Buccaneers’ $60 Million WR Targeted to Land in NFC East

If you’re looking for a wide receiver who knows what it takes to be part of an elite pass-catching tandem, then you can’t do much better than Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Chris Godwin.

For years, Godwin has played Robin to Mike Evans as Batman on the Buccaneers. The 2 have combined to not only win a Super Bowl but make the postseason year in and year out while each racking up their own individual accolades and stacking 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

And, just like the Boy Wonder, Godwin has saved the day for the Buccaneers on more than one occasion. That’s why it will be such a gut punch if he’s signed away from the franchise in free agency. It’s something USA Today’s Jacob Camenker thinks could happen, projecting Godwin to land with the New York Giants.

“The Giants need to be in win-now mode with Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen on the hot seat,” Camenker wrote. “That will require the team to find plug-and-play starters in free agency and build up the team’s offense around whoever will play quarterback. The Giants seem likely to land a rookie quarterback, so adding weapons around Malik Nabers will be critical. Godwin was Tampa Bay’s top receiver last season before suffering a season-ending ankle dislocation and would be a great slot addition for New York.”

Giants Could Be Poised for Big Turnaround in 2025

Godwin was playing some of the best football of his career when he suffered a season-ending dislocated ankle in Week 7 and is a plug-and-play WR1 or WR2 option — he’s also seen his market value leap up to a 3-year, $67.5 million contract in Spotrac’s latest market value projections.

“Godwin was on pace for another Godwin-like campaign in 2024 before an ankle injury derailed his season,” Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti wrote on February 11. “Teams will have some pause when assessing the 28-year-old coming back from his second major injury, but a weak WR market will help sustain his ability to cash in.”

Pro Football Focus has Godwin ranked No. 4 overall on its list of Top 100 NFL Free Agents in 2025.

From PFF: “Godwin has consistently displayed reliable hands, dropping fewer than 6% of catchable passes in seven of his eight NFL seasons. He maintained that standard in 2024, earning an 85.7 PFF receiving grade through nearly seven weeks without a single drop on 52 catchable targets. However, Godwin sustained a season-ending left ankle dislocation. He is no stranger to entering free agency with an injury, and hopefully, the recovery will be even quicker this time around.”

Giants Could Be Poised for Big Turnaround in 2025

Another NFC East team, the Washington Commanders, went 4-13 in 2023 and made the leap to a 12-5 record and a spot in the NFC Championship Game in 2024.

The biggest key to making that leap for the Giants will come in the NFL draft. The Commanders sparked their turnaround by selecting quarterback Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick in 2024. Daniels went on to be named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowler in his first season.

The Giants have the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, where they should have a shot at taking one of the top 2 quarterback prospects in either Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.