Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Chris Godwin signs $60m contract
Wide receiver Godwin has inked a three-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ahead of a 2022 season in which he'll team up with the returning Tom Brady.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin will remain at Raymond James Stadium beyond 2022 after agreeing a three-year contract extension.
Godwin's new Buccaneers contract worth $60
Godwin had been franchise tagged by the Buccaneers for the second successive year. However, according to multiple reports, he will not play on the tag, coming to terms with the Buccaneers on a deal worth $60 million.
Had the Buccaneers failed to agree a long-term deal with the wide receiver before the July 15 deadline, he would have played under a one-year, $19.18m franchise tender.
Godwin will look to further his superb rapport with Tom Brady following the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback's decision to return to the NFL just 40 days after retiring.
Though his 2021 campaign was ended by a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints, Godwin still finished the year with 98 receptions for 1,103 yards - both career highs - and five touchdowns.
According to Stats Perform data, Godwin registered a burn, which is when a receiver wins his matchup with a defender on a play where he is targeted, on 70.4 per cent of his targets.
That ratio was third-best in the NFL among wideouts with at least 100 targets behind team-mate Mike Evans (72.7) and Tyreek Hill (70.8).
Bucs avoid overhaul after Brady retirement U-turn
Seemingly staring at something of a rebuild prior to Brady's return, the announcement of his change of heart has allowed the Bucs to keep much of their core intact.
Tampa Bay re-signed center Ryan Jensen and cornerback Carlton Davis. Though they lost guards Alex Cappa and Ali Marpet to the Cincinnati Bengals and retirement respectively, the Bucs struck a deal with the New England Patriots to land interior offensive lineman Shaq Mason and signed wideout Russell Gage to fill the void left by Antonio Brown's sudden exit from the team last season.
Former Atlanta Falcons receiver Gage finished the 2021 season with an average of 2.9 burn yards per route, tied for 17th for wideouts with a minimum of 50 targets.
With Brady around for at least one more year, the Bucs once again have the offensive firepower to compete to go deep into the NFC playoffs, and Godwin will surely be pivotal to those hopes.