Tampa Bay Buccaneers pending free agent Chris Godwin is the best wide receiver available on the free-agent market. After the Cincinnati Bengals placed the franchise tag on Tee Higgins, Godwin should easily be most teams’ No. 1 target at receiver in free agency.
Godwin suffered a season-ending ankle injury seven weeks into the 2024 season. The former Penn State standout had already recorded 50 receptions for 576 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Receiver-needy teams will make competitive offers to Godwin despite his injury. His market should be robust with potential suitors. We've identified three ideal landing spots.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers attempted to address their need at wide receiver opposite George Pickens last season via multiple avenues. They utilized a top-100 pick on Roman Wilson, but he spent the majority of his rookie campaign sidelined by injury. They eventually acquired Mike Williams near the trade deadline, opting for a band-aid solution while in playoff contention.
Williams is a free agent, and the jury remains out on Wilson. Godwin would be an outstanding complement in the short to intermediate areas of the field, while Pickens continues to be a contested-catch winner on deeper, developing routes. The Steelers don't have their 2025 starting quarterback currently under contract. Whoever it is, they need another proven weapon in the passing game besides Pickens and Pat Freiermuth.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars just cleared significant cap space by releasing wide receiver Christian Kirk from his contract. That leaves them with ascending superstar Brian Thomas Jr., an overpaid Gabe Davis, and not much else at the position. Kirk's release was more about creating financial flexibility than it was a reflection of satisfaction with the overall state of their pass-catching depth.
New head coach Liam Coen has been hired to maximize Trevor Lawrence at quarterback after he endured an injury-riddled and disappointing 2024 campaign. Coen is an offensive-minded leader who will be trying to recreate the magic he captured as the Buccaneers' offensive coordinator last season. In that role, he coached Godwin before his season-ending injury. He'll fully appreciate the wide range of Godwin's abilities. With an updated $37.9 million in cap space, the Jaguars are potential suitors for the reliable slot receiver.
Las Vegas Raiders
New Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll isn't interested in a multi-year rebuild. The Raiders have $95.3 million in cap space, the second-most in the league. Expect new general manager John Spytek to aggressively pursue roster upgrades as a result while trying to catch up to their AFC West contenders. It's worth noting that Spytek was in Tampa throughout Godwin's entire career to date.
Record-breaking rookie tight end Brock Bowers is the lone pass-catching threat on the roster. The Raiders don't know who their starting quarterback will be in 2025, but acquiring Sam Darnold, Shedeur Sanders, or Russell Wilson this offseason feels within the realm of possibility. If it's Darnold, he'll need more than Bowers to recreate his season with the Minnesota Vikings last year.
