Bucs Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans had to play out his contract year before receiving a two-year contract extension worth at least $41 million. Will Chris Godwin suffer the same fate in his contract year in 2024?
That’s certainly a possibility, as Bucks general manager Jason Richt has given no indication at this time that the team is interested in signing Godwin.
“Right now, we’re just hoping Chris can help us this year,” Richt said Friday after Mike Evans’ press conference. “These are pretty far down the list of things we need to do. It never crossed my mind.”
Indeed, the Bucs are in the midst of Tampa Bay’s busiest offseason since the team won Super Bowl LV in 2020 and re-signed all of its starters in March 2021. However, Godwin has a team-high salary cap number of $27.534 million in 2024, according to OverTheCap.com. Defensive tackle Vita Vea is a distant second at $20,965,063.
Bucks WR Chris Godwin – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Godwin’s base salary in 2024 is $18.5 million, but Tampa Bay has called for a “restructuring” this offseason to create more salary cap space. However, the Bucs don’t appear to be in a hurry to modify Godwin’s 2024 jersey number, potentially leading the team to let the receiver, who is in his eighth year in Tampa Bay, fulfill a contract similar to what Evans did last year. It suggests.
The Bucks have other contracts with high base salaries that can be restructured, including Baer’s contract and those of Carlton Davis III ($14 million) and Jamel Dean ($12 million). Alternatively, the team could save $6,300,941 by trading or releasing Davis. The Bucs will also release wide receiver Russell Gage, freeing up $6.448 million in cap room.
Contract extensions for safety Antoine Winfield Jr. ($17.123 million) and tackle Tristan Wirfs ($18.244 million) could lower their base salaries in 2024 and create more cap room. .
The Bucks may want to see how Chris Godwin fares in a new offense.
Chris Godwin just turned 28 in February and is in the final season of a three-year contract worth $60 million. Godwin signed that contract in 2022 while rehabbing a torn ACL suffered near the end of the 2021 season.
Bucks WR Chris Godwin – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Godwin had four 1,000-yard seasons with Tampa Bay, leading the Bucs in 2019 with a career-high 86 catches for 1,333 yards (15.5 average) and nine touchdowns. The former third-round pick had 98 catches for 1,103 yards (11.3 avg.) and five TDs before suffering a knee injury in late December 2021.
Godwin bounced back in 2022 with 104 catches for 1,023 yards and three scores, but his yards per catch plummeted to 9.8 yards per catch. Playing more as an outside receiver last year than he was almost exclusively in Bruce Arians’ offense from 2019 to 2022, Godwin had 83 receptions for 1,024 yards and averaged 12.3 yards per catch. rose to the yard.
However, Godwin’s touchdown reception numbers have steadily decreased over the past three seasons, from five in 2021 to three next season and just two in 2023. New offensive coordinator Liam Cohen is expected to use Godwin more in that slot this season, and he’s proven successful thus far. Career wins against nickel cornerbacks, linebackers, and safeties.Bucks general manager Jason Licht might want to take a look. How will Godwin respond to Cohen’s attack? before extending the contract.
With Mike Evans making at least an average of $21 million per year over the next two seasons, can the Bucs afford two $20 million receivers long term? That’s what Richt and assistant general manager Mike Greenberg need to understand. Inching closer to age 30, it makes sense to see how productive Godwin is this season and if his touchdown numbers increase as well.
Bucks WR Chris Godwin and TE Ko Kieft – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
Richt recently spoke highly of Godwin at the NFL Scouting Combine and is excited to see more of what he can do in the 2024 slot.
“Chris is a very physical player,” Richt said. “He’s not afraid to work in midfield. He’s not afraid and that’s a skill in itself. He’s got great hands. [He is] A very instinctive player.it’s just [that] He can play both spots, but he just looks better inside, and you saw him at the end of the year. Towards the end of the year, [he] Started making more plays for us. It’s hard to find people like that, but Chris is a good guy.
“He’s a phenomenal person, a phenomenal player, [and] He will be a great role model for this entire team. You know, you almost take him for granted, he’s there every day and works hard. He came back from a serious injury and came back sooner than anyone expected. You know, he’s just Mr. Consistency. ”
