Chris Godwin has played on the franchise tag once in his career, and receiving the tag the second time around was followed by a three-year deal. The veteran wideout is on track for free agency, but another Buccaneers agreement would come as no surprise.

Executives around the league expect Godwin to once again re-sign in Tampa Bay. Adding further to that sentiment, ESPN’s Jenna Laine writes the team will “do what it takes” to keep the former Pro Bowler in Tampa Bay. Godwin was limited to seven games in 2024 by an ankle injury, but he would be counted on as a key member of the team’s passing attack in the event he were to sign another Bucs contract.

Approaching his 29th birthday, Godwin has surpassed 1,000 yards four times in his career. Across his eight years in Tampa Bay, he has proven to be a highly effective complement to Mike Evans by providing consistent production in the slot in particular. Prior to his injury this past season, Godwin was averaging just over 82 receiving yards per game, the second-highest total of his career. Keeping him in place would be a sensible move from the team’s perspective as yet another coordinator change is implemented in 2025.

“I love Chris,” new OC Josh Grizzard said (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times). “And you guys know Chris is as good of a human being and football player as you’re going to be around. He was a huge asset to us last year, being a coach on the field and playing all those different roles.”

Grizzard was promoted from pass-game coordinator to his current title in the wake of Liam Coen‘s departure. He will look to continue the success that Bucs had on offense in 2024, and continuing to lean on the Evans-Godwin tandem would be a reasonable path to take on that front. Tampa Bay did, on the other hand, invest a third-round pick in Jalen McMillan last spring and he logged a 70% snap share as a rookie. Still, if Grizzard and the team have their way, Godwin will again be in the fold for 2025.

The pending free agent class at the receiver spot is headlined by Tee Higgins, but after that a number of veterans with injury histories of questions about declining play are set to reach the market. Godwin’s ACL tear coupled with the ankle injury which sidelined him last year could hinder his earning power, and a similar deal to the three-year, $60MM one he signed in 2022 may not be attainable at this point in his career. With Evans on the books for 2025, though, a short-term accord keeping Godwin in place can be expected.

Chris Godwin‘s recovery process is underway, with his ankle surgery having recently taken place. His injury will sideline him for the remainder of the Buccaneers’ regular season, but he is leaving the door open to a playoff return.

“I mean, I think that’s best-case scenario, right?” Godwin said when asked about his recovery timeline (via ESPN’s Jenna Laine). “Like absolute best case. For all involved. Everything lines up. That’s what you kind of aim for.”

Given those remarks, it should still be considered unlikely Godwin plays again in 2024, even if the Bucs manage a postseason berth. Tampa Bay lost both Godwin and Mike Evans in Week 7 (although the latter’s hamstring injury is not as serious), severely thinning out the team’s receiver depth chart. The Bucs lost the game in which both wideouts went down, along with Sunday’s divisional tilt against the Falcons.

Tampa Bay now sits at 4-4 as a result, so another NFC South title is far from a certainty at this point. Reaching the playoffs will be a challenge given the injuries faced on offense (along with the team’s underwhelming showings on defense). In the event the Buccaneers were able to qualify for the playoffs, though, it would at least open the door to an eventual return on Godwin’s part.

The 28-year-old’s last major injury came in 2021, when he suffered ACL and MCL tears. Godwin managed to top 1,000 yards in each of the past two campaigns, and he was well on his way to surpassing that mark once again in 2024 with a yards per game average of 82.3 (the second-highest of his career). A strong showing would have boosted his market value, but the pending free agent’s attention is now on recovering as quickly as possible.

No talks on an extension are believed to have taken place leading up to the 2024 campaign, leading to plenty of uncertainty surrounding Godwin’s future. Team and player would certainly welcome a return during the postseason, should that become a possibility.

OCTOBER 23: Godwin will undergo surgery today to repair his dislocated ankle, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. While the veteran receiver is not expected to return this season, a playoff run by the Buccaneers could give Godwin an outside chance at playing after his recovery.

OCTOBER 22: Chris Godwin‘s recovery process will begin soon. The Buccaneers wideout is scheduled to undergo ankle surgery this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Godwin was injured in the final minute of Tampa Bay’s loss on Monday, and after the game head coach Todd Bowles indicated the team’s fear that a dislocated ankle had been suffered. Evaluation will take place today to determine the full extent of the damage, per Rapoport, whose report does indeed deem Godwin’s injury to be a dislocation. He is not expected to return this season.

Bowles has since said Godwin is “probably” out for the year, though the third-year Bucs HC added (via Fox Sports’ Greg Auman) a return late in the playoffs — should the team be left standing by that point — is not out of the question entirely.

While Godwin is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2025 campaign, his situation marks a major blow to Tampa Bay’s offense. Especially in the event Mike Evans – whose hamstring injury forced him to leave last night’s contest early – misses considerable time, Godwin would have been in line to handle a heavy workload moving forward. The 28-year-old sits second in the NFL in receiving yards (576), an illustration of how impactful he is for the Bucs and how his 2024 campaign was shaping up.

Now, Godwin’s attention will turn to rehab in advance of a trip free agency. The Pro Bowler’s value was set to reach a notable height if his production had continued through the rest of the season, but his health status will now be a factor which could hinder his market. Shortly after being franchise-tagged for a second straight year in 2022, he inked a three-year, $60MM pact. That deal carried risk given the ACL tear he had suffered the previous season, but the Penn State product managed to top 1,000 yards in 2022 and ’23. After being well on his way to reaching that for a fifth year (and fourth in a row), his future is uncertain.

To little surprise (based on how the Buccaneers have operated with respect to many of their top players), it was reported in the spring no extension talks have taken place with Godwin. That will no doubt remain the case now given his injury, although he could of course remain firmly in the team’s plans for 2025 and beyond. With Godwin out of the picture – and, potentially, Evans as well – it will be interesting to see if the 4-3 Bucs are active ahead of the trade deadline in terms of pursuing a wideout addition.

Mike Evans was one of several finical priorities for the Buccaneers this offseason, and he agreed to a two-year, $41MM deal prior to free agency. That leaves him in place to partner with fellow receiver Chris Godwin for at least one more season, although the latter is entering the final year of his deal.

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Godwin is attached to a three-year, $60MM pact and he will aim to cash in on the upward trend seen in the receiver market over recent years. A new agreement keeping him in Tampa Bay beyond 2024 should not be expected for the time being, though. ESPN’s Jenna Laine reports extension negotiations have not begun in Godwin’s case.

As Laine notes, Tampa Bay is waiting to see how the 28-year-old adapts to the offense installed by new OC Liam Coen before making a renewed commitment. The Buccaneers had more success than expected during Baker Mayfield‘s first season at quarterback with Dave Canales overseeing the offense. The latter took the Panthers’ head coaching position, though, leading to Coen’s hire.

The resultant change in scheme will see Godwin play in the slot. The former Pro Bowler played primarily on the outside last season, and his production fell short of expectations before moving back inside. Godwin has shown to be at his best when used in the slot, so he could be in position for a strong outing in 2024. Success would either lead to urgency on the team’s part to pursue a third contract (fourth total agreement, when including his 2021 franchise tag) or help his free agent stock ahead of next offseason.

Godwin managed to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the third straight season and fourth time overall in 2023, although his two touchdowns were the lowest total since his rookie campaign. Having drawn at least 121 targets four times since 2019, the former third-rounder should once again be a focal point in Tampa’s passing game despite the switch to Coen as OC. Godwin and Evans will provide Mayfield with a familiar top pairing at the receiver spot.

The Buccaneers did draft Jalen McMillan in the third round, and he joins 2023 sixth-rounder Trey Palmer as a young receiver who could serve as a Godwin successor down the road. Tampa Bay will have a new returner this season given the decision to move on from Deven Thompkins, but Godwin does not have experience in that capacity. His performance on offense (and how the team reacts to it from a contractual standpoint) will be worth watching this year.

Chris Godwin continues inching towards a possible return for the Buccaneers. When speaking to reporters for the first time since he resumed practicing in August, the Pro Bowl wideout called himself a “game-time decision” regarding Tampa’s season opener against the Cowboys. 

“I don’t have a definitive answer,” Godwin said, via ESPN’s Jenna Laine. “I’m just really grateful to be out there right now.” The 26-year-old began participating in individual drills last month, making incremental progress from the knee injury which ended his season last December. Earlier this week, he shed the knee brace he had been using, opening up the possibility that he could suit up for Week 1.

“I think it’s a really like complicated process,” Godwin cautioned, however. “Obviously, you come off a major injury like this, you never really know how you’re gonna feel. But I’ve been doing really well… I’ve been doing a lot of stuff, and like each day, it’s very different than the day before… I think whenever the time comes for the game, I think everybody will know, but until then, even I’m not sure.”

Laine notes that Godwin has still yet to be cleared for contact in practice, so it would come as little surprise if the team were to remain cautious with him and keep him sidelined. Tampa Bay made a sizeable commitment to Godwin this offseason, signing him to a three-year, $60MM deal to avoid a situation where he played out the 2022 season on the franchise tag. The Buccaneers also have a bevy of other high-end receivers to rely on should Godwin be unable to start the season, including Mike Evans, Julio Jones and Russell Gage.

“[The games] count the same, but we want him well,” head coach Todd Bowles said. “I don’t want him out there before it’s time. If he’s healthy and ready to go and they clear him, and everybody feels he’s ready to go and it’s completely 100%, then you take your shot. Anything less than that, I’d rather him sit.”

Godwin’s status will therefore likely come down to the wire on Sunday. His return will be a welcomed sight for the Buccaneers whenever it happens, but it may not take place for another week or so.