The Tampa Bay Buccaneers managed to secure their third consecutive NFC South division crown without the services of Chris Godwin for over half of the season. Unfortunately for the Bucs, Godwin is set to hit the free agent market this offseason in a year where impact wide receivers aren’t exactly plentiful on the open market.
One analyst sees the Bucs losing Godwin on the open market to an AFC Super Bowl contender, which could drastically shake up the offseason priority list for Tampa Bay entering this offseason.
Houston Texans Predicted to Sign Chris Godwin
The Houston Texans sent shockwaves throughout the NFL world when they acquired Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills last offseason. This move didn’t exactly yield the returns the organization hoped for after Diggs suffered a season-ending injury, which likely played a role in the Texans being ousted from the playoffs in the Divisional Round for a second consecutive year.
This has Pro Football & Sports Network Analyst Ben Rolfe seeing the Texans double down on addressing the receiver position for a second consecutive year by paying market value for Godwin later this offseason.
Rolfe said, “Stefon Diggs is set to be a free agent with a major injury, and Tank Dell is unlikely to play much, if at all, in 2025.”
Injuries to both Diggs and Dell certainly could make receiver a significant need for the Texans this offseason, which makes Godwin a very viable target for Houston this offseason.
Rolfe added, “The Texans should be highly active in the offensive line market this offseason, but they may struggle to make multiple big splashes with limited cap space. It is also generally easier to find players in the draft who can immediately impact the offensive line than at wide receiver. Therefore, if they are going to splash on a free agent, a player like Chris Godwin could be a great complement to this offense.”
The Texans’ aggressive move to add Diggs to the roster last year was meant to help build a championship-caliber roster around C.J. Stroud. With Diggs set to be a free agent and Dell’s injury potentially limiting his time on the field in 2025, the team still feels like it could use another playmaking piece to put at the disposal of their young quarterback.
Rolfe, finished by saying, “Adding Godwin would give the Texans a slot receiver to complement Nico Collins on the outside. They could still look to add an outside weapon in the draft, but a combination of Collins, Godwin, Dalton Schultz, and Joe Mixon would make this one of the best and most diverse skill-position groups in the entire NFL.”
How Would Losing Godwin Impact the Bucs?
Godwin has been an outstanding starting option alongside Mike Evans in this Bucs’ offense throughout his eight years with the team.
Godwin has produced four seasons with 80+ receptions and 1,000+ yards receiving in his healthier campaigns and was on track for another monster year in 2024 with 50 receptions for 576 yards and five scores in just seven games played before missing the rest of the season with a lower leg injury.
If Godwin were to depart for another team this offseason, Jalen McMillan would likely retain his expanded role from the back half of last year — where he produced 24 receptions for 316 yards and seven touchdowns over his final five games.
The Bucs could elect to add some additional depth at receiver by signing a cheaper option in free agency or address the position in the 2025 NFL Draft. This wouldn’t be the ideal option with an aging Mike Evans and not much else behind McMillan at the position, but it remains to be seen if the Bucs are willing to pay market value for another veteran receiver for a second consecutive year.
