Chris Godwin or Mike Evans: Can the Buccaneers afford both?
By Rob Leeds
With Mike Evans already being one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL, are the Buccaneers in cap danger by doing the same for Chris Godwin?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers easily have the best wide receiver duo currently in the NFL. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are both clear WR1s on more than half of the league’s teams, and the Bucs are perennial matchup nightmares for any secondary.
Mike Evans is already one of the highest-paid receivers in the league, and after his recent All-Pro season, Chris Godwin looks primed to join Evans at the top of the list.
According to overthecap.com, Evans is currently averaging $16,500,000 per year, landing him at seventh on the list amongst the other top receivers in the league. On the other hand, Chris Godwin is far lower on that list and is still playing for pennies on his rookie contract.
The Buccaneers may look like they have no choice but to sign Godwin to a new contract to keep the star receiver in Tampa Bay, but shelling out a massive new deal early to pay another receiver top money isn’t as much of a no-brainer as most people would assume.
Godwin and Evans are exceptional players, but allocating this much money to a single position becomes a dangerous game.