The Void Left By Chris Godwin
May 24th, 2022
Filling Chris Godwin’s roll.
Ever since former Bucs defensive tackle and BSPN talking head Booger McFarland — who Joe knows gets intel from One Buc Palace — say star receiver Chris Godwin is unlikely to return from his knee rehab until after Thanksgiving, Joe has been triggered.
How the would the Bucs get through such a tough schedule without Godwin until December? To hear Michael Lombardi, the former NFL suit and coffee fetcher for Bill Walsh, Al Davis and Bill Belicheat, it won’t be easy.
Lombardi a lot about how Tom Brady works. He worked with the Belicheats as an advisor when Brady was still in New England. And Lombardi, in a recent edition of his podcast “GM Shuffle,” stated Brady can get antsy when his favorite target is not on the field.
“I think that the one guy that Brady really needs, and I think down the stretch [last season] it affected him more than anybody, … is [being] comfortable with the receiver position, … and Godwin is that guy,” Lombardi said. “He needs Godwin. So if he has Godwin back — and we don’t know when he will be back from the ACL injury or not — that will really determine” how the Bucs’ passing game sings.
Lombardi may have a point. Until Godwin blew out his knee against the slimy Saints in the 14th game of the season, Brady five times finished a game with a completion percentage more than 70 percent. After Godwin went out, Brady hit 70 percent completion percentage just twice in the next five games, including the playoffs.
And that happened with Mike Evans and foot-rubbing Rob Gronkowski available.
Joe guesses/hopes Brady will be fully on the same page with Russell Gage and whoever is the No. 3 receiver by the time the regular season rolls around.
May 24th, 2022 at 5:18 am
Wait? What? Brady hit 70% 5 out of 14 games with Godwin, or basic 36% of the time. Then without Godwin, Brady hits 70% 2 out of 5 games, or basically 40%, and that shows a void??? We’re not better without Godwin, obviously, but I’m not sure this is the stat to use to show it.
May 24th, 2022 at 5:26 am
Missing 2 of Mike, Gronk, Godwin, Lenny and AB was a big void to overcome the variation of the defense. Missing ONE PIECE might be good enough last season.
May 24th, 2022 at 5:51 am
Maniac Buc … Was wondering the same thing about Joe’s math. But then I remembered this is 2022 & math like that makes perfect sense nowadays; just look at our national budget, federal deficit, and inflation ‘control’.
May 24th, 2022 at 6:28 am
Math is supremist absolutionism.
It was invented to hold people down.
Like George Orwell said: 2 + 2 = 5.
May 24th, 2022 at 6:33 am
Or as Moe Howard used to say: “Pick two.”
Some of you won’t remember that.
May 24th, 2022 at 7:13 am
I am thinking that Perriman will end up being our #3 until Godwin returns…..
And, I’m not buying Thanksgiving as the return date…..more like Halloween.
May 24th, 2022 at 8:27 am
I think it’s a lot different when you’re late in the season and lose your prime target rather than when you start the season without him. Brady will have time to build rapport with Gage and his other targets during training camp and preseason. We’ll be just fine! AND, when Godwin finally does come back, we’ll be in prime position for a SB run.
May 24th, 2022 at 8:30 am
At the moment, we’re missing three key receiving targets from last season: AB, Godwin, and Gronk. I assume Gronk will be back, but that is still an uncertainty. Licht signed Gage, who I think will work out, even though he’s no AB or Godwin. That means someone in the WR pool will need to make a mammoth jump. Those guys are not even household names in their own households.
May 24th, 2022 at 8:43 am
If Godwin is placed on IR, it frees up cap room to sign some guys, right?
And don’t write Miller off just yet.
May 24th, 2022 at 8:44 am
PSL Bob … ‘when Godwin finally does come back, we’ll be in prime position for a SB run.’
You’ll never know how much I want to believe that, but Godwin is 1 huge question-mark for this season at this point. What we don’t know is how soon he’ll make it back, or how effective he’ll be once he does return. Personally I think it’s unrealistic to expect that he’ll quickly get back to 100% once he suits up; more like 75-80% if all goes well.
What the Bucs desperately need is for one of our WRs to step up big-time, to take ‘one giant leap for mankind’ as Neil Armstrong would’ve said. Gage will be a solid #3 receiver IMO, but not so sure about him being a #2 in THIS offense. Perriman’s not the guy, but Tyler Johnson MIGHT be (still need to see how serious he is this year). Personally though my money would be on Cyril Grayson, especially if he’d just grow about 6″ & put on about 30 lbs.
May 24th, 2022 at 8:44 am
Perriman is good too.
May 24th, 2022 at 8:45 am
The great thing is, Tom Brady will make the WRs better.
May 24th, 2022 at 8:46 am
Bonzai … ‘If Godwin is placed on IR, it frees up cap room to sign some guys, right?’
Don’t think it works that way Bonzai (wish it did though). Here’s what I found in several spots …
‘Players on injured reserve still count against the salary cap, so teams get no financial benefit from moving them to the IR list. From the team’s perspective, players are placed on injured reserve solely in order to open a roster spot for a healthy player.’
May 24th, 2022 at 8:52 am
Bonzai … Perriman seems to run hot & cold. For his 6-year career, he has a 49.8% catch rate. For a 1st Rnd draft pick that’s not very impressive to me. Doubt it impresses Tom Brady either.
May 24th, 2022 at 9:20 am
Goodwin won’t be ready for awhile. They’ve got to get Grayson, Perriman and Gage up to speed. Not counting on Johnson, Miller or Darden. GOBUCS!
May 24th, 2022 at 9:39 am
Seems like I remember reading on Joe Bucs Fan that Rashaad White started out as a wide receiver before transitioning to RB. Apparently has excellent hands & is big enough to cause problems after the catch. If he can get TB12’s attention as a reliable pass catcher, wouldn’t be surprised to see him in a modified WR role this season. Having both Fournette & White on the field at the same time, plus ME13 & Godwin (ultimately) & Gronk could make for some interesting formations.
May 24th, 2022 at 9:39 am
He didn’t blow his knee out . The saints are dirty and they blew his k ee out. Bucs need to remember that week when they play the Aints
May 24th, 2022 at 10:31 am
TB won SB rings with a lot less talent in New England
May 24th, 2022 at 10:35 am
Joshua porter Says:
May 24th, 2022 at 9:39 am
He didn’t blow his knee out . The saints are dirty and they blew his k ee out. Bucs need to remember that week when they play the Aints
———————
Actually, Brady’s terrible ball placement on that particular throw is more responsible for blowing Godwin’s knee out. Tom left him out to dry.
May 24th, 2022 at 10:44 am
I’m not triggered about Godwin potentially being out until after Thanksgiving since he had aready proven to be injury prone before the saints wrecked his knee. I mean, realistically, given his history is it even wise to count on Chris to stay healthy for a majority of the games each year? He’s a fantastic player when healthy, but he can’t help the team from the sidelines. I’m triggered because we have done next to nothing to replace Chris this year. Nothing against Gage, but he’s no Godwin and is third string for a reason. The guys behind Gage? They either suck, are brand new, or are limited in their ability to positively effect a game in our favor. I’m holding out hope that Licht has a plan, but it’s still frustrating since we are “supposedly” all in.
May 24th, 2022 at 10:58 am
@Brandon
The ball placement was fine, it wasn’t a hospital ball.
I also don’t think the hit was particularly dirty. In terms of technique, it was more low crab block than anything else, but Godwin was planted when he ran into it. Dirty would have been to aim at the knee joint from the side.
May 24th, 2022 at 11:56 am
Hard to believe you’re still using the name “Belicheat”. What are you twelve?