Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin was injured late in their Week 7 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Here’s what happened, and here’s everything we know.
What Happened to Chris Godwin?
With just 1:04 remaining and the Bucs trailing 41-31, Godwin suffered a significant injury on a 21-yard gain. He was carted off with an air cast on his leg. In his postgame press conference, head coach Todd Bowles said the early indication is that it is a dislocated ankle, and it doesn’t look good.
Godwin had seven receptions for 65 yards in the game. Earlier in the game, the Bucs lost top wideout Mike Evans to a hamstring injury.
Unfortunately, this is not Godwin’s first major injury. He tore his ACL and sprained his MCL in Week 15 of the 2021 season. He returned in 2022 with 104 receptions and over 1,000 yards.
Chris Godwin just broke his ankle down 10 with 40 seconds left .. why are the starters even in the game pic.twitter.com/BgpsJ0YpoE
— John (@iam_johnw) October 22, 2024
How Long Will Godwin Be Out?
On Tuesday, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported that Godwin was expected to make a full recovery for 2025 after his scheduled ankle surgery.
#Bucs WR Chris Godwin will undergo surgery on his dislocated ankle this week, sources say. He’ll see a doctor today to determine the damage & is expected to make a full recovery for 2025 — when he’ll be a FA.
Godwin was in a career year with 576 receiving yds — 2nd in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/UPVOqFwjXT
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 22, 2024
Sports Injury Central compared the injury to the severe left high ankle fracture/dislocation Dak Prescott suffered in 2020, which ended his season. It will require surgery and end his season according to SIC.
The injury will end three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons for Godwin, who has gone over the mark in four of the past five seasons, including a career-high 1,333 yards in 2019.
Godwin is in the last year of a 3-year, $60M contract, signed in March of 2022, a week after the Buccaneers placed the franchise tag on him for the second consecutive season. He will be a free agent following the season, so this could be his last game in a Bucs uniform.
What Did Todd Bowles Say About Chris Godwin’s Injury?
With the Buccaneers down by 10 points, Bowles will face criticism for keeping his star wide receive in the game with a slim chance of coming back to win the game. That began with the assembled media following the game.
“He’s a player. We are trying to win the ballgame,” Bowles said to the media. “Still down 10. Try to get extra points and get another onside kick. Then this happened. Mike went down, we didnt have that many receivers as it was.”
Bowles was then asked if he thought about pulling Godwin before that final drive, knowing that the game was essentially out of reach.
“We don’t second guess,” he said. “We got our guys and play everyone we got. Unfortunately he got hurt and we feel bad about that but he’s a football player.”
On whether he has an obligation to protect players from themselves, Bowles said, “I protect my players all the time and it has nothing to do with why he was in the ball game. We still had a shot to score more points and win the ball game. It happened. It happens in football.”
Fantasy Impact of Godwin’s Injury
Evans and Godwin left this game with injuries, leaving a mammoth hole in the Buccaneers’ wide receiver depth chart. They combined for 76 receptions and 911 receiving yards this season. All other Bucs WRs have 20 catches for 267 yards this season.
Godwin has been a weapon outside and in the slot in offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s system and a security blanket for Baker Mayfield.
His underneath option could now fully shift to TE Cade Otton, who broke out for eight catches and 100 yards against the Ravens. But there’s no clear hierarchy if Evans and Godwin are both out for a prolonged period of time.
In terms of production, Sterling Shepard (eight receptions, 93 yards), Jalen McMillan (six receptions, 74 yards), and Trey Palmer (five receptions, 61 yards) are the next men up.
McMillan and Shepard are probably ahead of Palmer on the depth chart and would be the top two wideouts based on usage to date. McMillan has played 42% of the team’s snaps this season, while Shepard has played 39%. Palmer missed two games due to a concussion but returned on Monday night.
In terms of who could replace Godwin’s slot usage, the likeliest candidate is Shepard. He’s played the highest percent of slot snaps (33%) of any healthy remaining Bucs wideout, which fits his usage from his days with the New York Giants. From 2019-23, Shepard played 43% of his snaps from the slot.
Those three receivers are the only other wideouts currently on the active roster. The Buccaneers have three wideouts on the practice squad, including fifth-year veteran Marquez Callaway (83 receptions, 1,069 yards in four seasons with the New Orleans Saints).
Can Baker Mayfield and Buccaneers Overcome Losses of Godwin and Evans?
Mayfield had some early-season MVP juice after leading the Buccaneers to a 4-2 record with wins over the Commanders, Lions, and Eagles. Entering the Ravens game, Mayfield was first in the NFL with 15 touchdown passes while only throwing five interceptions, three of which came in last week’s win over the Saints.
After resurrecting his career in Tampa Bay last season and leading the Bucs to a playoff victory, Mayfield may be without the top two receiving options that help him secure a long-term contract this offseason.
I feel so bad for Chris Godwin man… 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/Hg3rbwOwmM
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 22, 2024
“Sucks for our team,” Mayfield said to reporters after the game. “Chris deserves better than that. He’s an unbelievable guy and unbelievable teammate. Obviously you guys have seen, he’s been playing extraordinary this year.
“Have a heavy heart right now. Never something you want to see with your guys. But not sure what we are going to do. Have guys step up. Thoughts and prays to Chris and his family right now. It sucks.”
The pressure will now be squarely on Baker’s shoulders as his top three wideouts will be two first- or second-year players and Sterling Shepard if Evans is forced to miss extended time.
The schedule does the Buccaneers no favors, either. They have a divisional battle next Sunday vs. the Falcons before traveling to the Chiefs in Week 9 and hosting the 49ers in Week 10 before the Week 11 bye.