Getty Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin.
With the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver room being one of the youngest in the NFL, it wouldn’t hurt for them to add another talented veteran to that grouping to allow the younger players more time to develop.
That’s why Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport named the Chiefs a potential trade suitor for Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver, Chris Godwin. Davenport’s argument for the trade to take place has less to do with Godwin’s declining ability and more to do with his situation cap-wise.
“There’s also at least some rationale for the Buccaneers to consider trading Godwin,” Davenport wrote on May 18. “Unlike (Mike) Evans, Godwin isn’t entering the final year of his contract. But after re-doing his deal last year, 2024 will be. Godwin’s cap hit for that season will be a whopping $27.5 million—a whopping amount for a team that has salary cap issues.”
Chris Godwin a Savvy NFL Receiver
Chris Godwin, 27, entered the NFL as a third-round draft pick of the Buccaneers in 2017. After accumulating 1,367 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns during his first two seasons in the NFL, Godwin broke out in Year 3 with an 86-1333-9 stat line in 14 regular season games played according to Pro Football Reference.
During Tom Brady’s first season in Tampa Bay, which was in 2020, Godwin had a down year production-wise despite winning a Super Bowl (65-840-7 stat line in 12 games played). But over the next two seasons, he rattled off back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns, which included career-highs in targets (142) and catches (104) during the 2022 season.
Godwin has two years remaining on his three-year, $60 million contract with the Buccaneers. His 2023 cap hit is $8.6 million, which is a manageable number considering his production last season and his age. But as mentioned by Gary Davenport, Godwin’s cap hit in 2024 jumps up to $27.5 million.
According to Over the Cap’s effective cap space (the cap space a team will have after signing at least 51 players and its projected rookie class to its roster), the Chiefs are $513,808 over the cap. So, Kansas City would have to clear up cap space if they wanted to make a move for Godwin.
If they did clear up space and wanted to trade for Godwin, the Chiefs would also likely consider giving him a contract extension. Doing so could potentially lower Godwin’s cap hits for 2023 and 2024.
As it currently stands, the Chiefs receiver room consists of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, Richie James, Justyn Ross, John Ross, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Cornell Powell, Ty Fryfogle, Nikko Remigio, and Jerrion Ealy.
Chiefs 2023 Free Agency Tracker
Here is a list of the players the Chiefs have signed during free agency thus far (excluding undrafted rookies), along with their contracts according to Over The Cap:
- OT Jawaan Taylor (4 years, $80 million)
- DE Charles Omenihu (2 years, $20 million)
- S Mike Edwards (1 year, $3 million)
- LB Drue Tranquill (1 year, $5 million)
- DT Tershawn Wharton (1 year, $2 million)
- OL Nick Allegretti (1 year, $2.5 million)
- OL Prince Tea Wanogho (tendered)
- TE Jody Fortson (tendered)
- QB Shane Buechele (tendered)
- DT Derrick Nnadi (1 year, $1.2 million)
- TE Blake Bell (1 year, $1.1 million)
- DT Byron Cowart (1 year, $1.08 million)
- DT Phil Hoskins (1 year, $940,000)
- S Deon Bush (1 year, $1.3 million)
- WR Richie James (1 year, $1.2 million)
- WR Justin Watson (2 years, $3.5 million)
- QB Blaine Gabbert (1 year, $1.1 million)
- RB Jerick McKinnon (1 year, $1.16 million)
- OT Donovan Smith (1 year, $3 million)
- OT Sebastian Gutierrez (1 year, $870,000)
- CB Lamar Jackson (1 year, $940,000)
- DT Matt Dickerson (1 year, $1.08 million)
- DT Chris Williams, (1 year, $940,000)
Here are the former Chiefs players that remain free agents:
- DE Frank Clark
- DE Carlos Dunlap
- DT Brandon Williams
- LB Darius Harris