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Bucs' Wirfs and Winfield Moves Would Show Urgency In Pro Bowler Contract Talks

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Adam Schultz | Last updated Mar 10, 2025 9:36 AM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' No. 1 priority this offseason is signing receiver Chris Godwin.

Set to be a free agent and coming off a nasty ankle injury that ended his season at Week 7, Godwin is now the most in-demand free agent receiver on the market.

With so many teams desperate for a receiver, and a No. 1 which Godwin could be on several teams, the Buccaneers are running out of time to get a deal done before the teams thirsty for receiver talent come calling.

And for USA Today, re-signing Godwin is the biggest piece of offseason business the Buccaneers need to get done.

"This year's free agent class is not particularly strong and Godwin is one of a handful of players who could make big money on the open market," USA Today writes. "That is one of the main reasons the Bucs need to re-sign Godwin now. He could field outrageous offers from teams like the New England Patriots or the Washington Commanders, who have triple the cap space the Bucs could reasonably clear this offseason. Making the deal before the start of the league year would just tie Godwin's return in a tidy bow."

There will be a select few teams who would make Godwin a offer he couldn't refuse and the Buccaneers, with their cap situation, don't want to get into a bidding war, but if they drag their feet on an extension, that is exactly where they could end up.

Restructuring the deals of Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield Jr. would free up roughly $30 million in cap space, which would then help pave the way for Godwin to re-sign.

So there is a relatively "easy" way to get No. 14 to return to Tampa Bay, but if the franchise isn't quick about it, other teams will come calling, and then the bidding war might start.

And that's a situation the Buccaneers don't want to be in.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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