When Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin suffered a devastating, season-ending leg injury in Week 7 against the Baltimore Ravens, Godwin was playing the best football of his career.
At the time, Godwin was fourth in the NFL in receiving with 50 receptions for 576 yards and 5 touchdowns — all after he spent most of the offseason as the subject of trade rumors and entered the season in the final year of a $3 year, $60 million contract extension he signed in March 2022.
Godwin’s injury was grotesque — a dislocated ankle — and seen in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football.
“Between the player reactions, the fact ESPN won’t show a replay and the cart coming out, this appears to be a serious injury for #Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote on his official X account. “Awful.”
Now, over 2 months later and with Godwin’s rehabilitation going well by all accounts, he will enter the offseason as one of the most sought-after free agents in the entire NFL.
“(Godwin) is still just 28 and will be fully healthy for his new team,” Footballguys Fantasy Football’s Jeff Tefertiller said on December 30. “After Tee Higgins, Godwin might be the prize of free agent receivers this coming offseason.”
It’s a prize plenty of NFL teams will be ready to compete for — Spotrac currently has Godwin’s market value projected at a 3-year, $66.7 million contract, which would pay him approximately $22.5 million per season.
Godwin One of NFL’s Most Consistently Great WRs
Godwin was also on track for his fourth consecutive season of at least 1,000 receiving yards. He had his career high of 1,333 receiving yards in 2019, when he was named NFL All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl.
Following the NFL trade deadline in early November, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox listed Godwin at No. 18 overall among potential 2025 free agents.
“Before suffering a season-ending ankle dislocation, Godwin was well on his way to a career year,” Knox wrote. ” … Of course, the injury casts a little uncertainty on Godwin’s market value. Not every team will be willing to hand out loads of guaranteed money to a player coming off of a significant injury. The good news is that Godwin underwent successful surgery and believes there’s a slight chance that he could return in the postseason.”
Buccaneers May Have Godwin’s Replacement Set
The Buccaneers might already have a player on the roster ready to step in and take over for Godwin as a slot receiver with rookie Jalen McMillan, a third round pick (No. 92 overall) out of the University of Washington in the 2024 NFL draft.
McMillan has been on an absolute heater in the last month of the season and scored a touchdown in his fourth consecutive game in a 48-14 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 17.
McMillan had 5 receptions for 51 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win and has 6 touchdowns in the last 4 games. It also nabbed him his own piece of NFL history and put his name in the league’s record books.
From the Buccaneers’ official X account: “J Mac’s 4 straight games with a TD grab is tied for the fourth-longest streak by a rookie in NFL history.”
The Buccaneers are now 9-7 headed into their regular-season finale at home against the New Orleans Saints in Week 18 and can clinch the NFC South Division title with a victory.
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Buccaneers’ $60 Million Veteran WR Called ‘Prize’ in Free Agency