TAMPA — He was the NFL’s leading receiver through seven games and on pace for a fourth straight 1000-yard season. Then, for the second time in three years, Chris Godwin suffered a season-ending injury.
Once again, he is a free agent. He will turn 29 later this month. But count new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard among the many people in the Bucs organization who want Godwin to return in 2025.
“I love Chris,” Grizzard said Thursday. “And you guys know Chris is as good of a human being and football player as you’re going to be around. He was a huge asset to us last year, being a coach on the field and playing all those different roles.”
Godwin suffered a dislocated ankle in the waning seconds of a Week 7 loss to the Ravens. The situation was reminiscent of 2021, when Godwin tore three knee ligaments late in the season.
The Bucs trust Godwin to do everything possible to make a full recovery. He made it back onto the field nine months after his knee injury to start the 2022 opener at Dallas.
There are few players who impressed Grizzard more in his one season in Tampa Bay.
“I don’t think it was a big stride for him, necessarily — he’s been doing it a long time — but Chris Godwin, without having been in this building and just seeing the way he works and the kind of person he is, was amazing,” Grizzard said.
“Just being around him, you can see that kind starting to wear off on the younger guys. (Rookie running back) Bucky Irving works incredibly hard. He’s in here early. You can see that show up on the practice field and on game day.”
Grizzard called Godwin an extension of the coaching staff on the field.
“He understands what we’re trying to get out of concepts, the splits, the motion. When he’s blocking on this concept, who is running the route off this concept,” the coordinator said. “And so he was able to translate that by being in so many different offenses and do it at a high level because of the preparation he put into it.”
Because the Bucs restructured Godwin’s deal to create cap space, he will count as $18.852 million of dead money against the salary cap in 2025, which is a voided year.
In the short term, they could reduce that figure with a new deal. But with the emergence of receiver Jalen McMillan and Mike Evans, who will be 32 in August, entering the final year of a contract that pays him $20.5 million, the Bucs have cause for pause.
Godwin feels like a player who should remain with the Bucs for his entire career. If Grizzard has his way, he may.
“(General manager) Jason (Licht) and (coach) Todd (Bowles), they have a proven track record with the roster here,” Grizzard said. “So, I’m going to let those guys handle that.”
