Todd Bowles doesn’t sound like a coach waiting to see how Chris Godwin Jr. holds up. He sounds like one who already likes what he’s seen.
That matters in Tampa Bay, where Godwin’s health may be the biggest swing factor on the roster. With Mike Evans gone, the Buccaneers are counting on Godwin not just as a dependable target, but as the veteran presence in a young receiver room. And after two injury-plagued seasons, the timing couldn’t be better for Tampa to have him back on track.
Godwin has missed 17 games over the past two years because of various injuries, but he made it through the offseason without any setbacks that would put his availability for the start of the regular season in doubt. For the Bucs, that’s huge. He’s no longer just part of the plan - he’s central to it.
Over nine seasons, Godwin has put up 612 catches, 7,626 yards and 41 touchdowns. Those aren’t second-fiddle numbers.
They’re the production of a receiver who has shown he can operate at a WR1 level when healthy. That’s why Tampa is leaning on him so heavily now, especially with Emeka Egbuka still early in his career and relatively unproven.
Bowles made it clear on Wednesday that Godwin looks like himself again.
"He looks good. He looked good all summer.
He looked good in the spring. He's in tip-top shape, and he's ready to go.
So, yeah, he looks very good to me. He looks like he's himself."
That kind of confidence carries real weight. Godwin’s route running and steady presence can ease the load on Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Ted Hurst, and his chemistry with Baker Mayfield has already been established over the years. Mayfield has been vocal about his confidence in the group, but Godwin’s availability is the piece that could make the offense hum.
Last season, Godwin’s absence was a major factor in Tampa’s offensive issues, including Mayfield’s struggles. If he stays healthy this year, the Bucs have a much better chance to unlock the kind of production that made their offense dangerous.
And with Evans no longer in the building, that responsibility falls even more squarely on Godwin’s shoulders. If he can hold up for a full season, Mayfield could be in position to approach his career-high numbers from 2024.
For Tampa, this is the kind of update that changes the mood around a season. Bowles is confident.
Godwin looks ready. And with the opener a little more than a week away, that’s exactly the kind of news the Buccaneers needed.
In Other News...
Buccaneers May Already Regret Letting Jack Pyburn Get Away
Jack Pyburn did enough in August to make the Buccaneers take notice, even if it did not keep him in Tampa Bay for long. The undrafted rookie flashed all preseason and finished with four sacks, tying for the most among edge defenders, before the Bucs waived him during final roster cuts and watched Kansas City move quickly to claim him for its 53-man roster.
For a team always hunting for young pass-rush help, that kind of departure can linger. Todd Bowles had already singled out Pyburns work ethic and production, which only sharpens the question of whether Tampa Bay gave up on him a little too early, or whether the Chiefs simply got there first and saw enough to make the gamble worthwhile. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Suddenly Have A Real Path Back To The Top
The NFC South does not look especially imposing heading into this season, and that has opened a lane for Tampa Bay to get back where it has spent plenty of time in recent years. ESPNs Dan Graziano sees the Buccaneers as a team that could reclaim the division, pointing to the kind of ingredients that often matter most in a crowded race: a quarterback with something to prove, better health, and a roster that has been reinforced on both sides of the ball.
Baker Mayfields motivation in a contract year sits at the center of that optimism, but it is not the only reason Tampa Bay is drawing notice. The Buccaneers have added talent on offense and defense, and if the health picture improves, they should have a real chance to separate themselves from what is expected to be a weak division. The bigger question is whether all of those pieces come together quickly enough to make the path back to the top look as clear as it does on paper. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Quarterback Battle Just Put New Pressure On Atlanta's Roster
Baker Mayfields situation in Tampa Bay remains one of the more interesting subplots of the offseason, especially with Todd Bowles noting the quarterbacks motivation even before a contract extension is finalized. For the Buccaneers, that kind of stability matters. Mayfield has already become the focal point of the offense, and Bowles comments only reinforce how central he is to what Tampa Bay wants to build heading into the next stretch of team planning.
Across the division, the Falcons are juggling a different kind of quarterback conversation, with general manager Ian Cunningham talking through the teams current situation and the roster moves that have come with it. The broader NFC South picture also includes Carolina, where Dan Morgan has been addressing roster commitments, injuries and practice squad decisions, a reminder that every team in the division is still sorting out the same basic question: who is ready now, and who still has more to prove before the picture settles? [Read more 🡒]