Monday Night Football didn't exactly go as planned for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After starting out with a 10-0 lead, the Bucs watched as the Baltimore Ravens poured it on in an eventual loss.
But, to make matters even worse, while the Bucs were attempting to make things look "not so bad" late in the fourth quarter, head coach Todd Bowles kept his starters in. This wound up being a colossal mistake, as wide receiver Chris Godwin went down with a devastating injury.
Despite Bowles defending his decision to keep Godwin in the game when it was out of reach, fans have a right to be upset over the situation. But, there's nothing that can be done about it now. The only option Tampa has is to move forward and try to figure out where to go from here.
There's no replacing a guy who has been one of the best receivers in the league, statistically, this year. However, with the NFL trade deadline coming up on November 5, the Bucs can give it a shot.
If Tampa Bay wanted to look at some of the more ideal targets still out there after the Davante Adams and Amari Cooper trades, there are three in particular which make a lot of sense for this club.
The Bucs need to make a move to replace Chris Godwin following his injury
Diontae Johnson, Carolina Panthers
This first candidate is more unlikely to be dealt than the other two, but Diontae Johnson is worth calling on. He's found himself involved in some whispers, here and there, even though he's in his first year with the Panthers.
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It isn't often you see a player traded once more, in their first year after being traded to a new team, but the way Carolina has played and with the direction they're heading, it might make sense to see what they could get for him.
Johnson is 28 years old and, like Godwin, will be a free agent in 2025. That is exactly why the Panthers could opt to deal him and go in a new direction as they try to rebuild in all sorts of areas. Being a solid possession wide receiver, similar to Godwin, Johnson would be a great target.
DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans
Probably the cheapest target out of these three is DeAndre Hopkins of the Tennessee Titans, who has undoubtedly lost a step and isn't what he once was. However, if the Bucs want someone who will still go out there and catch the football, look no further. Hopkins is known for having some of the best hands of any receiver over the past decade.
And, maybe getting dealt to a contending team would rejuvenate him a bit. There have been glimpses of Hopkins still being able to do some of the things he once did while in Tennessee, and I wouldn't put it past him to use a trade like this for some extra motivation.
Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
Finally, maybe the best and most sensible trade target is Cooper Kupp of the L.A. Rams. Why would the Rams trade him? Well, injuries have become an issue for Kupp and he's also getting up there in age. The Rams look to be out of contention and don't know what the future holds for Matthew Stafford, or whether he even wants to play football in 2025.
Meanwhile, the connection between Liam Coen and Kupp is an obvious one. Coen spent multiple stints with the Rams over the last few years, including being Kupp's assistant wide receivers coach during his rookie year. The relationship between those two and the creativity of Coen's offense stemming from the McVay tree seems like a plausible reason for this deal to get done.