“He Looks A Lot Quicker, A Lot Lighter”
May 21st, 2024
A fresh evaluation of Chris Godwin.
So in addition to a new Vita Vea, it seems Todd Bowles is seeing a new Chris Godwin.
Joe admires how committed so many Buccaneers are to greatness. Perhaps this is more of The Tom Brady Effect? Perhaps it’s stud players kicking things up a notch taking a contract-year mentality.
Godwin is entering a contract year and after OTA practice today, head coach Todd Bowles offered to local media that Godwin looks “a lot quicker, a lot lighter.” He also noted that Godwin still was coming back from ACL surgery last season and that might be a factor.
“I don’t know if he was at full tilt,” Bowles said.
That really intrigued Joe. Godwin had his ACL surgery in January 2022 and returned two seasons ago, not last year.
Was he still working his way back in 2023? Apparently so.
May 21st, 2024 at 6:08 pm
Maybe Godwins wife should have taken his health into consideration when she decided to be his PR department.
May 21st, 2024 at 6:11 pm
Are people really complaining about Godwin’s wife and what she said? I guess people forgot about Brent Grimes’ wife and what a pain she was!
May 21st, 2024 at 6:31 pm
During this time of the offseason, NFL bloggers would be intrigued if they saw a dog sniffing its own butt.
May 21st, 2024 at 6:36 pm
His wife was right. Glad she slapped Canales upside his head.
May 21st, 2024 at 6:54 pm
Canales was not a good play caller. I’m glad he’s gone, we’re gonna see a much more efficient offense this year.
May 21st, 2024 at 6:59 pm
What makes you lot think she wasn’t indirectly talking to Mayfield also? QB controls where the ball goes more than any OC, and not seeing WRs was a gripe about Mayfield or are we forgetting Beckham Sr. publicly drag him for missing his kid on routes?
Anyway, wishing Chris the best for in preparation for his 4th consecutive 1,000 yard campaign
May 21st, 2024 at 7:14 pm
Well, I’m sure most good wives are going to stick up for their husbands no matter what. Mine would call me a slacker and say get back to work!
NJbucs23 I believe that it won’t take us (the Bucs) long to figure out if it is Canales or Mayfield improvising. My money is on Mayfield making Canales look good.
May 21st, 2024 at 7:22 pm
I wish him the best and he has been an outstanding Buccaneer, I would be surprised if the Buccaneers sign him to another big contract. Just the way that position shakes out.
May 21st, 2024 at 7:26 pm
OBJ made up his own pass routes. Time has demonstrated how overrated he is. Was #3 receiver on Ravens last year. Did OBJ daddy complain that Lamar was overlooking him? Ravens OK with OBJ moving on. If a QB has 2.5 seconds to get the ball out, he needs to know where his receivers will be. OBJ in Cleveland was a freelancer. Godwin is a disciplined route runner. With more time this year, Mayfield will get him 100 catches and 8 TD’s in 2024.
May 21st, 2024 at 7:29 pm
Think with Coen, Godwin will have a monster year. Canales was such a moron the way he misused Chris most of the season. Anyone that thinks that Canales was even a mediocre play caller needs to get their head examined. The guy talked a big story and under delivered.
May 21st, 2024 at 7:39 pm
Yes Bucsfan951, many people complained about Godwins wife. Next time direct your statement at me instead of being a coward. Men these days are have lost their b@lls. Maybe ask your wife to remove your b@lls from her purse.
May 21st, 2024 at 8:54 pm
Obj is a classic narcissist to a tee. He was gonna throw Eli under the bus, then Daniel Jones, then Baker. Browns played better when he was out/injured. Only threw violent block to be seen on tv..then block like crap,run routes like crap, etc. Anyways I digress, Godwin is the opposite of Obj, and one of, if not, the toughest most hard working wrs in the nfl. Go bucs!!
May 21st, 2024 at 9:02 pm
If Godwin has another great season (which I hope he does). I don’t see how the Bucs afford him.
May 21st, 2024 at 9:10 pm
Good one, “J!” I’d never heard that before… His wife has his balls inside her purse Hahahahaha. LoL How original. You cop just come up with that all on your own???
May 21st, 2024 at 9:49 pm
Would like to see Bucs check into getting Kareem Hunt in for a look if he is still a F.A..I think Hunt can still contribute and would be a great pick up .
As always GO BUCS
May 21st, 2024 at 9:57 pm
This bodes well for the Bucs…we have not had a healthy compliment of receivers, all in the field at the same time, with this type of protection up front, in a long time…
Add to that a slimmed down version of Vita, and a group of second year studs AND a good secondary…
Yes, it will be an interesting season!
May 21st, 2024 at 9:58 pm
Joe … ‘Godwin had his ACL surgery in January 2022 and returned two seasons ago, not last year. Was he still working his way back in 2023? Apparently so.’
I guess that I don’t get what the big deal is about Godwin’s production. What Todd Bowles said was “I don’t know if he was at full tilt.” None of us do. But given Chris’ background, I suspect that he was giving us everything he had in any event. He’s a warrior. He doesn’t make excuses, and we don’t need to make them for him.
May 21st, 2024 at 10:10 pm
Always takes a year or two to get healthy and some never bounce back. It’s been pretty obvious he wasn’t moving like he was pre-injury.
May 21st, 2024 at 11:25 pm
“Joe admires how committed so many Buccaneers are to greatness. Perhaps this is more of The Tom Brady Effect? Perhaps it’s stud players kicking things up a notch taking a contract-year mentality.”
I do believe these are factors, however, can’t disregard the fact that it could also be a byproduct of Licht looking for talented draft prospects with good character in recent years.
May 22nd, 2024 at 12:06 am
It usually takes to year 3 for WRs to BREAK OUT.
I really thought Godwin would have a huge year last year, but was thinking he would play the Cooper Cupp role. Turns out, it wasn’t even close to Rams offense and Godwin hardly played in the slot.
I say year 3, because this will be year 3 since Godwins surgery, so if it is learning how to play on it all over again, what you can and can’t do and how best to help your team, I look for Godwin to have a GREAT year. Especially since he will finally play where he should. Either way, I don’t think the Bucs bring him back. The onky way would be that he looks old and takes a massive pay cut. I really don’t wanna see that of course, so Im pulling for his last year being bis best.
May 22nd, 2024 at 12:17 am
I hope Chris has a huge year and I hope that the Bucs find a way to sign him to a long-term contract that is fair to both to Chris and to the Bucs.
May 22nd, 2024 at 5:17 am
Agree with coach. Godwin has not looked the same since that dirty Saints safety took out his knee.
May 22nd, 2024 at 6:29 am
Also agree that Godwin was not all the way back. He used to catch the ball and somehow squirt away from the defenders. The pass that got Chris sandwiched
between two defenders was one I wished Brady had not thrown. In 2022 Chris’s average depth of target was 5.7 yards. IMO this hindered Chris in getting enough
separation to be as effective as his first three years where his average was 10.4 yards. Last year the average increased to 9.0 yards. The guy is amazing, he broke a tackle on almost half his receptions. That’s a career high.
May 22nd, 2024 at 7:03 am
With Godwin going into the Cooper Kupp role, he knows he can have a big year going into a new contract. I expect him to be great this year in catching and blocking. In McVay’s offense, Cooper Kupp is asked to block the edge and Godwin is our best, only?, blocking WR. I wish we could keep Chris, but it’s unlikely. Maybe if we trade Dean?
May 22nd, 2024 at 7:15 am
Just a pet peeve of mine, if you get the blocking to allow WR’s to get a chance to get around 10 yards from line of scrimmage some defenders will have to leave their zone coverage to cover wideouts. That should allow the 5 or 6 yard passes to RB’s to be more effective if needed.
May 22nd, 2024 at 7:15 am
Hey J
Only a weak man has a problem with a strong woman.
Strong men respect them.
Man up.
May 22nd, 2024 at 7:26 am
JimBob,
While I agree that Godwin is our best most unselfish blocker but not the only one. Evans was also doing his part to block for Chris on the screens and runs that were a big
part of the offense before his injury.
May 22nd, 2024 at 7:40 am
^^^ And probably Humphrey before that. A lot of those screen went through
Mike’s side of the field.^^^^
May 22nd, 2024 at 8:43 am
Godwin did look slower and I figured it was his ACL. Everyone recovers differently, but being a slot WR makes it even worse cuz you’ll always be worried about the next hit. I hope he balls out this season.
Before we trash Canales and anoint Coen, let’s actually watch some real games. Otherwise it’s just wishful thinking and recency bias.
May 22nd, 2024 at 11:59 am
Excellent comments. Indeed both Godwin and Evans are excellent blockers.
That said, I don’t think Godwin was utilized very well by Canales. Maybe we lose him next year. Maybe we don’t. I only care about 2024.
I think Godwin makes one heck of a stand. If we lose him we will certainly bleed.
May 22nd, 2024 at 9:37 pm
CG is going to have a career year…his best ever.