NFL Free Agency is set to open next week, with the legal tampering period beginning on Monday afternoon. That’s when Chris Godwin is expected to get flooded with offers that could end his tenure in Tampa Bay sooner than anyone would like.
Godwin is set to hit the market as a Top 5 free agent, and there will be no shortage of interest. The New England Patriots have begun to emerge as a serious threat to sign him away given his leadership and connection to Tom Brady, and the Jaguars cleared the deck in a way that suggests they’re ready to make a move.
Tampa Bay still holds all of the cards, but the Bucs are quickly losing leverage as more teams continue to show interest in paying Godwin top dollar to leave. An early report had his value north of $25 million per season, although that likely came from powers attempting to inflate his market to ensure a big offer is made by someone.
Realistically Godwin is going to get around $22 million, which is still a ton of money that will force the Bucs to make a big decision on what to do. While Jason Licht and company ponder their options, another team might have entered the fray.
Broncos could swoop into the Chris Godwin sweepstakes next week
MMQB’s Matt Verderame tried to find a good free agent fit for each team, and his choice for the Denver Broncos might raise some eyebrows in Tampa Bay. We’ve already heard Chris Godwin mentioned alongside the Jaguars, Raiders, and Patriots but now the Broncos and old foe Sean Payton could be entering the ring as well.
“If Godwin gets out of Tampa Bay, the Broncos should pounce. Denver needs more playmakers for second-year quarterback Bo Nix, and Godwin certainly qualifies. Despite a dislocated ankle which cost him the final 10 games of the season, Godwin caught 50 passes for 576 yards and five touchdowns. Paired with Courtland Sutton, Denver would be a tough cover,” Verderame wrote.
It’s one thing to lose Godwin, but to have Sean Payton be the architect of that heartbreak would be an extra twist of the knife. Having Liam Coen sign Godwin away would be upsetting but Payton is still reviled in Tampa Bay from his days with the Saints and it’s angst that hasn’t washed away even with the change of scenery.
The problem is that Godwin makes a ton of sense for the Broncos, which makes it hard to argue why a move might not happen. Bo Nix surprised everyone by having a season that finish as a Rookie of the Year finalist, and the groundwork seems to have been laid for him to take another big step next year.
Having Godwin alongside Courtland Sutton would be a great way to put Nix in a position to succeed, and for Payton to get another shot in at his old rival.
Of course none of the reasons Godwin makes sense as a target are exclusive to Denver. He’s a top free agent and by far the best receiver set to hit the market. What Tampa Bay needs to see this as is a threat that should be proactively taken care of. Letting Godwin hit the market doesn’t mean he’s a goner, but getting a deal done before the legal tampering period begins — and especially before free agency opens — is starting to feel more and more necessary.
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