Inside Chris Godwin’s Grit & Brawler Mentality
February 19th, 2021
Enforcer
The Sage with four Super Bowl rings at One Buc Palace knows exactly who he would call if he had to brawl.
“I tell everybody. If I’m going downtown to get in a street fight, I want Chris next to me,” said 82-year-old Bucs offensive advisor/guru Tom Moore. “He’s my kind of guy. He’s a receiver with a linebacker mentality.”
Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio, the very reserved Moore perked up when asked about the Bucs’ Pro Bowl receiver. “He’s tough. He blocks. He’s smart. All he does is his job and he does his job well.”
Joe had to laugh at Moore’s phrasing. Who goes “downtown” for a street fight? Maybe that’s Moore’s military background talking.
Moore went on to reflect on Godwin breaking a finger in Week 7 against the Raiders, then immediately needing surgery to put a bunch of pins in the finger. Godwin missed just one game, which left Moore so impressed by how Godwin handled practicing without much more than one hand.
“He’d catch the ball better left handed than most guys would with both hands,” Moore said.
As Bucco Bruce Arians said in early December, “There is no chart for the toughness of Chris Godwin,” Arians said. “If the chart goes to 10 [waves his arm], throw it away and start over again.”
Godwin turns 25 next week. And for Bucs fans who care about the future of the team and repeating as Super Bowl champs, re-signing free-agent-to-be Godwin is a no-brainer. Again, he’s 25 — three football seasons younger than Mike Evans.
What a versatile rock Godwin could be for the Bucs’ next quarterback, if the Bucs pay the man.
February 19th, 2021 at 2:13 pm
For those who want shaq and not Godwin ,David … Adam humphries might be available and Kevin minter.
Godwin reminds me of Hines ward. Cant let this cat walk. Our passing offense goes down to the 20th’s of the league.
February 19th, 2021 at 2:16 pm
Adrnagy. How bout a compromise? Lets bring all 3 back. And also Suh and Succop.
BOOM Problem solved.
February 19th, 2021 at 2:18 pm
absolutely! top priority! those filling in spots with AB and Johnson are crazy…unmatched intangibles with Godwin.
February 19th, 2021 at 2:25 pm
TB makes studs out of average receivers. CG will be too expensive. 30 mill for 2 WR……do the math.
Sux, but wish him well.
He was not there in the clutch either. Hard to fix that.
We’re going for two SB…which means guys like AB, Lenny or AP etc who want a ring and come fairly cheap. We’ll be hating it in 3 years, but not if they continue to draft well. Think post SB with Chucky, except now we have a QB.
February 19th, 2021 at 2:29 pm
Godwin is part of the Core of the Future
He does more than is on the stat sheet.
His drops this year were an anomoly
February 19th, 2021 at 2:32 pm
Jimmy , I’m ok with Godwin, shaq, David back. That’s something we can work to be close to repeat.
Shaq only and lose Godwin, David ..the repeat ain’t gonna happen. Not including oline depth, dline , kicker. Let’s see what your GM of the year is gonna do .
February 19th, 2021 at 3:15 pm
I wonder if CG14 wants to go to New Orleans to play with Mr. Entertainment, America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler, BB gun toting, sexual harassing, obscenity yelling, W eating, No.1 overall Draft Bust, Career LOSER Jameis Winston.
That is IF the loser can beat out a Gimmick Undrafted QB.
February 19th, 2021 at 3:24 pm
ok sports fans i’ve read many posts since the game. We seem to be locked in on “keeping the band together” Thats fine but not likely. Keep as many as we can. I’ve been a career fan of Tompa’s and I couldn’t begin to say how many receivers he has made into superstars the last 20 yrs. So my friends I wouldn’t get my bloomers in a bunch as long as “RINGO” is driving the bus. So go ahead and sleep like a baby
February 19th, 2021 at 3:28 pm
I sure hope we can keep Chris!
He destroyed my Michigan Wolverines when he was at Penn State.
Unfortunately, we can’t keep everyone.
February 19th, 2021 at 3:33 pm
one more thing; to my knowledge, Tompa has never been the top pd QB in the league. Mahomeboy has a 10 yr contract for half a frick’n BILLION DOLLARS. Like most players, he is 1 play away from a career ending injury. Tompa shouted after the game and Mahomeboy dropped his head. Look at Kirk Cousins in Mn. approx $100 million ENTIRELY guaranteed. How’s that working out in Mn? haha These owners are self destructing. So relax, Gisele is worth twice as much as Tompa haha
February 19th, 2021 at 3:33 pm
Adrnagy of course with all these guys money is a factor. But with Chris there may be a little more at play. We dont know but he may wish to go be a bonefided #1 next year. He may wanna go somewhere where he can be the man. Tampa Bay just cant offer that because we are so loaded at WR.
You know there are some guys that been in the league who would not wanna play as a #2 or slot guy. Not saying thats what Chris is think. We just dont know. And if Chris does want to be a #1 there really not much Licht can do.
As far as the depth Im not even worried about it. Where did Stinne come from? where did Haeg come from? Or Shipley? Vita went down we targeted and acquired McClendon. We kept Taco on the team cause we knew he could play. We needed a CB at the tailend of the season and Cockrell stepped in off the streets(or wherever he came from)…….Depth was a problem when we had scrubs like Lovie Smith and Greg Schiano patrolling the sideline. This front office and coaching staff knows what they are doing and what they need. Plus having Tom Brady probably helps. Nobodies coming in here giving half efforts no more. If they arent all in they probably dont last long.
February 19th, 2021 at 3:41 pm
I think people are confused about Licht and Bucs policy of building through the draft. With a hopefully healthy OJ coming back, Gronk is expendable. Lenny was Payton Barber in the regular season. Need to activate our third rounder Vaughn in 2021. Godwin is one of those that I don’t see leaving. He’s one of the best all around WRs in the league at 24 years old. Lavonte is still playing like he’s 24.
Must-have-backs
1. David
2. Godwin
3. Succop
February 19th, 2021 at 3:55 pm
He’ll want too much money. He had quite a few drops in key games, sure he made a few crazy catches but so does Johnson. Losing him let’s Bucs keep some key players. Take the emotions out if it he is the obvious disposable player.
February 19th, 2021 at 4:10 pm
I love Godwin, he’s everything you’d want in a football player and person. The people who want him replaced with Tyler Johnson should look into what happened to the Houston Texans after trading DeAndre Hopkins for peanuts. It’s never, NEVER good to get rid of your best football players.
February 19th, 2021 at 4:10 pm
Jimmy .. so you can add shaq to the list of players we got for depth right? So .. we can get depth again.
February 19th, 2021 at 4:16 pm
Love Godwin but thinks it’s more important to keep LVD and Shaq… He might be the odd one out if he wants to be paid like the #1 wr he is.
February 19th, 2021 at 4:22 pm
Chris Godwin is the prototypical football player. He is a great teammate, humble, an amazingly hard worker, stretches the field and can take a ball 80 yards on a short route. His is a true #1 receiver that isn’t afraid to block in the run game. Regardless of what I’ve seen being said about him he has excellent hands. I know he had drops in the playoffs but I attribute it to his surgically repaired finger.
I hope the Bucs can keep him. However he has earned the right to sign a 100 million deal. That is money the Bucs just don’t have. I wish him great success except against the Bucs in the future. And before he does go somewhere else I do hope he considers coming back to do something special and earn a second championship with this team.
February 19th, 2021 at 4:46 pm
I love Godwin, but he’s the most expensive …
I think we can keep brown for about 4 million.
Godwin will likely command 15 million plus.
A #32 first rounder is 1.533 million, but its a risk.
A #32 2nd rounder is 850 thousand.
Playoff Lenny … anything over 3 million and he’s gone.
Cam Brate is good, but overpaid.
Donovan Smith is overpaid, but too important.
LVD and Shaq are too important to let walk.
Suh is expensive, but worth the money.
Drafting a good pass rusher at #32 is a huge gamble.
To me … Godwin and Brate are most expendable.
February 19th, 2021 at 4:48 pm
Keep Brown for short money, he can do what Godwin can and then some. Barring his legal problems, he’s to obvious fill in for Godwin. Make Miller or Johnson the 3. Get a third down back and drop Fournett. Keep as much D as possible. In a year or two whole team is blown up anyway.
February 19th, 2021 at 4:48 pm
Godwin is the antithesis of DeSean Jackson…who has just been cut by the Eagles. The 6th rounder the Bucs received for trading Jackson? Used on Scotty Miller…all’s well that ends well as the saying goes I suppose.
February 19th, 2021 at 4:51 pm
Soebuc
If Brady wants Gronk… Brady gets Gronk
February 19th, 2021 at 4:54 pm
Give him a 5 year deal with a signing bonus. Might be able to keep his 2021 figure down around 10 mil. Hard enough to hit on mid round picks. You’re just shooting yourself in the foot showing them the doors when they actually own out. Need Evans heir in a fee more years when he starts slowing down
February 19th, 2021 at 4:58 pm
Well said, Mitch.
February 19th, 2021 at 5:06 pm
Pay Godwin and let AB walk if he demands big bucs. Godwin is a complete player and a good guy to boot. Franchise Shaq and spread the remaining money evenly among the other free agents. Shoot the moon for a chance for a second super bowl with most of the team intact. One more year and then start the rebuild.
February 19th, 2021 at 5:07 pm
Desean Jackson cut by Eagles FYI
February 19th, 2021 at 5:10 pm
Pay the man.
Don’t be stupid.
February 19th, 2021 at 5:35 pm
Godwin goes and now we’re talking AB on the outside for the chucker. Tyler Johnson is a great young WR that is going to have Tom, AB, Evans to learn from in the slot.
February 19th, 2021 at 6:10 pm
SOEbuc Says:
“…..Must-have-backs
1. David
2. Godwin
3. Succop”
—————————
agree…..CG the future and the present…… ShB is tooooo expensive…and toooo good. So thanks, and good luck.
If we going for the second one, most of the wins is going to happen cause TB12 and offence.
February 19th, 2021 at 7:29 pm
Without Shaq and David we don’t beat KC. Godwin wasn’t the reason we beat KC. We can get a wide receiver in the draft to replace Godwin, pass rusher not so much where we pick. Also with our history at kicker keeping the kicker is a must.
February 19th, 2021 at 7:49 pm
Crazy that dude is only 24. He’s so mature.
February 19th, 2021 at 8:29 pm
What gets me is when the draft talk really starts heating up people will say “ oh draft this guy and this guy and we’re set for 10 years”
Ok, sounds great.
Then when their rookie contract is up after 4-5 years you have to pay all those super stars!
It doesn’t work that way.
The only player I want to let go is Durable Donnie.
I’d love to keep everyone else but that can’t happen.
I think we lose:
Godwin
LVD
Fournette
OJ
Hopefully DD
I’d hate for the 1st 2 to go but that’s life in the NFL and I wish them well.
Let’s make use of those compensatory picks and build this team even better.
February 19th, 2021 at 8:35 pm
Don’t see any reason cap won’t be damn near this years… Owners could pony up if they really wanted to.
I’d keep Godwin.. Shaq was MIA until Vea and the playoffs rolled around. Godwin has always been clutch, it’s in his character. His drops this year had to be injury related. Brady throwing fastballs at your broken finger has got to suck.
February 19th, 2021 at 8:35 pm
This is a problem teams who draft well have.The fix? Retain who you can afford and continue drafting well.
February 19th, 2021 at 8:40 pm
No way Miami is paying 20M for 14. He is a tough receiver but had key drops in clutch time. The air game didn’t start up by itself. Remember week 9? Bucs have to establish the run and play Brady ball. It will be difficult to keep CG if we are really going for two. He demands the salary of 2 or 3 good players. Unless Licht works magic I don’t see it.
February 19th, 2021 at 8:42 pm
Bucs since 76
Yeah cus those Godwin types always fall to the last pick. I let Licht and Bowels draft a OLB in the first or second. A Lavonte type when he was on the outside. And everyone wants to be a Buc so how willing could a good FA OLB be to come in and replace Shaq.
February 19th, 2021 at 8:52 pm
It’s going to come down to priorities and options.
Would we like to keep LVD 16m and AB 4m or CG 20m.
To me it’s a tough call. This offense wasn’t the same w/out CG in the lineup.
I don’t see how we could keep them all.
February 19th, 2021 at 9:01 pm
Godwin and Evans are Howards favorite Bucs…after Brady of course
February 19th, 2021 at 9:01 pm
I’d like to find a article on what legal and illegal to do with salaries, bonuses I. NFL cap.
I read that the Saints had Brees on the books for 25m in ‘21 and just restructured it to league minimum. Saving them 24 next season. Is this allowed only b/c he’s retiring. I think why don’t we just do this to a bunch of players so we can sign them all. If the Saints can do this why can’t everyone?
Anyone have a good understanding on this or easy to digest resource to share?
February 19th, 2021 at 9:02 pm
The motha F’n soldier just got 14 years in jail. Poppa must be proud giving his son the same name.
February 19th, 2021 at 9:03 pm
Godwin was our most productive receiver in the playoffs. He’s the #2 ranked free agent. He deserves to get paid but I think if it’s close we can keep him. My guess is we franchise him and pay Shaq. If we win another SB there will be a lot of players leave when Brady leaves but in 2021 I don’t think Godwin goes anywhere.
February 19th, 2021 at 9:13 pm
SOE
Wasn’t Godwin a 3rd round pick?
What’s your point?
February 19th, 2021 at 9:13 pm
I think LVD might already be in the bag. Gonna break up Two of Amerikaz most wanted? Defensive captain for years. Made his home here in Tampa Bay and he’s still playing top dollar ball. He’s my boy and I would cry big time if he left😭
February 19th, 2021 at 9:20 pm
DoooshLaRuh
Projected mid second and somehow he fell to mid third. An extremely lucky grab.
February 19th, 2021 at 9:23 pm
No stats to “prove” but there are hidden yards because of Godwin’s sick/bully blocking, that freed up Lenny, AB, Mike and Gronk for amazing yards and first downs.
CG is more than a catching machine for his value in this offense, is my point. Losing CG will hurt overall offensive production. Shaq is only relevant when Vea, Suh and JPP are in the line-up. Hmmmm. My pick for top FA – CG!
February 19th, 2021 at 9:27 pm
If JL’s words of building a team via draft for the core is true, I have to imagine JL will need a bottle of TUMS in we lose CG in FA. CG is One of his gem draft picks who has both production and impact, EVERY freaking year CG has been a Buc.
February 20th, 2021 at 12:19 am
No way he is not re-signed. He’s only about to be 25!
They absolutely need to sign Shaq and LVD also. Everyone else is replaceable
February 20th, 2021 at 2:15 am
Without Shaq, they do not beat GB, KC. I like Chris too, but 5 drops in Washington? Yes I know he has been sure-handed most of the time but not in the playoff run. How many games has Chris missed the last 2 years- 6 games. The best ability is availability. Again I like Chris but, he can be accounted for much easier than trying to find the elusive unicorn. ala – a legitimate pass rusher, that is feared by other teams. QB ‘s hounded and sacked win games. “Hey Pat how many yards did you run for your life in the Super Bowl” “497 yards” It is pretty simple really to me. If you do not beat on the QB, you will not win consistently in 2021 in the National Football League. You can catch 15 passes a game, and all the other “dirty work” as a receiver, but that does put Rodgers on the ground and Sac him, like they did in both games this year and also Mahomes. Green Bay lost 5 games all year and 2 of them were to the Bucs. A Rodgers was the MVP in the NFL, but not against the Bucs, because he spent to much time on the ground and hounded all day by a fierce pass rush. Without the pass rush, they do not win the Super Bowl. But they still could have won it all without C Godwin. Take the emotion out of it. How about the perspective of an NFL QB – Brady’s perspective as a QB is very simple, he does not care what receivers the other team has and what they can do, he is concerned with the defenders that are able to put him on the ground, and hound him because Brady like other QBs know, that if he has time, he is going to slice up a defense and win. Order of importance for success in the NFL is #1 a QB and #2 a Passrusher. I hope the best for Chris, but his position Value is not of greater importance than a legitimate game-wrecking pass rusher. Some team is going to flash the cash to Chris, and I hope he does well going forward wherever he goes. GO BUCS!!!!
February 20th, 2021 at 6:45 am
you guys are not looking at the weirdest option…
what if they get rid of evans…
imagine they get rid of him a year or so before he really loses a step…
what if they go godwin and AB…
and go tight end heavy on offense as you know TB loves tight ends…
oj is coming back prolly…
what if they shockingly get rid of ME13…
peddle him off to houston to appease deshaun watson or something like that…
you never know…
something has gotta give…
and TB and ME13 didn’t have great chemistry this year
February 20th, 2021 at 6:46 am
also read my post on godwin a few threads down…
the one with the picture of fournette
February 20th, 2021 at 10:21 am
If the team lets Godwin go and instead sticks to AB, it’ll be a competitive team next year – and a complete mess after Brady retires. That’s what I’m looking at in free agency moves – are they going to balance near term success with long term success and keep guys like Godwin or will this be a one or possibly two year run followed by another 18 years with two wild card losses and a lot of mediocrity?