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Rival NFC Contender Predicted to Steal Chris Godwin

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Anthony Goss | Last updated Feb 12, 2025 1:30 PM ET

Seven games into the 2024 season Chris Godwin had over halfway accomplished his benchmark of 1,000 yards for the season. He previously held a streak of three straight 1,000-yard seasons and had hit that number in four of his last five.

That changed with an unfortunate ankle injury, cutting his season short and leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers void of their No. 2 option at receiver. Mike Evans maintaining the No. 1 spot helped keep their offense afloat, but the Bucs lost that energy in the passing game for the remainder of the season.

The hope now becomes Godwin has not played his final snaps with the team and will return to Tampa Bay for the coming years. However, a presumably wild free agency season could put those hopes in jeopardy.

Godwin will be one of the most coveted receivers on the market. If he chooses to leave the Bucs, several teams will likely pursue him for their offenses. The Bucs do view him as a franchise centerpiece though and will fight to keep him.

Assuming Godwin leaves town though, the worst-case scenario for Tampa Bay would be his joining a rival NFC contender. As the 33rd Team's Ian Valentino predicts, the Washington Commanders are a more than viable suitor for the veteran wideout.

The Commanders come off a remarkable postseason run that started with a 23-20 NFC Wild Card win at Raymond James Stadium. Finding themselves ahead of schedule on the Jayden Daniels experiment, their offseason will focus on adding the necessary pieces that will cement them as a perennial contender.

While they hope to address some holes on the defensive side, a solid No. 2 option for Daniels would be the desired prize of the offseason. Washington's offense poses enough danger with Terry McLaurin lined up outside, but Godwin could be the lethal complement who moves the needle.

What else makes the Commanders dangerous here? Washington has $60 million in projected cap space for next season compared to just over $6 million on Tampa Bay's part.

The Bucs can certainly move things around or extend themselves to make sure Godwin stays. But if the chase for Godwin turns into a bidding war, Tampa Bay has some pretty stiff competition to deal with.

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

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