Getty Justin Watson (left) is headed to Kansas City.
The changes to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster have already begun as receiver Justin Watson signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Watson’s agency JL Sports announced the news on Twitter on Friday, February 4.
Watson ended last season on the Bucs practice squad, per The Athletic’s Greg Auman. The wideout played in just one game for the Buccaneers this season, but was a key contributor in prior years.
Watson played in 11 games during Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl run in 2020 notching seven receptions for 94 yards. The playmaker was also a key contributor on special teams.
“Former Bucs receiver Justin Watson, who finished the season on Tampa Bay’s practice squad, is signing a one-year deal with the Chiefs after a visit today, per his agency @JLSports,” Auman tweeted on February 4. “23 catches and 2 TDs in four years in Tampa, 20 special-teams tackles as well.”
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The Buccaneers Have a ‘High Interest’ in Re-Signing Godwin: Report
Much has been made about potential moves at the quarterback position, but the Buccaneers also face a crucial decision with star receiver Chris Godwin who has a chance to hit free agency for the second straight offseason. Tampa Bay opted to place the franchise tag on Godwin in 2021 which kept the wideout under contract for one more season.
The Buccaneers can do the same this offseason but at a much higher price tag. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the Buccaneers have a “high interest in re-signing Godwin.” Godwin is coming off a significant ACL injury, and it will be interesting to see if this will have any impact on his new deal.
“Multiple sources say the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have high interest in re-signing Godwin,” Fowler detailed on January 27. “They consider him the Lavonte David of their offense — the tough and physical player who sets a tone and embodies team culture. Receiver Mike Evans might draw double coverage most often, but Godwin can do a little bit of everything. The money will determine whether that happens, but a return is on the table for Tampa Bay.
“A second franchise tag — a 120% increase from the $15.9-million clip in 2021 — seems unlikely coming off the knee issue, but a sweet-spot deal that acknowledges the high-end market while protecting the team due to Godwin’s injury should suffice.”
Licht on QB Decision: ‘We’ll Have to Turn Over Every Stone’
Tampa Bay heads into the offseason with Kyle Trask as the only quarterback on the roster. While the Buccaneers could turn over the offense to the second-year quarterback, the team has indicated on multiple occasions that they plan to explore other options as well, whether in free agency, the draft or via trade. After Tom Brady announced his retirement, Bucs general manager Jason Licht noted the team will “turn over every stone” at quarterback this offseason.
“We’ll have to go down every avenue,” Licht said during a February 1 press conference. “It’s a little bit of a different landscape than it was a couple of years ago with the quarterbacks that were available in free agency. We’ll have to go down every avenue. We’ll have to turn over every stone – I hate to use clichés like that, but we will.
“I think our roster is in better position than we were two years ago in terms of the young talent we have and the experience that they have at this point with what we have gone through the last couple of years. I’m excited about that.”