Baltimore Ravens v Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Mike Ehrmann/GettyImages
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have been expected by many to lose standout wide receiver Chris Godwin in free agency, but Jason Licht was able to keep him in pewter by signing the lifelong Buc to a three-year, $66 million contract that rewards him handsomely.
The Bucs had to fend off multiple teams, including both contenders looking for an upgrade and worse squads with money to spend in a weak free agent class, to make sure they got their guy and kept Godwin in Tampa Bay for the rest of his prime.
The New England Patriots made a compelling offer to the Philadelphia-born, Delaware-raised Penn State alum. NFL insiders are reporting that Godwin turned down money that would have made him one of the highest-paid players in the league at his position to remain rooted to Tampa.
According to Adam Schefter on his titular podcast, the Patriots were willing to pay as much as $30 million per season to sign Godwin, but he took much less to stay with the Buccaneers. Instead, he took his $22 million per year to come back to his adopted home.
Adam Schefter reveals how much money Chris Godwin turned down from Patriots
Godwin caught 50 passes for 576 yards and five touchdowns in just seven games for Tampa Bay last season. In a full 17-game season, Godwin would have caught 121 passes for a hair under 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns before an injury knocked him out for the rest of the year.
Despite offensive coordinator Liam Coen reversing course and becoming the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay still has one of the best collections of skill position talent in the NFC and a quarterback in Baker Mayfield fresh off tossing 41 touchdown passes.
Godwin will rejoin Mike Evans and up-and-coming rookie Jalen McMillan in the wide receiver room, all while young tight end Cade Otton and splendid second-year running back Bucky Irving emerge as viable starters in the NFL. Godwin’s playmaking over the middle in clutch situations is what could make this offense tick in 2025.
Godwin is taking a big risk in turning down that much money from New England, but it seems like he valued the situation he has in Tampa Bay over a Patriots team where he and he alone would have to be the primary offensive creator. Tampa also gives him a better place to chase a championship.