Arguably the biggest WR domino of NFL free agency has fallen: Longtime stud Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin is re-signing with Tampa Bay on a three-year, $66 million deal that guarantees $44 million at signing. Congrats to Mr. Godwin, who is now tied for 19th at the position with Davante Adams in terms of yearly salary.

And get this: Godwin reportedly left about $20 million on the table to stay in Tampa Bay, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Talk about a hometown discount.

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Chris Godwin Re-Signs With Buccaneers

Either way, kudos to the Buccaneers for retaining one of the most productive receivers in football. After all, Ja'Marr Chase was the only WR with more fantasy PPR points than Godwin in Weeks 1-7 last season.

The per-route efficiency was also up there with the position's very best:

Godwin among 84 WRs with 50-plus targets:

  • Yards per route run: 2.36 (No. 10)
  • Targets per route run: 24.6% (No. 19)
  • Passer rating when targeted: 127.5 (No. 6)
  • PFF receiving grade: 85.7 (No. 10)
  • PPF points per game: 19.7 (No. 2)

Of course, that was 2024, and 2025 will have new challenges. Godwin turns 29 in February. His timetable for recovery from last season's dislocated ankle is unclear, although Todd Bowles' assertion that he had a chance to be back for a late playoff run is intriguing. Dr. Deepak Chona believes Godwin will likely be playing in Week 1 of 2025, although WR ankle data favors a moderate dip that recovers midseason.

Fantasy Football Impact Of Godwin Re-Signing

Still, continuity is a helluva drug in professional football, and teaming Godwin back up with Baker Mayfield and company should help lead to more positive results in fantasy land. The loss of wunderkind Liam Coen isn't ideal, although the decision to promote from within in the form of Josh Grizzard lends credence to the idea that the league's reigning fourth-ranked scoring offense will look similar in 2025.

Now, the presence of Mike Evans on the outside will always cap Godwin's ceiling to an extent, but there's still legit 150-plus target potential here–particularly considering the lower-aDOT manner in which the Buccaneers went about feeding their slot maven last season. Obviously Godwin is capable of winning downfield as well; just realize it's really the veteran's ability in the lower-to-intermediate areas of the field that especially stood out in 2024.

Ultimately, Godwin comes in as the WR22 in my way-too-early rankings, in the same tier as guys like DJ Moore, Courtland Sutton, Marvin Harrison, Chris Olave, and DeVonta Smith. The first seven weeks of last season proved that legit WR1 heights are within Godwin's potential range of outcomes, but lower-WR2 treatment feels appropriate, given concerns regarding his ability to rebound from injury as well as the possibility that things are a bit more even between him and Evans this time around.

Speaking of Evans, the return of Godwin doesn't necessarily hurt his status as a similar lower-end WR2, although the potential to lead the league in targets certainly seems like more of a pipe dream meow. I'm still treating Evans as a top-20 WR with boom upside during any given week, while Mayfield remains a legit top-12 fantasy QB coming off his best professional season. Probably the biggest loser is rising second-year WR Jalen McMillan, who remains more of a WR4-WR5 type as the No. 3 pass-game target (at best) in Tampa ahead of 2025.

All in all: it was A great day for Buccaneers fans, and a not-so-great one for Patriots fans, among others who were dying to get a hit of Godwin or another big-name free agency wide-out. As a wise man once said: Sucks to suck.