October 1 Updates
In 2024, the last time that Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin started a season fully healthy, he had eight targets in a season-opening win over Washington and caught all of them for 82 yards and a touchdown. He had another eight targets the next week against Detroit and caught seven for 117 yards and another score. Week Three brought nine targets, as did Week Four.
In the Buccaneers' seventh game of the season, against Baltimore, Godwin had nine targets, seven catches and 65 yards, but on the last one he suffered a devastating ankle injury and was lost for the season. As of the end of that week of NFL football, he was tied for third in the league with 62 targets, atop the leaderboard with 50 receptions, second with 576 receiving yards and tied for third with five touchdown receptions.
Godwin's rehabilitation from that injury and subsequent surgery stretched long enough to keep him out of the first three games last season and he later missed five more games with a different injury. However, by his own assessment, he was back to full health this summer and ready to once again be a very friendly target for Baker Mayfield. It has thus been notable, particularly with Mike Evans no longer on the team to be that 1A option, that Godwin has not been thrown the football at anything like his pace from 2024.
Through the first three games, Godwin has been targeted 11 times, which has produced 10 catches for 111 yards. He ranks just fifth on the Bucs' offense in targets, behind wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (20), tight end Cade Otton (17), running back Bucky Irving (15) and rookie wideout Ted Hurst (13). It is not likely that Godwin will continue to have that spot in the Bucs' passing hierarchy as the season progresses, and Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson said the team is definitely trying to get him the ball more.
"There's times when, shoot, maybe he is the primary in the route and, again, all 11 [players], for football plays to work and for the execution to be at a high level, all things have to click at the right time," said Robinson. "I think that's been kind of the story with some of those. Could he have had two or three more catches in a game? Probably so when you watch the tape and you take a look at how things are playing out from an all-22 perspective. But CG's a stud. He'll continue to do his thing, and if the ball finds him, which it will, naturally. Just with his savvy and all the things that he presents, the ball will find him eventually. We've got to get him rolling, for sure."
Maybe a visit by the Green Bay Packers to Raymond James Stadium is just what the doctor ordered for Godwin. In four career games against Green Bay, including the playoffs, Godwin has averaged almost exactly eight targets per game and has racked up a total of 22 catches for 337 yards.
CLICK HERE to hear more from Zac Robinson on a variety of topics regarding the Bucs' offense.
