It’s well-known that the Bucs’ ability to re-sign their own players every season is uncanny. What makes it even more impressive is that they do not just ink them to new deals, but they are able to bring them back on bargain deals.
General manager Jason Licht and the front office have shown trust in their own players, and it is reciprocated in the loyalty these players have shown when reaching the open market.
In particular, one move has drawn high praise from local and national media alike.
With What WRs Are Getting Paid These Days, Chris Godwin Is “Pretty Cheap”
Bucs Wr Chris Godwin And Gm Jason Licht, Photo By: Cliff Welch P/R
Bucs WR Chris Godwin and GM Jason Licht, photo by: Cliff Welch P/R
Bucs wide receiver Chris Godwin returned to Tampa Bay on a three-year, $66 million deal, which meant reportedly passing up $20 million more from the Patriots in free agency. With what wide receivers are getting paid these days, Godwin re-upping at $22 million a year has a chance to be one of the best deals signed this offseason, especially if he plays close to the way he did last season before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
If you need a reminder of how dominant Godwin was before he went down, he recorded 50 receptions for 576 receiving yards and five touchdowns in just seven games.
ESPN’s Seth Walder has graded over 60 signings and trades, but coming in at No. 9 on his list with an A- grade is Godwin re-signing with the only team he has played for.
Not only did the Buccaneers get Godwin back — they got him back for pretty cheap.
Godwin was clearly the best wide receiver available in a wideout-thirsty market when the negotiation period started March 10. He wasn’t around for long though, returning to the Buccaneers for only $22 million per year. Considering Tee Higgins’ new contract averages $28.75 million per year, that DK Metcalf cost $30 million per year and a second-round pick and that Davante Adams cost $23 million per year, the Bucs getting Godwin back at this price is a bargain. Having a second playmaker for Baker Mayfield to target beyond Mike Evans is crucial for the health of the Tampa Bay offense.
Godwin comes with some risk, of course. He just turned 29 and is coming off an ankle injury that limited him to only seven games in 2024. But he’s also coming off his best season since he tore his ACL at the end of the 2021 season, increasing his yards per route run from 1.8 in 2022 and 1.9 in 2023 to 2.5 in a limited sample in 2024. Godwin posted a career-high 68 in ESPN’s open score in 2024. He was worth bringing back, particularly at this price.
Bucs Brought Back WR Chris Godwin And Signed OLB Haason Reddick For Bargains
Seth Walder isn’t the only national reporter who sees Chris Godwin’s deal as a steal. Fox Sports’ Carmen Vitali believes he is the biggest bargain so far, with outside linebacker Haason Reddick also ranking seventh on Vitali’s list.
Bucs Olb Haason Reddick
Bucs OLB Haason Reddick – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
While Godwin’s payday looks better and better from a Bucs’ perspective the more you look at it, Reddick getting $14 million also has a chance to pay large dividends next season.
We are entering a time where top pass rushers are now getting $40 million a year (see Myles Garrett’s new deal with the Browns). It was not that long ago that Reddick was piling up sacks himself. He comes at a lower cost based on what happened last year with the Jets, but the Bucs are a team that players play hard for and get rewarded.
Look at quarterback Baker Mayfield.
It wasn’t that long ago that Mayfield inked a one-year deal to prove himself before becoming a $100 million man. If Reddick returns to his 2020-2023 form, he has a chance to get a bigger deal from Tampa Bay or elsewhere. Regardless, these two moves are the latest examples of the value the Bucs have found in free agency and they have every chance to pay off in a big way.