The type of injury Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin suffered in a Week 7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens was one that doesn’t get replayed during the television broadcast. That’s for good reason.
Godwin’s gruesome, dislocated left ankle ended what was on track to be the best season of his career. What it didn’t impact was his value in the free agent market as Godwin signed a 3-year, $66 million free agent contract to return to the Buccaneers on March 10 — reportedly turning down an offer from the New England Patriots that exceeded $80 million.
Now, the question remains as to when Godwin might actually see the field again for the Buccaneers, who are dark horse NFC contenders and trying to make the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.
Speaking at the NFL owner meetings, Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles didn’t rule Godwin out from possibly being available for the 2025 season opener.
“I’m hoping he’s on the field Week 1,” Bowles told Sports Illustrated’s Caleb Skinner on April 1. I’ll have more to know about that after (this) month goes on, see how he feels when he gets running and practicing and everything else.”
Buccaneers Have Elite WR Duo With Evans and Godwin
With both future Hall of Famer Mike Evans and Godwin back in the fold in 2025 and both presumably healthy — along with up-and-coming wide receiver in Jalen McMillan — Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski ranked Tampa Bay’s wide receivers group No. 3 in the entire NFL following free agency.
“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a special bond in their wide receiver room,” Sobleski wrote. “So much so, Chris Godwin could have left during free agency and made significantly more by joining the New England Patriots … Jalen McMillan injects some youth and upside in the group after adding 461 yards and eight touchdowns during his rookie campaign.”
Godwin has spent his entire career in Tampa Bay after they picked him in the third round (No. 84 overall) out of Penn State in the 2017 NFL draft.
Spotrac had Godwin projected to receive a 4-year, $92 million contract headed into the 2025 free agency cycle.
The Ringer’s Sheil Kapadia had Godwin as the No. 3 overall NFL free agent, putting the nine-year veteran in the “Break the Bank” tier of free agents. Godwin was second in the NFL in receiving yards behind Cincinnati Bengals superstar Ja’Marr Chase before his injury.
“Unless there are long-term concerns about how he’ll recover from the ankle injury, the floor for Godwin’s deal probably looks something like the four-year, $92 million deal (at $23 million per year) that Calvin Ridley signed with the Titans last offseason,” Kapadia wrote.
This is the second consecutive year the Buccaneers have dropped big money on a wide receiver, signing Evans to a 2-year, $52 million contract extension in March 2024.
Buccaneers Could Take Pressure Off WRs With New Weapon
Since Godwin last took the field, running back Bucky Irving established himself as one of the NFL’s most versatile backs as a rookie and took over the starting spot from Rachaad White late in the season.
Irving made the All-Rookie Team in 2024 with 1,514 yards of total offense and 8 total touchdowns, including 1,122 rushing yards.
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