Bucs GM Can't Offer Chris Godwin Good News Update Just Yet

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin saw his season end early last year due to a nasty ankle injury, and he's on the trail to come back.

Eventually.

We already knew it might be a slow and steady approach with the Buccaneers drafting Emeka Egbuka as potential cover to allow Chris to go about his rehab.

And now an update ... and it's not great news.

When asked if he can see Godwin starting the season on the active roster, Bucs GM Jason Licht is admitting, "We don't know yet.''

"He's doing very well," Licht added. "He's advancing through his protocols, he's exactly where they anticipated and hoped he would be at this point. We've still got a ways to go."

So anybody hoping for some sort of sped-up miracle does not seem likely to have that hope granted.

But when Godwin does get on the field, how he looks will be an interesting watch, and he will be a key cog of Josh Grizzard's offense. Luckily, he won't have to be "the" guy, though.

Mike Evans, Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and Cade Otton can all pick up the slack if Chris gets off to a slow start, which could be a possibility given how players have struggled to return to their previous form after major injuries.

But for ESPN's Mike Clay, in his 2025 projections, Godwin doesn't get near his usual standards.

Chris Godwin 2025 projection: 74 receptions, 842 yards, six touchdowns.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin (14).

So let's go through that stat line.

If this does come to fruition, it would be his lowest reception and yards total since 2020 (not counting last year's numbers). Would that be such a bad thing? We don't think so.

Clay's projections also have Evans topping 1,000 yards and Egbuka (618 yards, five touchdowns) and McMillan (420 yards, four touchdowns), Otton (563 yards, five touchdowns) also chipping in, along with running back Bucky Irving (53 rec, 409 yards and three touchdowns).

So there is cover if Godwin doesn't bounce back straight away.

Still, over 800 yards and six scores are nothing to sneeze at, but it isn't the high standard we expect from Chris. But we will give a grace period, and if Godwin can't get back to being the star we know him to be in 2025, then Tampa Bay will feel vindicated in its decision to draft Egbuka.