LB Jamie Winborn had 104 tackles and 4.5 sacks for the 49ers in 2004
A trade brought Jamie Winborn to Florida last fall. Now free agency has taken him down the Gulf Coast to Tampa, and a new start to a still young and promising career.
The speedy Winborn, a second-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2001, signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an unrestricted free agent on Monday. He played the second half of the 2005 season in Jacksonville after coming over from San Francisco in an October 7 trade.
Winborn (5-11, 242) played his first four seasons in San Francisco, recording 141 tackles, nine sacks and three interceptions. Though a neck injury sidelined him for much of 2003, he came back strong in 2004, putting together his best season. Starting at right inside linebacker in the 49ers' 3-4 defense, Winborn 104 tackles, 4.5 sacks, one interception and three forced fumbles. He was considered one of the better run-stoppers on San Francisco's defense, as well as a strong pass-rush option off the edge.
After his trade to the Jaguars, Winborn played primarily on special teams before sustaining a knee injury that pushed him to injured reserve on November 29. In five games with the Jaguars, he tallied two tackles and one stop on special teams. Overall, in 49 career games with 19 starts, Winborn has 192 tackles, nine sacks, four forced fumbles and three interceptions. He is also a strong special teams player, with 17 stops on kick coverage.
Winborn was the 47th player drafted overall in 2001 after a stellar career at Vanderbilt in which he recorded 377 tackles and 16.5 sacks in three years as a starter. He hails from Wetumpka, Illinois.
The addition of Winborn gives the Buccaneers two linebackers from Vanderbilt. Starting middle linebacker Shelton Quarles, the Bucs' leading tackler in 2005, started for four seasons at Vandy, finishing his career in 1993 with 388 tackles.
