Fear not Bucs fans, as Chris Godwin re-signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a three-year deal worth $66 million. Godwin not only came back to Tampa for another three years but in doing so, he left a lot of money on the table, proving how much he wanted to be back with the Bucs for the foreseeable future.
The Bucs have valued keeping key players in Tampa and this is yet another example of just that. Godwin is back, meaning the offense will have both him and Mike Evans for the 2025 season. That should make Bucs fans very happy.
With the deal done, let's check out the winners and losers from the Godwin contract.
Winners and losers from Buccaneers re-signing Chris Godwin
Winner: Buccaneers
This is an obvious one. Not only did the Bucs manage to keep Godwin from signing with a wide receiver-needy team like the Patriots or Jaguars but they did it for less money. They got to keep one of their best weapons and saved money in the process.
Not many players would be willing to take a hometown discount but Godwin clearly respected the franchise enough to do so. No one would have blamed him for taking more money to catch passes from Drake Maye, Trevor Lawrence or whoever but he chose to stick with the Buccaneers and that makes them massive winners here.
Loser: Any other team that wanted Godwin
Another obvious entry here. Teams that need wide receivers and were eyeing Godwin as their best bet after Tee Higgins was tagged and DK Metcalf was traded to the Steelers were probably gutted about this move. It probably hurts even more knowing that he took less money rather than go and play for them too.
It's also hard to not chuckle at the Jaguars. They certainly seemed to be clearing the deck to make a run at signing Godwin, and their fans were quick to troll about a deal they thought was inevitable. Godwin staying with the Bucs was all about loyalty and him saying so -- while in a roundabout way burning the Jags -- makes his return even sweeter.
Winner: Chris Godwin
While yes, Godwin left money on the table to stick with the team that drafted him, he's still set to earn $44 million guaranteed. That's a nice chunk of change and rewards Godwin for being a good player and showing loyalty to the organization.
Godwin still is making plenty of dough and he gets to continue playing for the team where he's spent his entire career. This deal also sets him up to potentially earn another nice contract in a few years if he's still playing at a high level.
Loser: Trey Palmer
Someone is going to get bumped down on the depth chart now that Godwin is back and there's a high chance that someone is Trey Palmer. The sixth-round pick out of Nebraska in the 2023 draft had just 12 catches for 172 yards and a touchdown in 15 games last year.
If Palmer couldn't make a strong case for himself while Godwin was out last year, it's doubtful he's going to move up the ladder now that he's back. He feels like a clear loser in this deal because the starting pass-catchers will likely be Godwin, Evans, Jalen McMillan, and Cade Otton. Things could get even grimmer for Palmer if the Bucs draft a wide receiver too.
Winner: Baker Mayfield
The happiest person through all of this might honestly be Baker Mayfield because he won't lose one of his favorite targets. Godwin missed half of the 2024 season but in 2023, which was Mayfield's first in Tampa, the two made magic happen on the field with Godwin tallying over 1,000 yards receiving and averaging 60.2 yards per game.
Quarterbacks are always happy when their team provides them with solid weapons so Mayfield is not only a winner here but he might be the biggest winner from the deal.