How Important Are Mike Evans And Chris Godwin?
June 7th, 2023
Usage.
Joe has to admit, with the changes to the Bucs offense in recent months, the throw-crap-against-the-wall guesses by some national NFL analysts might be on to something?
The Bucs are going to a run-oriented offense. Or at least all signs point that way. Argue and complain about how this is taking a step back in time in a throwing league, the fact remains the Bucs want to run the ball more.
Or so Joe thought.
The Bucs have one of the best receiver duos in the game, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. They won a Super Bowl together. They are also paid very well.
The NFL is a business, as Joe is often told. Well, if you aren’t going to use receivers very much, and they are paid well, and you have salary cap problems, that doesn’t seem to be a smart expenditure of Team Glazer loot.
In other words, the receivers may be an expensive luxury. Sort of like buying a house with a pool in Florida but never using it. So why did you buy it?
Joe isn’t trying to say the Bucs should trade valuable talents like Evans and Godwin, please don’t misunderstand. But the changes to the offense make Joe wonder about their status with the team, especially with Evans in a contract year.
Well, judging the words of Bucs coach Todd Bowles yesterday after underwear football practice, Evans and Godwin will remain key cogs. Asked if anyone stood out in underwear football practice, Bowles invoked the names of his star receivers.
“Obviously, trying to get Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] involved is very important,” Bowles said.
There’s no doubt that Evans and Godwin are the best Bucs skill position players. One could say head-and-shoulders better.
So if Evans and Godwin are so important, and given that your running backs are at best unproven and the team is waiting for the young tight ends to blossom, is it really a foregone conclusion that new offensive coordinator Dave Canales is going to go ground-and-pound?
June 7th, 2023 at 12:55 am
This non issue has been addressed a million times. Bowles himself, when asked about run focused offense, reminded everyone that Seattle had 2 1000 yard receivers. He isn’t stone-aged. They’re gonna throw the ball. They’re also going to do everything they can to run it better so they aren’t one dimensional. No mystery here.
June 7th, 2023 at 2:16 am
We gone do what we do!!!
June 7th, 2023 at 4:07 am
Instead of 40 passes a game we will strive for 30-32. A significant reduction that will in no way reduce the importance of Evans and Godwin.
June 7th, 2023 at 5:38 am
”… is it really a foregone conclusion that new offensive coordinator Dave Canales is going to go ground-and-pound?”
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I’ve not gotten that vibe. That assumption has been voiced based on the way Seattle runs their offense. That doesn’t mean we would run an (hypothetical) identical offense the exact same way. Especially since we have superior receivers.
Every team in the NFL would like to be able to run the ball better. In the off chance that you hit on a miracle combination of offensive talent and can average over 5 yards a carry, you will “become” a running team no matter who your receivers are. That aside, there will always be a struggle for the elusive “balance.” I just see us hoping to improve said balance.
June 7th, 2023 at 7:20 am
One thing that should be done sooner than later is to cut Gage with an injury settlement and let the other receivers (Palmer?) battle it out for the slot position. If being available on the field is the most valuable thing, Gage is worthless
June 7th, 2023 at 8:16 am
Joe, you act like Canales is bringing in the wishbone offense. There’s a big difference between run-first and run-only. McVay and Shanahan both lead run-first offenses, and they’re the “young offensive geniuses” every owner is trying to land. Emphasizing the run will always be important, even in a pass-first league.
June 7th, 2023 at 9:33 am
IMO if the Bucs are able to run successfully, the opportunity for 13 and 14 to put up good numbers actually increases. It may take away some of the double coverage and when the offense is not one dimensional (as it was last year) the D is put off balance. As Realistic says, there’s a big difference between “run-first” and “run-only.”
June 7th, 2023 at 10:27 am
Being more of a running offense doesn’t mean we will only run the ball. “Running teams” in the NFL don’t usually run the ball at a 50/50 clip… as a matter of fact… only the Bears and Falcons ran the ball more than 50% of the time last year… and their offenses only scored a little more than our pathetic offense led by the GOAT who threw the ball more than any other QB last season.
The Seahawks passed the ball over 150 times more than they ran last season….and did they need their WRs? From what i can tell, Metcalf and Lockett have never been underutilized in their offense.
June 7th, 2023 at 10:29 am
If the Bucs offensive line run blocks and they stay relatively healthy the Bucs make the playoffs. Regardless of who is taking snaps behind center.
June 7th, 2023 at 12:22 pm
Balance is Key
June 7th, 2023 at 7:57 pm
Moving from the “no risk it, no biscuit” offense to a possession more run oriented offense will not be perhaps the challenge some of our nervous nellies present here.
First…the OL…it obviously starts there and if Jensen is healthy the rest of the pieces fall into place with a line that has two more maulers like Jensen in Matt Feiler and Cody Mauch. If healthy this OL will have a nasty attitude which is great for running the football.
So that then opens up ME and CG two terrific possession receivers. I think they both will have big years in catches and yardage.
June 7th, 2023 at 11:25 pm
The “off-season” Bucs may want to pimp the QB competition & pump the run game a little more under Canales, at least too in the media…But they sure as hell didn’t shift Wirfs to LT to improve run blocking on the blind side… They shifted Wirfs, so QB1 (Baker) has time to target Evans & Godwin 260+ times combined (& twin 1000yd seasons)…Much in the same way SEA’s passing attack has ran through Metcalf & Lockett.