Chris Godwin had his second 1,000-yard season for the Buccaneers in 2021, but he suffered an injury against the New Orleans Saints in Week 15. Is Godwin playing against the Rams in the Divisional Round, and what is his future in Tampa Bay?
Is Chris Godwin playing today vs. the Rams?
Sadly, Godwin tore his ACL against the Saints in Week 15. The Bucs subsequently placed him on the injured reserve (IR). The news came as a huge blow for QB Tom Brady and the offense after the season Godwin was having and his reliability as a pass catcher.
Godwin’s 2021 season with the Buccaneers
Godwin had 1,103 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns in just 14 games. He led the team in receiving yards and targets (124) in the regular season and was easily Brady’s No. 1 target. The 25-year-old receiver was the only receiver to have over 100 targets through the first 15 weeks of the season.
Godwin surpassed 100 yards on five separate occasions in 2021, including two games of 140+ yards. Godwin terrorized the Saints in Week 8, with 8 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. He did it again in Week 13 against the Falcons, with 15 catches for 143 yards.
What does the future hold?
Godwin was set to be a free agent last year, but the Buccaneers applied the franchise tag. While that kept him in Tampa Bay for the 2021 season, he is once again set to hit the market in the coming months.
The issue now is that he’s going to be rehabbing a torn ACL throughout the summer and fighting to return in time for the beginning of the 2022 regular season. How will that affect his situation?
Godwin would likely be the top receiver available on the 2022 open market if he got through this season and the playoffs without injury. He would have gathered significant interest and likely earned himself a multi-year deal worth at least $14 million annually. However, that is unlikely to happen while he’s injured.
So, is it more likely that he is franchise tagged once again or signs a short-term deal and stays in Tampa Bay? Of course, remaining on the same offense as the greatest quarterback of all time for another season can’t be a bad thing. Brady loves Godwin and shows it by targeting him regularly and more than anybody else on the team. Godwin’s future is unknown, but he won’t feature again this season for the Bucs. We will have to wait and watch his next move as the offseason unfolds.