A Season For History, More Contract Ammo
May 30th, 2021
Joe’s going to take a break from thinking about Chris Godwin potentially playing for the Jaguars or Eagles in 2022 and focus on more soothing daydreams.
Godwin, if he stays healthy this season, should have no problem hauling in 78 passes from Tom Brady. That’s 5.2 catches per game, and Godwin averaged more than 6 in 2019.
If Godwin hits that mark, he will become the wide receiver with the second-most catches in Buccaneers history, right behind his running mate Mike Evans.
Think about that for a moment. The two most prolific receivers in team history would be on the same team, and they’d both be well under 30 years old.
That’s just more evidence how special this time is for fans and the franchise; the superheroes are not in a book or on YouTube, they’re on the field. Joe’s trying to feel and express gratitude every day for living long enough to see all this following The Lost Decade that saw many Bucs fans quit and saw Joe age 20 years in 10.
Now imagine if Godwin does have another big year and becomes unquestionably worthy of No. 1 receiver money, aka $20 million-plus per season. Would the Bucs break the bank for him?
Joe think a lot of that answer could fall on Bucs rookies. Yes, rookies.
If first-round pick Joe Tryon plays like the real deal late in the season, then maybe the Bucs don’t re-sign Jason Pierre-Paul and instead promote Tryon next season in order to pay Godwin.
Or if rookie Robert Hainsey has a couple of solid games at center because of an injury to Ryan Jensen, then maybe the Bucs find the money– and the confidence — to shed salary there in 2022.
In the meantime, Joe hopes Godwin cruises to those 78 regular-season catches. Joe would love to see it be made official — Godwin and Evans as the greatest receiver duo in team history.
May 30th, 2021 at 11:50 am
Joe, if we lose some players next year…say, AB, JPP, Suh, wont it be easier to keep Godwin?
May 30th, 2021 at 12:03 pm
I just don’t see Arians letting JPP go unless he falls off the map. If Arians has shown anything, he love experience and leaders on the field. If he can pay to keep em, he will.
May 30th, 2021 at 12:16 pm
I would have like to have seen Jensen & JPP extended this year with savings so that a long-term deal could have been worked out with Godwin……still can happen….
At some point, we’re going to have to let go of one or two expensive players….probably the older ones….so, Suh….JPP……possibilities…..
May 30th, 2021 at 12:22 pm
Top 4 average receiver salaries- all $20 million plus- are playing for teams that did not make playoffs last year.
Evans and Godwin now make up $32 million plus of salary. Add another $4million for Godwin and maybe you can’t afford another starter (Brown, Cappa, Jones, Fournette, Jensen, Whitehead, Davis) or players like Stinnie or Howard.
Licht will have to take alot under consideration next year.
May 30th, 2021 at 12:39 pm
Godwin is great, but takes a good beating every week as it now.
You don’t wanna wind up like Julio Jones or Mikael Thomas…. payed a tiny bit more, but over-worked into the ground and then nobody wants ya.
May 30th, 2021 at 12:40 pm
I watched the Salute to Service game this morning. I rarely watched the Bucs prior to Brady arrival but it appeared Winston was benched or hurt and Fitzpatrick was QB. The WR were Jackson, Humphries, Evan’s, Godwin, TE Howard & Brate, RB Barber. How do Bucs not make the playoffs with that offense, with the exception of Brady, the talent pretty close to 2020.
May 30th, 2021 at 12:42 pm
Did they not say the cap limit was going up $26 million next year?
May 30th, 2021 at 1:04 pm
2022 will bring about some painful separations somewhere. More than one. Worth it!
May 30th, 2021 at 1:23 pm
Good stuff. We haven’t had many good receivers roll through here and to have our first and second best ever playing at the same time is amazing. I’d feel spoiled if I didn’t vividly remember what we had at the position in the past and I am loving this.
May 30th, 2021 at 1:50 pm
Totally agree Joe. Evans and Godwin are lethal. You cant split them up. Its been a pleasure to watch them. I think they are getting better. They are two of the biggest reasons we have the GOAT here. Im sure Licht has a whole list of contingencies in place to restock the cupboard after this season. Enjoying the ride.
May 30th, 2021 at 3:17 pm
Calm down people cap definitely going back up!!!
May 30th, 2021 at 3:30 pm
….i know is talk to talk… but we haven’t started 2021 yet. lets hope we will be able to go to the stadium and watch our stars first, secondly who knows how many of them will be still standing after 17 games, then if we go to play offs, then the ultimate game, if. After that will see” the value remain “, to our stars… tooooo early to think about it.
May 30th, 2021 at 3:34 pm
I want them both to retire bucs. I don’t see it happening unless Godwin takes a 25-30% pay cut so the money can go towards the rest of the team. so 15-16 million per year.
I love Jensen’s play but he snaps the ball down and to the left so much it changed Brady’s stance for the first time in 20 years. His run blocking is elite but last year he gave up 27 pressures up the middle which was a career high for him.
I want JPP to retire a buc. I know he wants to play three more years (including this one), but there is a lot in the air if he can’t stay healthy for a full year… then there is the matter of money, and if Joe Tryon does develop and play well.
Suh is the second oldest DT in the league and Mclendon is the oldest. The bucs will need to draft his replacement next year whether he retires or we can afford to bring him back.
Gronk might spend a year in buffalo if we can’t spend 10-12 million on him.
Bucs need to re-sign ROJO or Leonard Fournette, and Gio.
Not to mention Carlton Davis is going to want top 5 corner money.
Then we have to make decisions about Jordan Whitehead, Alex Cappa, Aaron Stinnie, Antonio Brown, and William Gholston.
With 182 million already committed to next year the bucs will be in bind, and banking on mid-tier free agent acquisitions and next years draft more heavily to maintain their success.
May 30th, 2021 at 4:00 pm
A real Season For History. Brady, Michelson, Castroneves. Over 40 Champions.
May 30th, 2021 at 4:00 pm
Was having a very good day until reading this Joe. No need to go down this depressing road until at least next February.
Yes Chris Godwin is a warrior, one who accounted for 675 offensive snaps (62.9% of our plays) yielding 65 catches & 7 TDs. Impressive. His WR mate Mike Evans, another warrior, meanwhile accounted for 856 offensive snaps (79.8% of our plays) yielding 70 catches & 13 TDs. It’s not so much that one is better than the other, but rather that they complement each other to near perfection. Throw Antonio Brown into the mix & it’s as deadly a combination as has probably ever existed in the NFL. And especially when the one tossing all 3 of them the rock is none other than Tom Brady, the GOAT.
But what’s depressing is the thought of who we have to LOSE to keep Godwin (and hopefully AB) in the fold. To the folks talking about losing JPP & Suh, better think again. Oh we’ll lose them at some point for sure, but we’d better replace them with players who are just as talented if we expect this defense to keep humming along. And in those 2 you’re not just talking about two FIRST ROUND PICKS; you’re talking about two future HOF 1st Rnd picks. IOW, 2 players who’ve performed at a high high level for many years. And still are.
And in terms of having Hainsey replace Jensen, good luck with that. Admittedly I’m not THAT excited about what Hainsey brings to the table at this point, but more-so I think that folks are under-valuing what Jensen brings. He’s the leader that this OLine was so desperately missing for a number of years; the spark-plug so to speak. Folks need to be careful what they wish for.
This team will almost certainly under-go a significant transformation at the end of this season Joe, but we all knew that when we bought in to bringing everyone back for 2021. And we all knew there’d be a price to pay. But please, wait until the start of 2022 to remind us of that price.
May 30th, 2021 at 4:05 pm
GOOD GOD ! Y’all are speculating about NEXT year when this Season hasn’t even started yet ?! Get a LIFE !
May 30th, 2021 at 4:50 pm
BUCFAN4LIFE Says:
May 30th, 2021 at 4:05 pm
GOOD GOD ! Y’all are speculating about NEXT year when this Season hasn’t even started yet ?! Get a LIFE !
**********************************************************
Hey!
We’re Bucs fans!
It’s a tradition around here to talk about the next draft Looooong before we should be!
May 30th, 2021 at 5:01 pm
@BUCFAN4LIFE : Speculating on the future about an article that causes speculation about the future is justified.
May 30th, 2021 at 6:57 pm
Bucs should lock him up before this season begins. Sign him to a five year 90 mil 18 mil a year save a couple of bucks. Its still a mil and a half more than Evans gets.
May 30th, 2021 at 7:00 pm
There’s no point in not making a contract. If the bucs can’t afford him next year, just trade him or evans and get draft value
May 30th, 2021 at 7:02 pm
Bucs fans quit? Get outta here with that troll comment.
May 30th, 2021 at 9:27 pm
I mean no disrespect, but we are fortunate to have many young readers, or readers with short memories. The Bucs just won the super bowl. Enjoy it !
To put things in perspective, the 1 st great Buc highlight of my life was waiting at the old One Buc Place to welcome back the victorious Bucs returning to Tampa……..from their first ever victory after 26 defeats. My next greatest moment was tearing down the goalposts at Tampa Stadium after our first home victory for an incredible 2 win season.
It doesn’t get better than last year for a Bucs fan and the optimism of next’s. Put on a Bucs hat and find a season replay on YouTube. We are smack in the middle of the best or times, enjoy them…don’t worry when they will end.
May 30th, 2021 at 11:06 pm
Dyno-White !#45. Absolutely right !! I was there too at the old one Buc when they came home. Those were the old glory days ! These are the new , ENJOY THEM EVERYONE !! ALSO, Mrsandman . That’s gotta be the worst comment I’ve ever seen !! “Trade Evans or Godwin” ?? First of all, Evans is here to stay ! And they can’t trade Godwin after this year unless they sign him or tag him again !! So why would they trade him if they have the ability to sign or tag him again ??
May 31st, 2021 at 5:51 am
Hey Dyno-White, (alias JJ from Good Times)
“To put things in perspective, the 1 st great Buc highlight of my life was waiting at the old One Buc Place to welcome back the victorious Bucs returning to Tampa……..from their first ever victory after 26 defeats. My next greatest moment was tearing down the goalposts at Tampa Stadium after our first home victory for an incredible 2 win season”.
lol the same for me, but I was over in Largo in ’77 but it was pretty awesome for sure after the 0-26 start.
So I agree Dyno-White, now is the time to live it up, these are the best times to be a BUC fan in their 45 year history.
It is good to be the WORLD CHAMPIONS and the favorite by many to be WORLD CHAMPIONS again. GO BUCS!!!!!!
May 31st, 2021 at 10:52 am
Joe, am I a sadomasochist?? Im jonesing for the old days when we always got stomped on the groin Sunday at 1 and your Monday posts were classic!!
LMFAO LFG BUCS!!!!
May 31st, 2021 at 12:02 pm
We are Buc’s Fans. Historically we Manufacture things to worry about in the offseason and do so justifiably I suppose. For the first time since my kids were in high school the coming season is wrapped in optimism. There and only there is where we should focus our concerns. 2022 may as well be 3022.