Sitting at 1-4, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still expected to be sellers at the trade deadline. While a popular name that is surfacing in trade discussions is wide receiver Chris Godwin, the return for the veteran receiver might not be very enticing, according to Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report.
Reynolds mentions a combination of age, contract, and production would make Godwin only worth a sixth- or seventh-round pick on the trade market.
“Godwin is under contract for next year with a $29.933 million cap hit, but he certainly won’t be on the roster without taking a massive pay cut,” wrote Reynolds. “So trading him makes the most sense. The problem is finding a taker for an older receiver without much production. Maybe Godwin fetches a sixth- or seventh-rounder.”
The Bucs can save $13M in cap space if they release Godwin after the year. So, they have to decide if trading Godwin is worth a late-round pick, considering they will likely release him and not get anything in return for him after this year anyways.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Could Trade Chris Godwin
Godwin was a third-round pick by the Buccaneers in the 2017 NFL Draft. After 525 yards in his rookie season, he exploded in year two with 842 yards. Then, in 2019, he became an NFL star. Godwin produced 1,333 yards and was a second-team All-Pro performer.
He followed that up with just 840 yards. However, from 2021 through 2023, he posted three straight 1,000-yard seasons. Unfortunately, injuries have been the name of the game for Godwin since.
He suffered a serious knee injury in 2024 and only played in seven games. He suited up for nine games the following season, but dropped from 82 yards per game the year prior to just 40 yards per game.
Now, Godwin has 179 yards in five games for a struggling Bucs offense. He is averaging 1.09 yards per route run. His career rate is 1.87, and last year he was 1.36. Godwin is 30 years old and has a contract that the team wants to get out of. On one hand, he can be viewed as a franchise icon and Super Bowl winner. On the other hand, they have to try to get anything for him.
Godwin Could Still Have Trade Value
No one is going to trade a lot for an aging receiver who is struggling. However, for a seventh-round pick, it is easy to say that the issue could have been environment, and the addition is worth a dice roll. Injuries have hurt the New England Patriots‘ pass-catching corps, but they could add Godwin on the cheap.
The Baltimore Ravens are thin behind Zay Flowers, and the Seattle Seahawks are thin behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Kansas City Chiefs just lost a notable receiver due to injury. Then, there are the San Francisco 49ers, who have Mike Evans and need a wideout.
Tampa Bay is going to have to be open to trades for Godwin, even if the return is not much.
Bucs Get Harsh Reality Check on Chris Godwin Trade