Buccaneers: 5 young players to watch as season winds down
By Ryan Doyle
WR Chris Godwin
It’s been tough sledding for Chris Godwin of late.
Baltimore’s secondary held Godwin without a catch for the first time since Week 3 of 2017; the third game of his professional career.
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Two weeks ago, Jameis Winston targeted Godwin 10 times. Godwin caught one of those passes for 13 yards. Although it may only be two games, this low level of production is unprecedented for Godwin.
Overall, he has seen a significant boost in production across the board. His targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns have all seen a jump. For the most part, Godwin showed a nice leap in year two, but his struggles of late raise some red flags.
Defenses have paid more attention to the Penn State product as DeSean Jackson works his way back from a hand injury. With a more prominent role in the offense, Godwin will line up across from some of the best cornerbacks in the game.
Looking ahead to 2019, Godwin will be the Bucs number two receiver. DeSean Jackson will likely end up on the free agent market. Adam Humphries could also be on the move as one of the top slot receivers on the market.
The final stretch will be an excellent test for Godwin. He will need to produce at the level of a number two receiver. If he continues to get shut down as he has for the past couple of weeks, the Bucs may need to make the wide receiver position a priority in the offseason.