Between Tampa Bay Buccaneers receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, most would assume that Evans would be the first out the door via retirement. However, one NFL analyst has pushed for Godwin to potentially make a surprisingly quick exit.
In a June 9 article written by Alex Ballentine on Bleacher Report via Heavy, the NFL writer pressed for the team to consider their options. He recommended a trade as soon as the trade deadline in the middle of the 2024 season.
“Part of that might be that (Godwin) was miscast in Dave Canales’ offense. … The Bucs should wait to see how he fits into Liam Coen’s offense before making a decision on him for next season and beyond. However, it would be best to make that decision by the trade deadline so they could potentially get a valuable draft pick for him in a trade instead of waiting on a compensatory pick in 2026,” Ballentine said.
At 28, Godwin has plenty of time he could hand to a future team if handled correctly. As such, the wide receiver could fit as a final piece to a Super Bowl squad this season.
Of course, no matter where he ends up, the wide receiver is set for a new deal, which can complicate matters.
Chris Godwin trends up ahead of contract negotiations
Since 2019, Godwin has been as consistent of a 1000-yard receiver as the Buccaneers could hope for.
The wide out has missed that mark just once since then, and it came in a Super Bowl-winning season with Tom Brady. Since winning it all, he has been 3-for-3 on 1000-yard campaigns.
However, it could be argued that the Buccaneers star is trending upward, which isn’t always guaranteed for wide receivers in their late 20s.
In 2022, Godwin earned 1023 yards and three touchdowns. In 2023, the wide receiver totaled 1024 yards and two touchdowns. He built on his total by just one yard, but that isn’t the true indicator of improvement.
To earn his 1023 yards in 2022, Godwin needed 104 catches. In 2023, he needed just 83 catches, meaning he managed to beat opponents deep for more yards per catch. As such, he has the chance to be the weighted straw that breaks the camel’s back for defenses.
As it stands, any team getting the wide receiver would only be getting a rental, however.
According to Spotrac, Godwin is set to be a free agent in 2025, meaning, that teams would need to come to new terms quickly or risk losing him as soon as they get him.
That said, the franchise tag is available to be used. However, using one on a brand-new asset is not quite how one would want to start the relationship.
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