Bounceback Year For Chris Godwin?
June 26th, 2023
Surprising (telling?) numbers.
Joe is eager to find out if Chris Godwin is reborn with new offensive coordinator Dave Canales.
Something wasn’t right about Godwin last year. But then, someone wasn’t right about the whole damn offense last year.
Over at Sharp Football Analysis, the gang there did a breakdown of the Bucs that shared interesting numbers on Godwin suggesting he’s slipping.
Chris Godwin set career highs in targets (142) and receptions (104) last season, but his performance was largely marred by returning early from ACL surgery and then suffering a hamstring injury in the season opener.
As a byproduct, Godwin averaged a career-low 9.8 yards per reception. His 5.5 air yards per target and 1.74 yards per route run were career lows by a wide margin. A fully healthy offseason should bring some added juice for Godwin.
Godwin still has two years remaining on his contract, carrying dead cap hits of $35 million in 2023 and $26.4 million in 2024.
Yes, Joe understands Godwin was coming back from knee surgery. And as Joe stated, nothing seemed right about the Bucs offense last season.
So with an offseason to get back to his pre-surgery form, and perhaps playing in an offense run by someone competent, could this fall be a big rebound season for Godwin?
June 26th, 2023 at 8:12 am
Not with the worst stable of QB’s in the NFL throwing the ball.
June 26th, 2023 at 8:24 am
104 catches, 1023 yards, & only 3 TDs in 15 games in 2022 sounds like the bounce back has already begun.
June 26th, 2023 at 9:28 am
Playing mostly from the slot and averaging only 5 yards per target is tough to score points. With the state of our offensive line teams would crowd the line without any deep threat. A decent line this year should greatly increase his average target yards per catch.
June 26th, 2023 at 10:07 am
Bounce back year? Didn’t dude have a 1000 yards. Even If he didn’t setting a set career high in receptions after a major injury is an amazing feat all in itself uh yea the players are taking a break maybe fans with common sense should too just to escape the lunacy
June 26th, 2023 at 11:08 am
Maybe I am wrong, but Godwin just does not seem to be the same player he was before the injury.
I sure hope I am wrong
June 26th, 2023 at 11:33 am
Mayfield doesn’t throw for enough yards to have both Evans and Godwin have decent seasons.
You can’t get blood from a stone. Mayfield’s career PYPG is 226 and has declined every season since his rookie year. 230 PYPG would be a 50 YPG bounce back from last year and that still wouldn’t be enough to push both Evans and Godwin to 1000 yard seasons.
I’ve been telling everyone here to temper their expectations. Tampa is going to have a run first offense with low passing yards. Expect bottom third in the league.
June 26th, 2023 at 11:57 am
Not with Traskfield at QB Bwahwahwahwah!
June 26th, 2023 at 12:31 pm
His rec average went down due to the bubble screens and short routes to get the ball out of Brady’s hands quicker. If IR Gage was healthy Godwin would have lined up more outside with Gage playing slot some. Godwin’s number are skewed due to multiple reasons. National pundits don’t really watch every snap and tend to piggyback off other journalists opinions.
June 26th, 2023 at 12:46 pm
Godwin is literally the last guy on the 53 that I’m concerned about. He caught 104 balls last year over 1k on a rehab year he probably should’ve even been playing until November. Godwin makes whatever offense you run work. He is what you point to when someone doesn’t understand the importance of WRs being able to block and contribute when the ball not in their hands.
June 26th, 2023 at 1:24 pm
Jeez, when you consider he had pretty darn good numbers last year I don’t think this could be called a bounce back year. Better year is more like it.
June 26th, 2023 at 3:57 pm
Bounce Back for a caliber of player like Godwin is Pro Bowl and All Pro.
It is like top 5 in receiver stats, triple crown area.
I expect Godwin to post better numbers than Evans.
Both Evans and Godwin are better than you think at scrambling with the QB too, so moving the launch point in this offense will bye time.
Regardless, this is the best offensive style to play for Baker’s skill set.
June 26th, 2023 at 5:35 pm
He plays strong not quick / fast that’s why Arians put him in the slot , which is where he belongs . But for the love of football run some 8 to 15 yard routes .
June 27th, 2023 at 1:47 am
“As a byproduct, Godwin averaged a career-low 9.8 yards per reception. His 5.5 air yards per target and 1.74 yards per route run were career lows by a wide margin. A fully healthy offseason should bring some added juice for Godwin.”
Come on man. Godwin did what was asked of him and more. The target stats don’t take into consideration that Brady was playing scared. (for good reason) All receivers stats were way closer to the LOS than previously. No time for consistent longer pass attempts.
Bounce back? Come on man.
Go Bucs!
June 27th, 2023 at 2:10 am
The low averages were caused, in part, by the many screen passes he caught behind the line of scrimmage that got snuffed out because Lefty ran out of plays and didn’t have anything else to call.