The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made one of the dumbest contract moves in franchise history before the 2025 season when they signed veteran wide receiver Chris Godwin to a 3-year, $66 million contract.
Godwin, it can be argued, made one of the dumbest moves — if you’re a true-blue capitalist — by not taking an even larger deal from the New England Patriots, turning down a reported $90 million contract to stay with Tampa Bay.
Heavy’s Max Dible thinks the two sides might still be able to come together finally with a trade pitch that sends Godwin to the Patriots in exchange for a Day 3 pick ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET.
“Godwin still has some talent, but he’s 30 years old and coming off back-to-back seasons shortened by injury,” Dible wrote. “The Bucs also owe him $20.5 million in base salary on a club option in 2027 if they choose to pick that up, which seems highly unlikely. Baker Mayfield is back, which lends itself to the idea that the Bucs might want to keep Godwin. But Mayfield’s thumb is also hurt and he’s completed just 7-of-14 pass attempts over the past two games combined. The Patriots need more help in the WR room after injuries and drop issues have plagued AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs. New England shouldn’t offer much, but negotiating around one Day 3 pick is worth it for the Patriots if they can land Godwin.”
Godwin’s Contract Particularly Heinous for Bucs
Of all the terrible contracts the Buccaneers have handed out in recent years, Godwin’s stands 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 18 games he’s played since, Godwin has just 62 receptions for 619 yards and 2 touchdowns.
In that same stretch, 2nd-year wide receiver Tez Johnson, on a 4-year, $4.3 million contract, has 39 receptions for 576 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Chris Godwin: Elite WR to ‘NFL’s Worst Contract’
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” before the 2026 season.
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.”
Bucs Urged to Trade $66 Million Pro Bowler to Patriots