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Chris Godwin

Buccaneers’ Chris Godwin, Tristan Wirfs Return To Practice

September 11th, 2025 at 11:57am CST by Adam La Rose

During cutdowns at the end of training camp, the Buccaneers elected to keep both Chris Godwin and Tristan Wirfs on the active roster. That decision was made despite the fact both are expected to miss multiple games in September.

Moving either or both players to the reserve/PUP list would have ensured a four-game absence but also prevented them from being able to practice. Instead, remaining on the 53-man roster has opened the door for Godwin and Wirfs to take part in practice in September while rehabbing their respective injuries. That process has taken a notable step forward beginning today.

Godwin is taking part in Thursday’s practice on a limited basis, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. That has since been confirmed by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, who adds Wirfs is participating as well. In both cases, practicing twice this week is the team’s goal as the next stage of a lengthy recovery path.

A fractured ankle ended Godwin’s 2024 season and ensured he would miss time early this year. Week 2 had been targeted as the point at which he would return to practice, though, so today’s update comes as little surprise. The 29-year-old turned down more lucrative offers to remain in Tampa Bay this offseason. Godwin will take on a key role in the passing game upon return, joining a group led by Mike Evans and first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka.

Wirfs is believed to have a strong chance of returning to game action earlier than Godwin, and suiting up at some point in September is a possibility following his offseason meniscus surgery. That would be a welcomed development for the Bucs’ offensive line, a unit which underwent a number of changes ahead of Week 1 to compensate for Wirfs’ absence. The four-time Pro Bowler is under contract through 2029, so a cautious approach will of course be taken with his recovery process.

Tampa Bay will look for a 2-0 start to the season on Monday against Houston. That effort will not include Godwin or Wirfs, but their respective rehab processes have reached an important final phase.

Buccaneers’ Chris Godwin Likely To Miss First Month Of Season; Tristan Wirfs Could Return In September

August 28th, 2025 at 6:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Buccaneers will be without wideout Chris Godwin and left tackle Tristan Wirfs to start the season. Both were moved to the active roster on Tuesday, though, meaning a return prior to Week 5 is a possibility in each case.

Shifting to the reserve/PUP list would have ensured either player missed the first four weeks of the season. That could still prove to be the case, but Tampa’s decision means Godwin and Wirfs could at least resume practicing in September. General manager Jason Licht provided an update on both players Thursday.

Appearing on 95.3 WDAE radio (audio link), Licht said Godwin may not be back until October. The Pro Bowler continues to rehab the fractured ankle which ended his 2024 season, and Week 2 was named earlier this month as the point at which he could return to practice. A cautious approach should be expected, of course, but missing Godwin for all of September would deal a blow to Tampa Bay’s passing game. Jalen McMillan is set to miss considerable time this year as well, so Mike Evans and first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka will be leaned on early in 2025.

Licht noted Wirfs is more of a candidate to see game action in September. The All-Pro underwent arthroscopic knee surgery early last month, setting up a rehab timeline including missed games in the regular season. The Bucs’ offensive line will receive a major boost whenever Wifrs is back in the fold, something which could take place relatively soon if his recovery does not encounter any setbacks.

Licht praised both players for their work so far in the rehab process, noting Godwin and Wirfs are considered week-to-week at this point. The status of each will be worth monitoring, but at least a few missed games are in store even if things go according to plan.

NFL Minor Transactions: 8/26/25

August 26th, 2025 at 10:36pm CST by Ely Allen

Amongst a busy day of roster moves, here are some minor transactions outside of final roster cuts:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Green Bay Packers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Arizona, Buffalo, and Tampa Bay all made decisions to pull players off the active/physically unable to perform list in order to avoid them missing the first four games of the season. They may not be quite ready to start in Week 1, but their teams at least have confidence that they won’t be out for a month.

Franklin wasn’t a free agent for long. The former Panthers safety just finished out camp in Denver and was told that he didn’t make the Broncos’ initial 53-man roster. Hours later, he apparently came to an agreement with Buffalo and will head there to start his 2025 campaign.

Orzech has been the Packers long snapper for the past two years after similarly short stints with the Rams and Jaguars. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Green Bay gave him his first long-term deal. The 30-year-old will be under a three-year, $4.8MM deal that will make him the third highest-paid long snapper in the league.

Buccaneers Make Roster Cuts

August 26th, 2025 at 10:27pm CST by Rory Parks

Here is how the Buccaneers trimmed their roster to the 53-man limit Tuesday:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Waived/Non-Football Illness:

Sanders, the son of NFL legend and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, signed with Tampa Bay in May after he went undrafted. Shilo, who had been competing for a spot at the back of the Bucs’ safety depth chart, was ejected from the club’s preseason finale on Saturday for throwing a punch following heavy pushing and shoving with Bills TE Zach Davidson. He was also flagged for pass interference in the game.

Agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Sanders was headed to the waiver wire, and they hope their client will get claimed on waivers. A fresh start would likely be welcomed by all parties, although it will be interesting to see if any outside suitors put in a claim given the manner in which his Tampa tenure came to an end.

Jarrett, who joined the Bucs as an undrafted free agent in 2023, has recorded 13 catches for 184 yards in his brief time with the team. He will now hit the waiver wire. Provided no claim is made, a spot on the practice squad could be in store given Jarrett’s familiarity with the organization. The Bucs will hold P-squad spots for Jackson and Bazelak, per ESPN’s Jenna Laine and Fox Sports’ Greg Auman. Bazelak staying on would provide finality for Kyle Trask, whom the Bucs released earlier this week. Teddy Bridgewater will be Tampa Bay’s backup, and it looks like Bazelak — a rookie UDFA from Bowling Green — will be the third-stringer.

Weight issues stalled Watson’s practice work, and the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud indicates he ballooned to 470 pounds entering the offseason program. Weight trouble hindered Watson, who did not see any preseason action due to the issue. The Bucs opted to cut Watson, who would have been the heaviest player in NFL history had he played in a regular-season game, rather than stash him on the reserve/Non-Football Illness list. They will not hold a practice squad spot for him, Stroud adds.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

WR Chris Godwin To Begin Season On Buccaneers’ Active Roster

August 21st, 2025 at 8:38am CST by Adam La Rose

With Chris Godwin continuing in his recovery process, it remains to be seen when he will be able to suit up for the Buccaneers. The Pro Bowl wideout’s Week 1 availability is still in serious doubt, but he could be on the field within the first month of the campaign.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Tampa Bay plans to activate Godwin from the active/PUP list before roster cutdowns. That means the 29-year-old will begin the season on the Bucs’ active roster. Reverting to the reserve/PUP list would have saved a roster spot during cutdowns but ensured at least a four-week absence. Instead of taking that route, the team will leave the door open to Godwin playing at some point in September.

On that note, Schefter adds the current plan is for Godwin is to begin practicing in Week 2 as the next phase of his ramp-up process. A cautious approach would come as no surprise given his importance to Tampa Bay’s offense, and taking things slowly could leave him unavailable until October. Nevertheless, Godwin is still on schedule with respect to rehabbing his fractured ankle, per Schefter.

That injury – suffered in Week 7 last year – brought an abrupt end to what had been a very strong campaign in Godwin’s case. The former third-rounder was averaging 82.3 receiving yards per game at the time of the injury, the second-highest total of his career. Godwin could have parlayed that production into a lucrative pact on the open market this spring, but he turned down better offers to remain in Tampa Bay on a three-year deal.

Returning to full health will thus be key in 2025 and beyond in this case. For the Buccaneers, getting Godwin back on the field will be particularly important considering the lengthy absence which is expected for fellow wideout Jalen McMillan. Tampa Bay has Mike Evans along with first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka in place for the time being, and that duo will be leaned on to carry the load on offense early. A rough timeline is in place for Godwin, though, and it will be interesting to see when he manages to get back to full strength.

Bucs’ Chris Godwin Uncertain For Week 1

August 5th, 2025 at 5:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Buccaneers did not outbid the Patriots for Chris Godwin, but they won the free agency derby to complete yet another high-profile retention. Godwin returned on a three-year, $66MM deal, marking the second time the Bucs paid their longtime No. 2 wide receiver coming off a major injury.

Godwin sustained a dislocated ankle in Week 7 of last season, stopping a big season. When Godwin went down, he was the NFL’s second-leading receiver. That created momentum, but he passed on Steelers interest and what he said was a $30MM-AAV Pats offer to stay in Tampa once again. The third-contract player, though, is not certain to start the season on time.

Placed on the active/PUP list after undergoing a second ankle procedure, Godwin is hitting checkpoints during his rehab. Jason Licht said (via Fox Sports’ Greg Auman) the ninth-year veteran is not considered certain to be ready by Week 1. More notably, Licht did not rule out the reserve/PUP list for the standout receiver. That outcome would sideline Godwin for at least four games. Godwin, 29, went down Oct. 21, 2024.

Tampa Bay saw Godwin make it back from late-December ACL and MCL tears in time for the 2022 season, debuting in Week 1 of that year. This came months after the Bucs extended him on a three-year, $60MM deal. Godwin returned but did not match his best form over the next two seasons, even though he tacked his third and fourth 1,000-yard years onto his resume. Last season brought 82.3 yards per game, which reminded of his 2019 breakout (95.2; 1,333 in total). It is possible the Bucs will need to wait longer for that form to resurface.

The team is rather deep at receiver, however. The Bucs rebuffed trade interest for their No. 19 overall pick, staying and making a somewhat surprising move — considering the Godwin re-signing and 2024 third-rounder Jalen McMillan‘s presence — to select Emeka Egbuka. The Texans, Broncos and Rams were eyeing the Ohio State talent, who will assuredly play a big Bucs role early. But the team still has McMillan (eight rookie-year TDs) and, of course, Mike Evans. The latter is again in a contract year, however, and Egbuka provides some insurance in case no fourth contract keeps Evans in Tampa beyond 2025.

The Bucs will hope this Godwin story is in the past early in the season, as he and Evans continue to move up the ranks in terms of all-time WR duos. For now, though, the team may need to again lean on McMillan while preparing Egbuka for a slot role Godwin has also played. Once Godwin returns, an interesting quartet would be available to Baker Mayfield.

WR Notes: Godwin, Rice, Hill, 49ers

July 23rd, 2025 at 5:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Chris Godwin missed the final 11 games of the Buccaneers‘ season, counting their wild-card loss, but still commanded a high-end free agency deal. Given a three-year contract worth $66MM, Godwin turned down at least one more lucrative offer (from the Patriots) to stay in Tampa. But his return from a dislocated ankle will not commence in earnest for a bit. Tampa Bay placed Godwin on its active/PUP list to open training camp, doing so after the veteran wide receiver did not participate in any OTAs or minicamp work. Godwin needed a second procedure on his ankle, according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine.

While Laine classifies this operation as minor, Godwin’s status bears monitoring. Todd Bowles did not confirm the wideout would be available for the Bucs’ opener, saying he was hopeful the longtime Mike Evans sidekick would be ready. The Bucs are loaded at receiver, drafting Emeka Egbuka in Round 1 following 2024 third-rounder Jalen McMillan‘s eight-touchdown rookie season, but this will be a storyline to follow during training camp. Tristan Wirfs is already expected to miss early-season time because of arthroscopic knee surgery. Godwin’s second surgery costing him regular-season time would be a tough break for the four-time reigning NFC South champs, but they have been patient with the former third-round pick’s injuries before. Though, Godwin did make it back by Week 1 of the 2022 season despite suffering a ACL and MCL tears in December 2021.

Here is the latest news around the 32 receiver situations:

  • Rashee Rice received a 30-day jail sentence stemming from his involvement in a hit-and-run sequence, but the embattled Chiefs wideout may not end up serving any time due to deferred adjudication. Completing the probationary process would allow Rice to avoid the prison stint. Rice is also practicing fully with the Chiefs to open training camp (via The Athletic’s Jenna West), avoiding the active/PUP list after missing most of last season with an LCL tear. With a Rice legal resolution emerging, a suspension should be expected in 2025. The 30-day sentence aside, the Chiefs do not have to act here. The organization has dealt with many high-profile instances involving off-field trouble, including a few at receiver, over the past several years. No team-imposed ban should be expected, as an expected NFL suspension will cover the discipline.
  • One of the previous players embroiled in off-field controversies in Kansas City, Tyreek Hill is now in Year 4 in Miami. Like Rice, the Dolphins talent is full go at training camp, NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe tweets. Hill, who underwent wrist surgery this offseason, avoided a PUP placement and will work toward recapturing his Hall of Fame-level form of 2022 and ’23. He is coming off a down 2024, a season that featured him battle ailments in both wrists. A training camp return has been expected, and the 10th-year vet is on schedule. Hill was a partial offseason participant, but camp represents his first chance to catch passes since the offseason surgery.
  • Before signing Equanimeous St. Brown, the 49ers auditioned veteran kick returner Brandon Powell, Wilson adds. The 5-foot-8 performer operated as the Rams and Vikings’ primary kick returners in recent years. He has been a regular kick returner throughout the 2020s. Powell spent the past two seasons with the Vikings, following Kevin O’Connell to Minnesota. He worked as the Vikes’ primary kick returner in that span.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/25

July 22nd, 2025 at 8:42pm CST by Ben Levine

With training camps kicking off around the NFL, teams continue to make adjustments to their rosters. Here are today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Waived: DT Dante Barnett
  • Placed on active/NFI: RB Zack Moss

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: K Mark McNamee

Houston Texans

  • Waived: CB Keydrain Calligan

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived: OT Savion Washington

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Waived: OT Obinna Eze

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Steelers Pursued WR Chris Godwin In Free Agency; Latest On Patriots’ Offer

June 9th, 2025 at 10:00am CST by Adam La Rose

Chris Godwin re-signed with the Buccaneers in free agency in a move which will allow him to remain a member of the only NFL team he has played for. The Pro Bowl wideout elected to do so despite notable interest from multiple suitors.

The Patriots were known to be in the market for a notable free agent addition at the WR spot. New England eventually inked Stefon Diggs, but before that the team also made a strong push for Godwin. The Pats wrote “blank checks” in the latter’s case, and further details on that front have emerged.

Godwin told The Athletic’s Dan Pompei New England offered him $30MM per year (subscription required). His latest Bucs pact, by contrast, carries an AAV of $22MM. Choosing to remain in Tampa Bay involved turning down considerably more money from the Patriots (whose offer could have increased even further), but three other key suitors were involved in this case as well.

The Steelers were one of them, Godwin added. That comes as little surprise, of course, given Pittsburgh’s long-running pursuit of a high-profile wideout. Well before their D.K. Metcalf acquisition, the team was heavily involved in efforts to land Brandon Aiyuk; Christian Kirk was also a target ahead of the 2024 trade deadline. With George Pickens no longer in place, the Steelers have signed Robert Woods but they are still in the market for pass-catching help.

Godwin would have provided New England or Pittsburgh with an upgrade at the receiver position, but he will instead remain a key factor in Tampa Bay’s passing game. The 29-year-old has topped 1,000 yards four times in his Bucs tenure, and he was averaging over 82 yards per game (the second-highest figure of his career) before his 2024 campaign came to an end. Despite the injury to his ankle – among other ailments – he was recovering from, Godwin drew plenty of interest as a potential free agent. His preference was to remain in a familiar setting and by doing so continue his partnership with fellow wideout Mike Evans.

“It’s not always the case that you are surrounded by a ton of good people who care about the right things, who have similar goals and treat people with respect,” Godwin said. “The first thing for me is I want to work with people that I enjoy it with.”

Evans is under contract for one more season, so his productive tandem with Godwin will continue in 2025. The latter will stay in place beyond the coming campaign given his latest commitment to Tampa Bay, one which included turning aside lucrative opportunities from a number of suitors to depart.

Cowboys, Patriots Balked At Cooper Kupp’s Price; Pats Wrote ‘Blank Checks’ For Chris Godwin?

March 23rd, 2025 at 11:10pm CST by Rory Parks

After veteran WR Cooper Kupp was released by the Rams, he generated a healthy market and quickly found a new club. Just two days after his release, the Super Bowl LVI MVP joined the Seahawks on a three-year, $45MM contract.

The $15MM average annual value on Kupp’s Seattle deal surpassed initial expectations. The Cowboys, who were known to be in the market for a pass-catching sidekick for CeeDee Lamb, were connected to Kupp, but even the $12MM AAV that was originally believed to be the asking price for the former Rams target was seen as too rich for Dallas’ liking.

Elaborating further on that point, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes Lamb and Cowboys QB Dak Prescott called Kupp in an effort to recruit him to Dallas. Per Schefter, the club was indeed interested before bowing out due to financial considerations.

“[T]he Cowboys reached out about Cooper Kupp, and they were interested,” Schefter said on a recent podcast (via Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS). “Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, who I understand it, were on the phone with Cooper Kupp talking to him about the idea of coming to Dallas, and it was floated out there. And then the Cowboys heard the numbers, and they were at numbers the Cowboys weren’t going to get to.”

With massive contracts for Prescott and Lamb already on the books and another one for Micah Parsons in the works – despite a current lack of traction on that front – Dallas’ reluctance to make additional notable commitments to its cap sheet has been well-documented. Nonetheless, the team does hope to compete for a postseason berth in 2025, and signing Parris Campbell one day after Kupp agreed to join the Seahawks may not have been an ideal consolation prize for the Cowboys’ QB1/WR1 duo (especially since Brandin Cooks has now rejoined the Saints).

Interestingly, the Patriots, who entered the offseason with easily the most cap space in the NFL and who still lead the league in that regard, were also unwilling to exceed a certain threshold for Kupp. New England has been on the lookout for a high-end receiver for some time and was named as a suitor for Kupp. However, just like the Cowboys, the Pats bowed out when it became clear how much money Kupp was going to command (as Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal implies).

Despite the season-ending ankle injury that Chris Godwin suffered in Week 7 of the 2024 season, New England seemingly had no reservations about his price point. We already knew the Pats were preparing to make an aggressive push for Godwin, who reportedly left money on the table to re-sign with the Bucs. As it turns out, he might have left quite a lot of money on the table.

In a recent appearance on 95.3 WDAE (h/t Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk), Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht said, “[t]here were several teams that inquired but there was one that kept writing him blank checks. We got to a point of what we could do in order to keep everything together and add some pieces here, and he took it.”

Naturally, Licht did not name the blank check writer, but as Smith notes, the Patriots are believed to have extended a very lucrative offer. We may never know how high New England was willing to go to land Godwin, though QB Drake Maye cannot fault the club for its efforts to add to his supporting cast.

With Godwin off the market, the Pats recently turned their attention to free agent wideout Stefon Diggs. As of the time of this writing, a deal with the four-time Pro Bowler is not imminent.

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