The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected star wideout Chris Godwin in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft, but didn't quite expect him to transform into the All-Star caliber wide receiver that he has become over the course of his eight-year NFL career. Godwin has been fantastic for the Buccaneers and was well on his way to the best season of his career in 2024 before suffering a season-ending injury halfway through the season.
Now, with 2024 in the rearview mirror, the Buccaneers brass must make a tough decision when it comes to Godwin as he enters this offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Godwin has been viewed by the Bucs' fanbase, the 'Krewe', as one of those players who fits the franchise's mantra "Buc for life", but that could change this offseason if the Bucs decide to move on from veteran receiver.
With Godwin's return to Tampa Bay in question, The 33rd Team's Tyler Brooke laid out the reasons why Godwin back to the Bay isn't as quite easy as one may think, citing the emergence of soon-to-be second-year wideout Jalen McMillan along with Godwin's injury history.
"It will be hard for the Buccaneers to bring Godwin back with their cap situation, and they may not even want to with the emergence of Jalen McMillan as a No. 2 option behind Mike Evans," wrote Brooke. "There's also Godwin's extensive injury history, which includes a torn ACL, dislocated ankle, and multiple other ankle injuries."
It is well documented that Godwin has had to deal with two major injuries after suffering a torn ACL and MCL back in 2021 before being shut down in 2024 after dislocating his ankle against the Baltimore Ravens. Serious injuries are enough to cause any team concern when it comes to evaluating a player, and for Godwin, it took some time for him to get back to 100 percent healthy following his first major injury.
The emergence of McMillan down the stretch also throws a wrench into things for the Bucs, as it now allows them to be a bit more aggressive in either getting Godwin's number down to remain in Tampa Bay or allowing him to test the market in order to see what fits him and the team best.
While many still believe Godwin will remain a "Buc for life" and sign a new extension with the Bucs, there is the offset chance that he does bolt for a new home this offseason. When examining the league, Brooke took notice of the five teams that make the most sense for the former All-Pro wide receiver: the Washington Commanders, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers.
Many of those teams would seemingly be great fits for Godwin. The Commanders, Steelers, and 49ers are viewed as contending teams and would allow for a seamless transition from Tampa Bay to another franchise that is ready to win now. Getting paired up with Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye, who are both in desperate need of a consistent number one or two target, would do wonders for the two's development in the league.
Joining forces with the Raiders would be interesting as there is still a lot unknown about the direction of the franchise especially when it comes down to the roster, but it would reunite Godwin with Tom Brady whom he won a Super Bowl with back in 2020 and who has now become a minority owner in Sin City.
The other intriguing options would be with the 49ers or Steelers as San Francisco could move on from Deebo Samuel this offseason and look to replace him with Godwin to pair alongside Brock Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk, and Ricky Pearsall. As for the Steelers, it is still unknown what they will decide to do at the quarterback position after both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson saw playing time for them last season, so it's likely that Godwin would like confirmation on who would be throwing him the ball in order to make the decision to head to the Steel City.
The odds aren't in Godwin's favor to return to Tampa Bay, especially considering the cap space that they currently have. They would need Godwin to come down a bit on his asking price to make things work as to not bind themselves across the rest of the roster as they look to put together another squad that can make a deep playoff run. While it may not seem like there is buzz around Godwin, he is still a high-IQ player who knows how to get the most out of himself. So, whichever team does indeed land him they will be getting not only an above average player on the field, but also, an A+ character person off it.
