The biggest task the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have this offseason is to find a way to retain star wide receiver Chris Godwin on a new contract. He’s becoming a free agent after suffering a gruesome ankle injury midway through the 2024 season, and he would be hard for them to replace if he were to leave.
In seven games prior to his injury, he caught 50 passes for 576 yards and five touchdowns. In four of the five seasons prior to that, he posted over 1,000 yards and 80 receptions.
Godwin could possibly be a little too expensive for Tampa Bay to keep. Some feel he will be headed to the rebuilding New England Patriots, but Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated feels the veteran wideout would be a good fit for the ascendent Denver Broncos.
“If Godwin gets out of Tampa Bay, the Broncos should pounce,” Verderame wrote. “Denver needs more playmakers for second-year quarterback Bo Nix, and Godwin certainly qualifies.
“… Paired with Courtland Sutton, Denver would be a tough cover.”
Even though most picked them to finish with a losing record, the Broncos went 10-7 and made the playoffs this past season thanks to some fine play from Nix. But they won mostly with defense, and for them to duplicate what they did in 2024, let alone to take the next step, they will need another legitimate threat on offense.
Sutton had a strong 2024 with 1,081 yards and eight touchdowns, but Marvin Mims was second on the team in receiving yards with just 503. Godwin would make the team more formidable and a little more explosive on offense while taking some pressure off of Nix to make things happen by himself.
