The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are optimistic after a 42-13 rout of the Carolina Panthers in Week 7, which lifted them to 2-5 and revitalized their playoff hopes.
That optimism will be tested over the next two weeks, with games against the suddenly dangerous Atlanta Falcons in Week 8 and the red-hot Chicago Bears in Week 9.
With the game against the Bears on November 8 — just two days before the NFL trade deadline — the Buccaneers could find themselves as sellers if they lose both games.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes that scenario could make former Pro Bowl wide receiver Chris Godwin trade bait, with the Kansas City Chiefs as a likely top trade destination.
“Godwin is a legacy Buc through 10 seasons, but he hasn’t been quite the same since his 2024 ankle injury.,” Fowler wrote on October 28. “His veteran presence and savvy play could help another team. He’s due $22 million in cash this year, which could be a deterrent to a deal, though.”
Godwin’s Contract Particularly Heinous for Bucs
Of all the terrible contracts the Buccaneers have handed out in recent years, Godwin’s seems to stand above the rest.
The Buccaneers handed Godwin a 3-year, $66 million contract before the 2025 regular season, coming off a gruesome, season-ending injury. In the 15 games he’s played since, Godwin has 56 receptions for 576 yards and 2 touchdowns — including 27 receptions for 243 yards and no touchdowns in 2026.
Chris Godwin: Elite NFL WR in Past
Godwin, 30, has spent his entire career with the Buccaneers and was one of the NFL’s elite wide receivers for most of his career — until a gruesome leg injury in Week 7 of the 2024 regular season against the Baltimore Ravens.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon put Godwin at the top of his list of the “NFL’s Worst Contracts” for the 2026 season.
The New England Patriots, on a spending spree for the ages before the 2025 season, reportedly offered Godwin a contract worth more than $90 million that he turned down to stay in Tampa Bay.
Godwin’s contract includes a staggering $44 million in guaranteed money and will bring his career earnings to $146.6 million when it runs out following the 2027 season.
“The 30-year-old has failed to play in double-digit games in back-to-back seasons and his productivity when healthy plummeted in 2025,” Gagnon wrote on June 12. “Godwin hasn’t put up 1,200 yards or scored eight touchdowns since 2019, which is also the last time he was a Pro Bowler or All-Pro. His $33.7 million 2026 cap hit ranks No. 1 among wide receivers, and the team would have to bite the bullet on a $16.2 million dead-cap charge to move on in 2027.”
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