Is Chris Godwin A Top-30 Receiver?
July 30th, 2024
There were 27 receivers with 1,000 or more pass catching yards last season.
Chris Godwin was one of them, but it seems league coaches, executives and scouts don’t put Godwin in a tier that reflects that yardage.
In fact, Godwin is riding a streak of three consecutive seasons of 1,000 or more yards receiving. But in this year’s ESPN poll of roughly 80 player evaluators, Godwin didn’t land among the 28 receivers that got votes. Mike Evans ranked No. 8 overall.
A year ago when 26 receivers received votes in the poll, Godwin was among them. He was coming off a 104-catch season for 1,023 yards with Tom Brady at quarterback.
Joe believes Godwin is a stud receiver in his prime. He’d be on Joe’s top-20 list. But what’s more important is how the league perceives Godwin. That’ll be a huge key to how much the Bucs will have to pay to keep Godwin after this season.
For a moment, Joe was a bit surprised Godwin didn’t register a vote — because he plays with Baker Mayfield, who doesn’t command a ton of respect nationally.
Joe thought perhaps Godwin might get some extra credit because his quarterback is thought to be second rate. But that likely was no factor, and Mayfield did register as one of 18 QBs with a vote on ESPN’s top-10 quarterbacks of 2024 survey.
July 30th, 2024 at 3:01 pm
Should be in the top 20. People always underestimating the Bucs. It’s a Buc’s life.
July 30th, 2024 at 3:04 pm
It will work itself out in a few months and these so called experts will be found not to be experts at all.
July 30th, 2024 at 3:11 pm
Seems 20 to 30 to me and possibly on the decline.
10 Total TDs in the last 3 seasons. I want more.
That is the biggest reason, I do not see him that high.
Others may disagree, that is fine.
July 30th, 2024 at 3:16 pm
Jos Says; That’ll be a huge key to how much the Bucs will have to pay to keep Godwin after this season.
That’s a good thing. I thought he would “make bank” or at least demand it. It looks like Jason is in a good overall position to do whatever he wants and has a good deal of flexibility.
The longer HR holds out the better. Maybe the Jets can get their revenge by trading him to the NFC where the Eagles can see what they lost in week 4. This is pure fantasy but what if we could trade JTS and a 4th rd pick for him and keep Godwin.
July 30th, 2024 at 3:43 pm
I feel like a big year may be coming and I’m targeting him in fantasy lol
July 30th, 2024 at 3:46 pm
He’ll have a big year then Coen will have a head-coaching gig and poach Godwin fom us. Calling it now.
July 30th, 2024 at 4:04 pm
That’s ok. Let everyone diss Bucs’ players. And we’ll see who gets the last laugh when they punch a ticket to the Super Bowl this year.
July 30th, 2024 at 4:55 pm
I agree with geno. He’s a nice number 2 receiver. He’s not elite and will never be a #1. He kind of reminds me of myself in Dallas. When I came to Tampa, I couldn’t carry the mail.
July 30th, 2024 at 5:07 pm
Teams will line up to procure his services.
July 30th, 2024 at 5:08 pm
@Alvin chris is a much better than you ever were.
July 30th, 2024 at 5:10 pm
Duh.
July 30th, 2024 at 5:17 pm
Is a bear catholic? Does the pope poop in the woods?
July 30th, 2024 at 5:24 pm
Alvin Scissors – LOL
July 30th, 2024 at 5:24 pm
This is a tough one because we love Godwin. He’s a gamer. He crushed during the Super Bowl run, but …
Godwin isn’t Top 30 in the NFL. Here’s why …
1. Godwin is a #2 WR. Evans is a #1. JJ is a #1. Hill is a #1. AB was a #1. Godwin isn’t a #1 and there are 32 teams.
2. Does every team have a legit #1? With that crazy 2023 WR draft class, probably yes.
Reality: Godwin isn’t Top 30. Who cares? He’s the best #2 WR in the NFL and that’s what the Bucs need. I wouldn’t really trade him for anyone (at least anyone you could get).
July 30th, 2024 at 5:28 pm
@Dave Pear
Yeah last I heard a bear was Catholic & no the Pope doesn’t do that. They’ve got certain Catholic churches that bears can go to. The mountain lions were Christian the deer were Hebrew the buffalo were Presbyterian the coyotes were Mormon the bison were Hebrew & the raccoons were Greek. Don’t know about any other animal religion.🙄
July 30th, 2024 at 5:44 pm
Dissed again?
July 30th, 2024 at 5:48 pm
does a bear $hit in the woods?
July 30th, 2024 at 5:53 pm
@Dave Pear
Yeah last I heard a bear was Catholic & no the Pope doesn’t do that. They’ve got certain Catholic churches that bears can go to. The mountain lions were Christian the deer were Hebrew the buffalo were Presbyterian the coyotes were Mormon the bison were Hebrew & the raccoons were Greek. Don’t know about any other animal religion.🙄
July 30th, 2024 at 5:56 pm
Seeing a lot of disrespect again today! Happy to see Mike at #8 though and I assume he is still to show up on the top 100 from NFL.
CBS Sports i think had a top 100 defenders of the 2000s bracket online today. Now obviously this is a stupid exercise and Lavonte would not be the winner but he wasn’t on it. Roquan Smith and Shaq Leonard were on it but no David. Haha can you believe that!?
Also don’t understand the Tee Higgins love out there. He’s not Godwin that’s forsure. So when guys are posting, saying things like is there a better duo than Chase and Higgins? I am shaking my head again. Yeah there’s like 5 better than them off the top of my head and Evans Godwin is one of them.
July 30th, 2024 at 6:19 pm
I don’t think Godwin was fully recovered from his kneed injury. He also didn’t look as good on the outside as years past. Most coach probably view Godwin as a pure slot receiver, making him less valuable as an outside WR.
July 30th, 2024 at 6:19 pm
I love Godwin, but he was not his best last year, certainly not at the beginning of last year when he just looked a little off. I don’t think he was at 100% and still getting healthy. I will say at the end of the year he was started to look more like himself, and the fact Bowles eplicited said Godwin looked quicker this camp is great news, since hopefully it means he’s truly 100%. If he is – then he’s a top 30 WR, and is going to be a huge headache for the Bucs as they try to resign him, as he’ll be ridiculously expensive.
Then again with Bowles and Baker, who celebrate 4000 yards passing in a 17 game season like it’s a big deal, who knows how many yards there are to go around.
July 30th, 2024 at 6:57 pm
Put up that second bulletin board!!
July 30th, 2024 at 7:00 pm
If he played in New Jersey, he’d be considered a top 15 WR. That’s what happens when you’re in a small pissant market like Tampa.
July 30th, 2024 at 7:01 pm
Liam & Baker need to get Chris into the endzone > 5 times this season or we’re just wasting this mans’ prime which is sad because he’s reliable as hell no matter the QB. Winston, Brady, & now Mayfield have all made Chris thee most targeted player on this team over the last 5 seasons.
July 30th, 2024 at 7:47 pm
Godwin’s cap hit this year is either $27 or 28M.
I’m sure contract modifications are the main reasons it’s so atrocious this year.
After we pay Wirfs will we have enough for Godwin? His absolute floor is probably $17-18M. More likely $20M. He’d better have a great season, but a truly great season might put him out of our reach. I guess I’m hoping his season earns him $25M.
July 30th, 2024 at 7:48 pm
Mort, Tampa Bay is not a small pissant market. For market size, it is in the top half of the NFL. Can we please let the 1970’s go. Tampa Bay (as a region) has grown up.
July 30th, 2024 at 7:59 pm
Asking is he’s top 30 is like asking if he’s a legitimate WR #1. He is not, but he’s something more rare: A truly complementary WR who makes the plays and takes the beating so the WR #1 won’t have to.
July 30th, 2024 at 8:01 pm
Just to finish my comment – If WR’s were the military, Mike Evans would be the Air Force and Chris Godwin would be the Marines. He does the dirty work, so that no one else has to.
July 30th, 2024 at 8:02 pm
Bogus headline
There isn’t 15 receivers better than Chris Godwin, he’s a beast
July 30th, 2024 at 8:17 pm
Yes
July 30th, 2024 at 8:39 pm
Nice observation, LouisFriend
July 30th, 2024 at 8:51 pm
DJ Moore just earned a 4 year 110 million dollar contract at 80 something guaranteed. That’s 27.5 APY folks. Godwin will probably fall somewhere around 25. If he makes a full comeback puts up 1100 yards and increases his TD numbers back to 7-8 he’ll be in the 27-28.5 range too.
July 30th, 2024 at 9:06 pm
@A Bucs Fan
Moore was the only WR on the Bears worth bothering with last year. He caught 20% of their passes attempted and gained 40% of their total passing yards. That’s catching passes from guys named Fields and Bagent.
If he were on the Bucs he’d probably be ahead of Evans, at this stage of their careers.
I can’t see a team giving Godwin $25M per year. I think he’s going to get the same or a little less than he’s getting now on his next deal.
July 30th, 2024 at 9:22 pm
“Then again with Bowles and Baker, who celebrate 4000 yards passing in a 17 game season like it’s a big deal, who knows how many yards there are to go around.”
_____________
Well Rod, when you only need about 59 yards per game as a WR to be considered great because, let’s do the math…..yep 59 yards x 17 games =1003 yards per season.
Given the 4000 yards you mentioned, that could get 3 or 4 of our WRs 1000 yards each.
Do you know how to operate the calculator on your phone?
July 30th, 2024 at 9:27 pm
Dave with the Steve Martin reference.
July 30th, 2024 at 10:39 pm
DoooshLaRue – you are aware that QBs throw to more than just two WRs right?
Let’s do some math… I think this is pretty conservative if anything based on talent…
Evans, 1200 yards
Godwin, 1100 yards
McMillan, 550 yards
Palmer, 400 yards
White, 400 yards
Otton, 300 yards
Shepard, 200 yards
Irving, 200 yards
Jarrett, 100 yards
Durham, 100 yards
Edmonds, 100 yards
Misc, 150 yards (backup RB, WR, TE)
That’s = 4,800 yards.
So you need to lose 800 yards from that to get back to what Baker did last year in a career year.
When you’re only passing for 4000 yards in a 17 game schedule, there’s not a lot of yards to go around – not compared to the Bucs recent past anyways.