Chris Godwin or Mike Evans: Can the Buccaneers afford both?

The value of wide receivers

When evaluating an NFL roster and the importance of individual positions, wide receiver is far from the top. Pay is relative to the impact that the position has on the game, and wide receiver falls short of the other keystone positions.

In general order of importance from top to bottom, the most critical positions in the NFL are quarterback, offensive tackle, pass rusher, and corner. People may disagree with the order past quarterback, but these four are generally the main focus in most circles.

When looking at the Buccaneers’ roster concerning these positions, only one of these positions is locked down by an appropriate contract for the future, and the others are severely underpaid or not long term.

Fans will argue that Donovan Smith is overpaid, and while his contract is expensive, this should illustrate how valuable an average offensive tackle in the NFL is.

Twenty-five million dollars per year may seem like a lot to pay for Tom Brady, but given Patrick Mahomes’ record-setting deal yesterday, Brady’s compensation is far easier to stomach.

Shaquil Barrett has been franchise tagged for 2020, but the odds are decent that he will get a massive payday between now and the start of the 2021 season.

Finally, starting corner Carlton Davis is still playing on a rookie contract, and he is also set to earn a massive contract soon given his production level last season.

Considering the Bucs are underpaying for three of the most important positions on their roster, it should be clear that committing early to Godwin could have drawbacks, especially for a team that would happily shy away from some of its offensive prowess to keep its defense improving.