The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are counting on a big year from Chris Godwin Jr..
After the departures of Lavonte David and Mike Evans this offseason, Godwin is now the team’s longest tenured player.
He’ll take on an increased role in the offense, and the Buccaneers will rely heavily on him for both production and leadership with his new status as the elder statesman.
But despite his unquestionable importance in Tampa Bay, his value continues to be undersold by people who aren’t in touch with the Buccaneers.
Trading Chris Godwin would be a disastrous decision for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
FanSided’s Wynston Wilcox put together a list of every NFL team’s most valuable trade chip, and discussed whether the team would benefit from trading said player.
For the Buccaneers, he landed on Chris Godwin.
“This is a tricky situation for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Keeping Chris Godwin Jr. means you’re banking on him to be fully healthy and expecting him to play at the level he has when he is healthy. Trading him means they’re accepting the risk of him possibly being healthy with a contender.”
“Either way, I think Godwin has to be on the move. If he’s healthy for the first half of the season, the Bucs can jack up the price on him. This team has had Godwin in the lineup for just 16 games across the last two years. It might be time to move on, even if he does bounce back in 2026.”
While it’s fair to express concern about Godwin’s injuries over the last few years, he’s quietly one of the team’s most important players entering 2026.
He’s a crucial veteran leader inside the locker room. He’s also the primary slot receiver, and has a chance to be peppered with targets at one of the highest rates of his career.
With Evans out of the picture, if Godwin can stay healthy, he’ll have a chance to be the team’s leading receiver and have the most productive year of his career.
This is just the latest in a series of disrespectful, uninformed takes surrounding Godwin’s value to the Buccaneers.
Earlier this offseason, Bleacher Report named Godwin’s contract as the second-worst in the entire NFL.
It’s just more bulletin board material for Godwin. Those in Bucs circles understand the value Godwin brings both on the field and in the locker room. But the rest of the football world seems to have forgotten just how good he can be. It’s time for Godwin to remind them in 2026.
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