Bruce Arians: “He’s A Solid No. 1 Receiver On Any Team”
October 15th, 2019
You know what’s a great gift for a rookie quarterback?
Two stud No. 1 receivers, a beastly talented tight end and a fellow rookie running back to grow with.
Joe wonders if Bucs officials are starting to think about that.
Third-year receiver Chris Godwin, who will earn $677,000 this season, and is due $768,500 next year, the last of his rookie contract, has become a consistent force in the NFL.
After a strong 2018 season, Godwin is on pace this year for 114 caches, 1765 yards and 16 touchdowns. And Godwin has caught a whopping 78 percent of balls thrown his way.
Following Sunday’s beat down in England, Bruce Arians told the Buccaneers Radio Network the words that Godwin’s agent is yearning to hear.
“He’s a solid No. 1 receiver on any team,” Arians said, noting that a lot of Godwin’s success this year is because teams are rolling coverages to Mike Evans. But that doesn’t take away from Godwin’s execution, the head coach said.
“The fact the he blocks at the point of attack and he kind of owns the middle of the field because of that blocking. That gets him open in the middle of the field.”
Godwin will want to be paid after this season. That’s how it goes in the NFL when you’re a bonafide stud after three years but are not being paid first-round-pick money. It’s why Lavonte David got a contract extension after his third season. It’s why the Bucs paid receiver Mike “mattress-in-the-yard” Williams after his third season.
Joe wonders whether the Bucs brass will study the opportunity to pay Jameis Winston about $27 million on a franchise tag versus the chance to lock down Godwin long term and give the gift of Godwin and Evans to an inexpensive rookie QB, along with a stud running back draft prospect to replace Peyton Barber and a top-shelf cornerback in free agency to stop the defensive bleeding.
It’s almost ironic. The more America’s Quarterback rings up the stats of Godwin, the more he partly might be hurting his own chances of returning in 2020.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:07 am
BYE BYE “AMERICA’S FAILURE”
October 15th, 2019 at 10:09 am
Pay the man now and not wait for another season where he gets close to 100 catches and 7-10 tds
October 15th, 2019 at 10:12 am
Based on this team’s salary cap, I think a rookie QB is probably a better solution.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:17 am
If we have two true #1’s then any quarterback rookie or otherwise would do. If you need to franchise Winston instead of paying him then either you are afraid of the unknown or your a bad talent evaluator. Doesn’t matter what you do 6 days a week and how you prepare if you play like that on Sundays.
Is he better than ryan Griffin yes of course he is but the question that needs to be answered is how much better!!! I’ve seen this bad movie before and winston will have one kid these games every year apparently and wont play that bad again this year but he will give us average play, Griffin can do that too.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:18 am
Winston or Godwin? That’s a no-brainer pick…. I’m just about done with this site. The Winston backing is insane. HE WILL NOT TAKE THIS TEAM FORWARD, EVER!!!!
October 15th, 2019 at 10:19 am
t’s almost ironic. The more America’s Quarterback rings up the stats of Godwin, the more he partly might be hurting his own chances of returning in 2020.
Who is ringing up stats for whom?
$27 million for Jameis?……no f—–g way…..I would let him test FA first….he’ll get a $13mil contract for backup somewhere……no team will pay him $27 and that includes the Bucs.
Pay Godwin…
I know this sounds crazy but I would trade Shaq now while his value is high….he has zero sacks in the last two games and he will want big bucks…..bucks that will need to go elsewhere.
I like the idea of getting a high draft pick for a 1-year FA……Brate should also be traded….let’s stock up on some draft picks….maybe use them as capitol to use to move up…..Jets….Arizona….several other teams don’t need QBs…..
October 15th, 2019 at 10:19 am
FIRE LICHT! Worst drafting GM I’ve ever seen.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:24 am
Wow! What a shock! I though he was talking about Scotty Miller or Bobo Wilson.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:25 am
Winston is making his own bed.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:29 am
If you have any serious questions about your QB position, and you have a draft class known to be loaded at quarterback, then it would be irresponsible to not take advantage of the situation. This is why I figure Lichtweight will sign Winston long term and draft a kicker.
Honestly, even if JW winds up having a good year, you still draft a quarterback if the selections fall in your favor. You can always trade one later.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:30 am
Whatever it takes to get that failure off this team.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:30 am
I’m with TBBF – Pay Godwin, offer JW $17mil tops (if no other alternatives) or get an alternative. Even I, a early consistent supporter of JW, have to acknowledge, it just isn’t happening. Let’s get him cheap, or get him out of here.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:31 am
6 good games? Heres your check…… Then next 3 years will be trying to find his out of here. Heard this story before around these parts
October 15th, 2019 at 10:32 am
Glad to see you’re coming around ChanEpic.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:34 am
The only way I offer Jameis a contract is as a backup, paid like a backup and pray we never need him.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:37 am
The more I think about it let Jameis walk trade Mike Evans for a first upgrade the D (cbs) and Dline pay Godwin draft Qb upgrade Oline
October 15th, 2019 at 10:42 am
Morgus – Please accept my acknowledgement that on the subject of JW Winston, you were right, I was wrong. DEAD WRONG. That said, I was encouraged by what I saw this year, but he’s had too many games like he had on Sunday to ignore, he shouldn’t have those kinds of games anymore. And with a new coach, he did the exact same thing he did with other coaches. SMH, just tired of defending him, and then he craps the bed.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:46 am
He Joe, you know what’s not good for a rookie QB, a horrible offensive line. If the Bucs are going to dumb JW they need to bring in some scrub like Fitzpatrick and tank ala the Dolphins are this year. They need to try and stockpile picks and fortify the line before brining in a new QB. If they are dumping Winston you gotta blow the whole team up because they have holes every except for the recieving corps. You bring in a rookie QB and he gets mauled like Jameis did Sunday he will be a bust no doubt about it. Jameis or no Jameis they don’t need to wast a 1st rounder on a QB this year.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:47 am
Smart move would be to trade Howard and jameis now before the deadline. Take a 1st and 3rd for Howard and a 2nd next year for jameis. Focus on getting one of the stud Ohio state defensive prospects with our higher 1st round pick (okudah or young) this year and Jordan love with the O.J. pick. Then sign Kareem hunt in free agency. Godwin Evans and hunt should be enough talent for a rookie QB. And we can use our two 3rd round picks on oline depth and 2nd round can be beat player available
October 15th, 2019 at 10:47 am
Yeah…we know all about our talented pass catchers…any offers for our QB…
October 15th, 2019 at 10:53 am
Not defending JW but y’all smoking dope if ya think we are magically get a new Qb and all is fix.
October 15th, 2019 at 10:56 am
You cut JW and we are full rebuild mode. Gotta learn from our mistakes and make sure the guy has somewhat a decent team around him. This current team is too mistake prone for any Qb to thrive in. JW is just not good enough to carry the Bucs and there is nothing wrong with that because many have tried and failed
October 15th, 2019 at 11:06 am
All the talk about trading JW and Godwin for draft picks are meaningless when you have LightBulb selecting players.
Licht needs to go before anything else.
October 15th, 2019 at 11:06 am
Do our eyes deceive us? Do the results?
Clearly JW is not good enough to CARRY THIS team. Maybe no QB was/is but do we give up? We KNOW that JW cannot carry THIS team.
So what’s going to change…THIS team…or JW. We have some core players to build around. We need a cover corner…and another impact player for the Dline and the Oline. We can’t really have those things AND JW.
I’d like to have a year’s membership to NETJETS so I could simply drive to Clearwater Airport and fly a corporate jet to our home on Michigan’s UP. Ain’t happenin’. Sometimes budget realities suck.
October 15th, 2019 at 11:07 am
Godwin. The lone bright spot on offense. Maybe Rojo too.
October 15th, 2019 at 11:12 am
Saw the headline and thought he was referring to Scotty Miller.
October 15th, 2019 at 11:16 am
A new quarterback wont fix anything and neither will resigning winston. If the team isn’t going anywhere with him it wont matter being without him, I think the offense will be fine, I remember everyone afraid to let go of Geraldine and d line can actually stop the run now.
Winston sees the field like a rookie anyway, locking on receivers after year 5, throwing Richard Sherman way with while hes covering a garbage running back like barber, I mean really who has to be told that’s a stupid idea definitely not a rookie quarterback. Maybe with licht the plan is to wait until hes older to eventually get 2-3 good years out of him.
October 15th, 2019 at 11:37 am
Minor Move to look out for – that could pay huge dividends
If the Bengals draft a QB with the 1st pick.
Bucs trade for their backup QB Ryan Finely.
October 15th, 2019 at 11:38 am
Utah St’s QB Jordan Love is starting to get a lot of pub.
October 15th, 2019 at 12:09 pm
Teams that can find QB’s who are successful on their rookie deals is pretty much the #1 formula for success in the NFL right now. That, and proven veterans restructuring their contracts to free up cap space…. Those 2 things enable teams to build really strong & elite overall rosters, compared to teams who have the most expensive QB’s… Research it
October 15th, 2019 at 12:14 pm
Just now finally got to this point, tbh, but I am honestly ready to say Goodbye to Jameis as a Buc…
(Barring a miraculous turnaround/playoff run, which I don’t see happening bcuz of the ghosts in Jameis’ head right now)… Seriously, why is he freaking out and seeing ghosts like that on his dropbacks??? I mean I know it’s almost Halloween, but seriously
October 15th, 2019 at 12:15 pm
lamarcus
lol…the team is too mistake prone?…..
JW has 18 games throwing multiple INTS in a game….sadly he aint done…not by a long shot…lol…
JW is a bust…
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 15th, 2019 at 12:15 pm
OKAY BUCS FANS!
Here’s Your Choice:
A) You get to resign & keep Jameis Winston but may lose Godwin.
B) You sign any new rookie QB, let Winston go, but you get to keep Godwin long term + get to sign ANY free agency cornerback + you get to sign any free agent Offensive lineman + you get to sign or draft a workhorse RB.
Which do you choose?
October 15th, 2019 at 12:36 pm
yeah, Godwin or Jameis… lemme think about that one.
October 15th, 2019 at 12:57 pm
No Brainer here.
Loads of better QBs than Winston in this upcoming draft.
Hell we might pick 3rd at this rate!!!
October 15th, 2019 at 1:08 pm
With all the important resignings coming up it makes sense we draft a rookie QB and let jameis walk
October 15th, 2019 at 1:53 pm
Need more than one cornerback.
October 15th, 2019 at 1:56 pm
Another reason we’re drafting a QB….cant pay jw, i mean, its not like he’s worth a lot, but we need to move on and save the money for true consistent talent like Godwin.
Never overpay for a backup QB which is all jw is.
October 15th, 2019 at 2:34 pm
@Joe … “Joe wonders whether the Bucs brass will study the opportunity to pay Jameis Winston about $27 million on a franchise tag versus the chance to lock down Godwin long term and give the gift of Godwin and Evans to an inexpensive rookie QB, along with a stud running back draft prospect to replace Peyton Barber and a top-shelf cornerback in free agency to stop the defensive bleeding.”
THAT’S the most significant paragraph you’ve ever written IMO Joe. THAT’S the blueprint for next season … and BEYOND. I have no problem with offering Jameis $10 mil (maybe even as much as $15 mil) on a 2-3 year contract. But $27-$30 mil is totally out of the question. Would also sign a veteran QB (game-manager-type) to compete with him. If Jameis doesn’t want that, no problem, move on. Personally wouldn’t draft a new (rookie) QB until 2021 though, regardless of what Jameis decides to do.
We NEED the money to (1) re-sign Suh & Barrett & (maybe) JPP; (2) sign a veteran starting outside corner AND a veteran starting safety; (3) upgrade the OLine with preferably 2 veteran quality FAs for either depth or to start. We NEED the draft picks next year to draft high an OLineman, a DE & a RB (and use the rest for depth).
Whatever happens though, DON’T let Jason Lichtweight touch the draft, and let’s start looking for a new OC IF Byron Two Leftfeet can’t get his act together soon.
October 15th, 2019 at 7:24 pm
DO NOT RESIGN JAMEIS!!! Last game was the last straw, he made his bed and shat on it.
October 15th, 2019 at 9:55 pm
Look at the browns- just because you ha e two #1s doesn’t mean your QB will be successful- FIX THE LINE- just look at the browns – or look at our backyard, the falcons- YOU HAVE TO FIX THE LINE!!!! Then and only then you’ll give a new QB a chance
October 15th, 2019 at 9:57 pm
Trade winston and get something for him, pay Godwin and get a free agent qb while we groom the next failure.
October 15th, 2019 at 11:17 pm
In no way, shape or form will the NFLPA (Union) allow Jameis to take anything but Top QB1 money due to his performance statistics. We all know those stats are backloaded from garbage time yards & TD but they are still there. Have to outright release him. No one will trade for him to then assume a $26m obligation.Gotta Trade OJ unfortunately.
October 15th, 2019 at 11:51 pm
The NFLPA won’t have any say it in. If the Bucs want to franchise Jameis for 2020, the Bucs won’t pay one red sent more than they have to per the franchise tag guidelines, which was approved by the NFLPA back in 2010.
October 16th, 2019 at 12:15 am
Well we can draft another quarterback . But the only problem is the quarterback don’t play defense. He can’t block for him self or catch the ball. He can’t rush the quarterback so what now he’s going to be put in the same position that Jamies was put in no running game and no defense and you guys or going to say now go win a championship. And when the team sucks are you guys are going to blame him for the losses just like Jamies was blamed????
October 16th, 2019 at 5:05 am
I haven’t watched the game yet due to work but honestly I’ve always been curious of Griffin n I’m a Winston fan but he gets flustered with pressure n we cant seem to stop the pressure. As a QB u have to be able to handle the defensive pressure cuz no matter how good we get there will always be a D line that can bring it. I say if Winston doesnt right the ship after the next 4 to 6 games then it’s time to see what Griffin an do with that same o line
October 16th, 2019 at 1:55 pm
Joe — No Way Shape / Form post — I was talking about the folks above who thought we could sign Jameis to a $10M contract or Jameis giving us a home town discount since he has been so awful —- franchise is $26M and we are already in Salary Cap Doom due to our inept GM
October 16th, 2019 at 10:52 pm
It’s amazing how the careers of both Winston and Mariota have been in sync with one another. Wonder if both will be “bye bye bye” come 2020…..
Do you think either of their careers would be drastically different if Winston ending up going to Titans and Mariota to Bucs?
October 16th, 2019 at 11:15 pm
No they haven’t.
If you think their careers are similar, you haven’t watched either one.