Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine identified three things the Buccaneers should do ahead of 2025 free agency to enhance the franchise’s long-term health, one of which is deciding whether or not to trade wide receiver Chris Godwin.
Godwin is in the second year of a three-year, $60 million contract extension signed before the 2022 season, and he is coming off his third consecutive season with at least 1,000 receiving yards, although he had a career-low two touchdowns in 2023.
In 2024, Tampa Bay will have a new offensive coordinator in Liam Coen, who previously served as offensive coordinator at the University of Kentucky in 2023
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“Part of that might be that (Godwin) was miscast in Dave Canales’ offence,” Ballentine stated. “He spent more time on the outside, even though he has historically thrived in the position. The Bucs should wait to see how he fits into Liam Coen’s offence before making a decision on him for the following season and beyond. However, it would be preferable to make that decision before the trade deadline so that they can potentially obtain a valuable draft pick for him in a trade rather than waiting for a compensation pick in 2026.”
Godwin, Evans One of the NFL’s elite WR duos.
Over the last decade, the Buccaneers have had one of the NFL’s best wide receiver duos in Godwin and Mike Evans, who set an NFL record with his 10th consecutive season of over 1,000 receiving yards in 2023 and signed a two-year, $52 million contract in March 2024.
Godwin has put up enormous numbers, but in Evans’ shadow, he’s become one of the NFL’s most underappreciated wide receivers. He’s also one of the NFL’s most versatile wide receivers, able to play both outside and inside with similar success.
The Buccaneers chose Godwin in the third round (No. 84 overall) of the 2017 NFL draft, and despite only appearing in 14 games, he received NFL All-Pro honours and made the Pro Bowl in 2019 with 86 receptions for 1,333 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns.
Godwin and Evans have also accomplished something in their careers that would make almost any NFL wide receiver jealous: they paired up to win a Super Bowl title after the 2020 season.
Buccaneers drafted WR in the third round in 2024.
The Buccaneers selected Washington wide receiver Jalen McMillan in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft, potentially replacing Godwin.
McMillan (6-foot-1, 197 pounds) and Godwin (6-foot-1, 206 pounds) are about the same size and with similar skill sets.
McMillan recorded 79 receptions for 1,098 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2022, but missed five games due to injury in 2023, when he had 39 receptions for 526 yards and 4 scores as the Huskies advanced to the College Football Playoff national championship game.
“Slot target with good size and production over the last two seasons,” NFL analyst Lance Zierlein stated in his pre-draft assessment of McMillan. “McMillan is a long-striding field-stretcher who excels at momentum routes in a West Coast passing scheme…” Teams must assess whether McMillan was a product of the great Washington passing strategy or whether he is a stand-alone talent outside of UW.”
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