfield!!

    The “Legion of Boom” + The “Legend of Boom”!!

    HAWKBALL!!

  6. It’s the way Minnesota let him go that I believe Winfield took offense to. A class act, team player, awesome example of how to be a pro and they just pulled the plug on the guy.

  7. Don’t go to Seattle Antoine. They are the west coast version of the Eagles, with their rude fanbase, bird logos, and zero trophies. Do you really want to be stuck in a rainy, depressing city? D.C. is where it’s at!

    RG3>Webster

  8. A blessing in disguise that Winfield passed on the skins offer to allow D Hall to come back. Continuity is key to become a successful franchise. Quick fixes, and band aides never work, which is what Winfield would have been. Our front office impresses by the day, and it’s quite refreshing that they are resigning all of our free agents. We only lost one player, who was a back up LB, special teams guy, but other than that, that NFC East Division winning team is back, and will infuse another group of key young contributors in the draft. All skins fans should be excited about our future, and a no nonsense front office. By conducting business this way, this team should eventually bring that shiny trophy back home where it belongs.

  9. Perfect.
    He can not go wrong by joining the the team assembled to dominant the next decade.
    He will be joining the leagues best coach, best QB, best fans, and by far the leagues best CB.

    Mr. Winfield has been praying that the Seahawks would bless him the opportunity to join the leagues elite franchise and get a Super Bowl ring next year in Jersey and beyond.
    His only other prayer with as many quality pieces in place from the fans to the coach to the owner, would be if Kansas City offered him the chance of a lifetime to join their 12 dominating run beginning next year

  10. Winfield can still play and its clear that he would rather play for a contender and not the Vikings.

    Actions speak louder than words and that will be the case when Winfield signs for less than the Vikings were offering him.

  11. darkneptune73 says:
    Apr 7, 2013 10:18 AM
    As a Viking fan, Seattle is starting to annoy me.”

    As a Redskins fan they have already been annoying me. It seems their retarded fans have some sort of glitch where they conflate rooting for their team with rooting for RG3’s career to be over due to injury so Russell Wilson looks better by comparison.

  12. geeze i guess the only thing left in the nfc is to see if seahawks or 49ers get homefield in the championship game. i cant believe how these 2 teams can load up with a salary cap in place. .. i sure hope an nfc team other than these 2 can put something together or it’s going to be a boring season watching nfc games.

  13. Redskins get involve and make this happen. The Hawks have enough and Winfield services are badly needed in Washington. Dan send the plane and close this deal! HTTR

  14. the seahawks are one nickel corner from being the best defense in the history of the world! let me rephrase that: the seahawks are one nickle corner from being a really scary good defense.

  15. dennisatunity says: Apr 7, 2013 10:00 AM

    Winfield would be an interesting choice. He is older for a cornerback (35) and not in keeping with the Seahawks’ philosophy about height (he’s only 5’9″). But there is no denying the 27 interceptions and 14 forced fumbles in his career. He has been All Pro. Since he has just been cut by the Vikings, we could get an experienced slot CB pretty inexpensively. We would be amazingly deep on defense.

    It will be hard to make a difference in a game if you can’t get on the field.

  16. All the signings by the Seahawks. Even tho I’m a 49ERS fan, I have no problem with Seattle. I just don’t understand why a team that looked so good last year has approached free agency with a win now mood. This team acts like if they don’t win in the next 2 years they will be non existent. I like the 49ERS approach much better keep the core you need in tact and get cheaper where the expendables are. Should be fun watching the NFC West this year, the best division in football

  17. Seattle kicks the tires on a lot of veterans, but doesn’t sign that many of them. But if they do sign him, either Trufant, Walter Thurmond or Browner will go.

    oh, and @hendeeze – 42-13. Learn a little about football before you say things like that.

  18. Starting to dislike the seahawks for wanting our ex players or current one like seriously there 31 other team they can go after but it seem like they’re still bitter about the whole poison pill situation

  19. Niner, also go back and look who you guys have signed, Boldin (old) Nmadi (old) and let gholdson go (young) the hawks Have only let branch go (old) abc probably trufant (old) and signed harvin (young) avril (young) and Bennett (young)

    Your argument doesn’t hold water.

  20. The Seahawks should have renamed themselves Vikings West years ago. I think it’s a prerequisite to play for them by being an ex-Viking.

  21. The 49ers and Seahawks are building their rosters in an identical manner. The Seahawks have a roster that is slightly younger and will start signing their core group to longer term deals beginning with Kam Chancellor. The FA deals have been designed with not so much a win now mentality as with an eye to the future when current players have expiring contracts. Like the 49ers, the Hawks will not be able to keep everybody and have some tough decisions to make in the next two years.

  22. “All the signings by the Seahawks. Even tho I’m a 49ERS fan, I have no problem with Seattle. I just don’t understand why a team that looked so good last year has approached free agency with a win now mood.”

    Why wouldn’t you do it? You never know how long contending windows stay open in the NFL. If either of our teams takes a key injury, the window closes for that year. And what the Hawks are doing now is the same thing the Niners and all good teams do, taking advantage of their contender status to sign vets who are on their last couple years and want a shot at the SB.

    Plus, the only risky signing money-wise this off-season is Harvin. Time will tell if he was worth it, but playmakers win games – and I’m excited to see the guy on the field.

  23. Seahawks fan here. Simmer down all. On paper the Hawks look poised for greatness. But, this is the NFL. Next season teams will come out of nowhere and be good. Conversely, teams will fall flat on their collective faces.

    To all you stereotyping Seattle’s fans, I do NOT think the Hawks will win the Lombardi next year, I hope RGIII has a successful career, and I do find DC more depressing than Seattle. The hub on our government. That’s not depressing at all…

  24. Somewhere in the haze that is free agency is the reality that Winfield is old and slow. For every amazing tackle he makes there is a pass play he allows that he didn’t used to allow.

    He’s smart, but just because the mind is willing doesn’t mean the body is able.

    Secondly, he was offered a chance to restructure his contract and declined. Thus, he was cut. So no tears for him… it was his decision.

  25. Here it what is happening and what is going on with CB’s: The NFL game is one of cycles and trends.

    In the current cycle, thew trend is that teams are now passing on an average of more than 60% of plays.

    In turn, that means that on at least two downs of most possession series, defenses are in nickel or dime packages with 5, sometimes 6 DB’s on the field.

    That is the rerason why teams no longer find it justifiable to throw $12-15 meg/year at just one CB.

  26. Hawk fans are excited and there are always going to be annoying fans. I dont know why the opposition fans have to rain on the parade. Pete and John have hit paydirt with mid round picks they have minimal cap ramifications. Rice and miller will be gone so ET, Sherman the man, rwill, okung can be paid. They have time to work these deals. plus, they will draft more all pros at minimal contracts to supplant malcontents.The Hawks have built through the draft. Philly had a terrible Qb lousy LBs, worst 2 safeties in the league when they talked dream team. All are the opposite in Seattle.

  27. Probably never had an interest in Washington, or this would have been done long ago. Seems like a play to get Minnesota to increase their offer. Not a bad play; players have been using the free-spending Redskins for leverage for years. Only this year, there is no leverage, there is no money, there is no advantage to visiting the Redskins in your negotiations. So when he told the team he needed a “vacation to think things over”, he really meant, I need some time to drum up some interest somewhere else. He’ll end up back in Minny for a little more than they are offering.

  28. The NFC West race will not be entertaining at all. The Seahawks will run away with it. The 49ers will be lucky to finish ahead of the Rams.

  29. Seattle needs a slot CB in the worst way. Lane & Maxwell one of those guys will be good enough to take Browner’s spot if they let him walk. Trufant who I loved his whole career is now too slow to play CB at any position and had more passes made on him than anyone on our defense at the slot. Thurmond is a talent but for 4 straight (including college) years his season is cut short by injury. I really like the way Winfield plays plus he is just as physical as Browner and Sherman versus the run. Make it happen John Schneider! Call me crazy but I hope they draft Honey Badger in the 3rd round. He is a faster than expected and with his play making abilities I think he will be steal

  30. Hawks got lit up by Welker and Amandola last year, a veteran like Winfield would fill one of the very few holes The Legion of Boom has which is the vulnerability to the small quick slot receiver. Schneider is having a surgeon like precision to the off season.

  31. Where is the love? Everybody hating. Can’t wait for The next ignorant bandwagon jumper to spout off some nonsense. Here’s toRGIII’s full recovery and a great season. For us fans. Go Hawks… Since 1976!!!

  32. Lets at least face two very realistic facts here: (1) He owes the Vikings no favors given the way they released him; and (2) in the year he has left, he has a more realistic chance of winning the SB with the Seahawks than either the Vikes, the Skins, or heaven forbid, the Packers.

  33. I think it is funny reading the comments on most Hawks articles because out of the 30 comments I see a lot of negativity about Hawks fans, being “rude”. When if you read all the comments the only rudeness is towards the 12th man. Don’t be mad the Hawks have a young team built through the draft and can sign FA’s when they need to. Instead, be happy you can play as them in Madden 🙂

  34. Notice at the end of article they made it very apparent!! You SEAHAWKS need to catch up with the NINERS!! All these moves you make are to TRY to catch up with the KINGS OF NFC!! Lets see how you guys do without playing us on a short weak after patriots ran 90 something plays on our D.. We aren’t worrried bout seahawks you guys worry bout us! GO NINERS

  35. The way some posters rant you’d think they don’t trust their own front office or coaches so slamming the Hawks at every turn on every thread makes them feel tough I guess.

    A team that, as everyone likes to point out, has never won the big one sure seems to scare the pants off everybody.

  36. Really looks like the Seahawks are trying to improve to the point that they remain a SB Contender beyond just the off season. As a fan, I can’t help but get excited about the potential and can’t wait until the season gets started.

    At some point, even the FA’s that are out there will start to want to join as they see the chances of getting far into the playoffs a real possibility. That point may already be here.

    Go Hawks!

  37. AW was great but there is a couple reasons the Vikings him. The past injuries and age caught up with him no matter how classy he was at 7 mil. Just remember the Seahawks have $6.8 million left in cap space. Would they spend that much on an aging cb?

  38. Comment “as a Viking fan, the Seahawks are starting to annoy me”.

    You should have thought about that before you STOLE Steve Hutchinson from us. Now you are just reaping the on sequences while we bask in the glory. Pay back is wonderful 😉

  39. He is a great tackler and stops the run well but then gets burned for an easy wide open TD. The Colts abused him last year. In 09 he was a liability against the pass on a great team. Still would be the best corner on the Vikings. Kind of sad really.

  40. All you skin fans think we (hawk fans) have some kind of inferiority complex about Bob Griffin. You all couldn’t be more wrong. We love our new qb. He won more games, has a playoff win & two good knees. Going back to the Holmgren era the hawks have owned the skins for the 21st century in the playoffs. I’ll admit some of our fans like to chirp but its not without the means to back it up. Bob will be fine & i personally look forward to the hawks kicking the crap out of him again. That may sound extreme but the “Seahawks have bad fans” comments woke me up.

  41. As a 49ers fan, I have absolutely no problem with the Seahawks. In fact, I enjoy their style of play. I also like the attitude shift that having two elite teams brings to the division, after so many years of being the laughingstock of the NFL. Steel sharpens steel, and competition will make both squads better.

    What I DO have a problem with is the vast majority of Seahawks fans on PFT. As soon as your team has a winning season, you come out of the woodwork and act like the 49ers team that came within 5 yards from winning the Super Bowl and every other team in the NFL are just pieces of trash to be stepped on on your way to a surefire Super Bowl win.

    I have a simple answer for the reasonable Hawks fans who continue to wonder why fans of teams all across the NFL have to “rain” on your parade: you have to give respect to get respect. Rein in your village idiots, you have way too many.

  42. Every one is low-balling the guy, and his pride is getting hurt. Seems like he would like to keep playing, its sure a nice gig while it lasts. Woodson has tasted the bitter pill from the Pack, now the league. Antoine just can’t run anymore with anyone. The truth sometime hurts. Maybe he can squeeze one more season, he was a class act for sure.

  43. “Since he has just been cut by the Vikings, we could get an experienced slot CB pretty inexpensively. We would be amazingly deep on defense.”————-Are you an owner of the Seahawks? Are you an employee, in any way, shape or form? We? It seems your identity is all wrapped up in the Seattle Seahawks franchise. Like you live and die with them. Referring to a a sports franchise as “we” is a little odd. Unless you are employed by the team.

  44. Would fill a big hole in the Seahawks D. Trufant gets abused regularly. I also think Browner will lose his starting spot this year to either Lane or Thurmond. Both are young studs and while Browner is physical, he took a step backward last year and is too slow.

  45. Look half a 9er fan, happy you finally did something with all those top 10 draft picks in every round for over half of the decade. You’re on a pretty good run. But all this really sounds a little insecure. You scared bro?

  46. My guess is that the Seahawks will sign him just to spite the Vikings. They are still ticked about the Steve Hutchinson signing, and would love to gut the Vikings any way they can.

  47. It is crazy how people can be filled with so much hate and jealous for a team for the simple fact they are trying build their team for championships and most of all the future…. After all isn’t that the job and goal of every team in the NFL??? And i really don’t understand why people are bashing Seattle fans as rude and disrespectful nor do i get people saying we are saying “Dream Team” and BS like that because it’s not happening we are excited and pumped up for our Seahawks end of story… But having haters is never bad just means people fear you and that’s perfect Seattle and SF NFL elite in 2013

  48. Based on what I’ve read, it appears there is a lot of hate from SF toward Seattle. Where is all of this hate talk to 9ers. Why am i excited? Pete and John basically took an expansipn, aging, beat up squad in 2010, has flipped the roster on both sides of the ball with minimal high priced free agents that wont be around much longer in rice and miller. Only Unger remains from 2009 team as O starter. The D has been revamped from a short and soft D to a long big hitting young squad with really only mebane as a pre-carroll player. Red was backup until move. That is why ee are excited in seattle! It is nearly impossible to flip a roster witj mainly through draft and trades and be where we are 3 years later. It’s been masterful. We are young young, young with an open window to do some damage. Have done squat yet but we’re enthused. We arent trying to disrespect others but are exuberance comes across as arrogance.

  49. Tough to type on phone. Our exuberance appears arrogant. Why not let us be excited and allow a few young kids have their fun talking trash. Why are there so many sensitive 9er fans anyway?

  50. Winfield joining the Seahawks would make their Defensive backfield absolutely 100% solid. Quarterbacks would dread playing Seattle after that addition.

  51. Don.t go to the Seaweeds Antoine. A classless act from top to bottom. Go back to the Vikings but not the stinking Seaweeds.

  52. I suspect if Viking employee Sylvester the helmet polisher was seeking a new job Sleezattle would sign him. They just can’t get over getting burned on the Hutchinson deal….now the headache deal too. Wake up SH’s! Your going to blow just like Snyder did trying to buy his SB. Ain’t going to happen!

  53. AW is player that is really fun to watch. He’s just a good defender in general. Shows up everywhere on the field. Even with his smaller stature, I’ve seen him play like a linebacker on run support. At his age he would be a situational nickel type that can still go out and ball when he gets an opportunity. For the right price the move makes a lot of sense for the hawks.

  54. Winfield would be a great addition to the Seahawks, specifically because of his ability in the slot! Last season, one of our shortcomings was getting burned for big yardage in the slot by the faster tight ends and receivers because Trufant is near retirement and has lost a step, so he was not able to keep up with the faster guys in the slot, like he could when he was younger? Winfield can still run with the faster guys in the slot, which is something we really need! So, I hope we get him or someone else who can effectively cover the slot and lock down that area so we aren’t getting beat for big yards this coming season! GO SEAHAWKS!!!!!!!

  55. I see there are some Seattle haters, who like the Purple Helmet Polishers up in Minnesota? Still stinging from that Harvin deal, which was smart for Harvin, after all he wants to be with a SB contender, instead of polishing purple helmets? lol

  56. I keep reading comments about the Hawks still being pissed about the Hutch deal. I dont know about the rest of you but I cant name any front office officials or players that were on the team when the hawks screwed the pooch with Hutch. This has nothing to do with beign mad at the Vikings, it has more to do with having a coordinator that was recently on the vikings and knows the players. When coaches move from one team to another, very often there are players that follow.

    I agree that management has built this team for the future. As Miller and Rice leave, the hawks replace them with young draft choices allowing them to pay the core guys. My only prediction is a hard hitting, very close NFC Championship game between the 49rs and the Seahawks in Seattle.

  57. Say, Just by signing some good players doesn’t mean you will be playing in the super bowl!! Looking good on paper and winning games are two different things! ! Yes being deep at key positions helps!! But still, their is a lot of luck involved. Ask the Redskins how well having high profile free agents worked for them

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