Bucs Have Two “Perfect Football Players”
April 13th, 2025
Iconic Buccaneer weighs in.
So what was the Bucs’ big move this offseason?
That answer seems like an easy one for retired Bucs tight end Cameron Brate (2014-2022).
Speaking on the Green Light podcast, Brate raved about Godwin and expressed that he has no doubt in Chris Godwin’s ability to continue being a special Buccaneer.
“Such a good football player, like truly good at everything,” Brate said, adding that Godwin was an “unbelievable” special teams gunner as a rookie.
“And he is just so consistent in what he does. … I know he could have signed elsewhere. But I think he recognizes the unique situation in Tampa, playing with Mike, playing with a quarterback that trusts him and who he has a relationship with. So, yeah, man, it’s huge for the Bucs. Like dude, him and Lavonte [David] are like the perfect football players. Selfless. Great leaders. So big for the Bucs to get him back.”
Joe agrees. Even if Godwin isn’t playing at the All-Pro level he was last season before tearing up his ankle in Week 7, the Bucs got back a tremendous player that should improve steadily as the Bucs march toward their fifth consecutive division title.
April 13th, 2025 at 11:39 pm
Godwin and LVD are similarly admirable in the way for sure.
April 14th, 2025 at 1:54 am
He left out Wirfs, Evans and Big V
April 14th, 2025 at 2:19 am
Cam Brate is one of those dudes….always seemed to come up big when he was needed. Kind of like Nellie on defense, or like Earnest Graham used to be. Loved Graham, one of my favorite players. When he finally got his chances he delivered, and then played fullback because the team needed him to.
There is a second level of almost ring of honor type players. I’d put Shelton Quarles, Greg Spires, Brian Kelly, Dexter Jackson The First, Karl Williams, Adam Humphries, in that list. And our Gholston. Always answers the bell. I know I’m missing a lot of the McKay era Bucs here as well, dudes like Cotney, Wood, Lewis, Cedric Brown, Randy Crowder, Dave Logan. When we’ve had good head coaching, a lot of these guys really showed up and showed out with game changing plays.
Wish we thought it was important to have a guy devoted 100% to the most important operational job on the team.
April 14th, 2025 at 2:43 am
Vita doesn’t belong in that category because he plays below his potential. With his physical gifts he should be on a hall of fame trajectory. He should need triple teaming.
Maybe with coaching he could improve.
April 14th, 2025 at 4:35 am
Always liked Brate. Cade Otton reminds me a lot of him. Kudos to him for acknowledging Chris and Lavonte. Mike Evans should have been mentioned too.
April 14th, 2025 at 6:48 am
Tell me CG will be 100% by late October, early November and I’m good. I am optimistic it will be much sooner than that, but that’s the opinion of a guy that never had his foot facing the wrong direction.
April 14th, 2025 at 8:25 am
Vita Vea is an unbelievable player — I am not sure what one sees in suggesting that he does not play to his potential. Likely if he played at 30 or even 50 pounds less, he could undoubtedly play more snaps — but at what significant cost to the Buccaneers’ defense?
Physics is simple, if he weighs less – he has much less mass to move for an offensive lineman.
Consider the difference between a 350-pound defensive tackle and a 300-pound defensive tackle when an offensive lineman tries to block them.
1. Since he has 50lbs more of mass — it takes an offensive player or players much greater inertia to move him off his spot.
2. That does not just show up on one play but as the game continues blocking a larger opponent requires sustained effort and drains the energy of those offensive linemen.
3, Of course, Vea’s own larger mass will also contribute to him potentially tiring more quickly, limiting his total snap count.
But I am not sure what potential he is missing.
April 14th, 2025 at 8:52 am
Wasn’t Vita’s percentage of snaps played higher this year than ever? Also, isn’t it pretty true that most defensive women do not play 70%+ of snaps normally? I don’t think there’s any other position in football that rotates in and out more often than a defensive line. Vita’s bigger than most so he’s going to play less sanps. I’d be curious to see a stat that shows that average percentage of snaps played for a new stackle and then see a spread how they rank from team to team. Just curious if we’re Vita lands.
Love Cam Brate. UFA to a starter who caught a ton of third down conversions. Always seemed to make the big catch when we needed him to. From ivy League to blue collar UFA. So he knows all about the professionalism and work ethic of Godwin & LVD.
April 14th, 2025 at 10:39 am
Evans & Wirfs are also perfect