Chris Godwin or Mike Evans: Can the Buccaneers afford both?
By Rob Leeds
Do teams need two top wide receivers?
In short, the answer is no. One top receiver and then several consistent options in the form a cheaper “committee” is a much more common occurrence than the two-headed monster forming in Tampa Bay.
The 49ers and the Chiefs both only had one player with over 1,000 receiving yards (both tight ends, another position that the Bucs will have to pay soon as well), and then outside of their WR1s (Deebo Samuel and Tyreek Hill), they had competent options that didn’t cost $15 million per year.
Another team to look at is the Eagles, an organization that made the playoffs despite not having a single wide receiver with at least 500 receiving yards.
These teams were clearly constructed differently from the Buccaneers, but the common theme is that the Bucs don’t have to field the highest-paid receiving duo to make it to the playoffs and beyond.
Is wide receiver more important than running back or inside linebacker? Absolutely. But to pretend that receiver is up there with the four other positions on value of importance leads to overpaying.
It is at least worth considering that these teams found success because they had the other positions locked up rather than having two of the best players at a less-important position, and the Buccaneers should consider this before moving forward.