Buccaneers training camp standout: Chris Godwin

With spectacular catches and high praise from his coaches and teammates, Chris Godwin has set the bar high for his second season as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.

Chris Godwin has put on a show during training camp.  He has made plenty of highlight plays and has made noise in practice on a daily basis.

Early on, Godwin has stood out in what should be one of the best receiving corps in the NFL. Despite star names like Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson, Godwin has made the most headlines during training camp.

A 2017 third-round pick, Godwin exploded onto the scene during the second half of the season. During the season finale, Godwin caught seven passes for 111 yards and a touchdown.

There’s no question he has carried over the momentum into the 2018 preseason. Godwin appears to be a man on a mission. He has even stirred up conversations among Buccaneers fans about becoming the number two wide receiver.

Godwin’s play during practice and preseason games shouldn’t anoint him as the starting receiver opposite of Evans just yet. However, his strong camp performance and other factors have him primed for a massive 2018 campaign.

For starters, Godwin has game experience. He isn’t an undrafted guy who is showing out on the practice field. The Tampa Bay coaching staff has already seen what he can do. He’s not a rookie and has performed well against the division rival Saints and Panthers.

With Jackson’s route tree extremely limited, if quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jameis Winston cannot connect with “DJax” down the field, his value drops significantly.

While Jackson struggled, Godwin was able to build a rapport with Winston as the season went along.

Plus, Godwin can do it all. If head coach Dirk Koetter decides to move him into the slot, he can succeed and use his big body to box out defenders as he tries to make catches over the middle. On the outside, Godwin also has a knack for making catches through traffic.

The Penn State product’s versatility will allow him to be on the field in any situation. Although there are a ton of weapons on the outside for Tampa Bay, Godwin will put up numbers.

For the first half of the 2017 season, Godwin was an afterthought. Through nine games, Godwin had 83 receiving yards. He ended the year with over 500 yards. If he gets the snaps he deserves, it will be a cakewalk to a 1,000-yard season.

Godwin has used training camp to prove the end of 2017 wasn’t a fluke. Expect big things from him during the regular season.