Buccaneers Get Encouraging Injury Update on $66 Million Pro Bowl WR Chris Godwin
There couldn’t have been a worse time for Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin to get hurt last year than when he did — both for his team and for himself.
For his team, it meant playing the second half of the season without arguably the NFL’s best wide receiver to that point after he suffered a gruesome, dislocated left ankle in a Week 7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. For Godwin, it meant a world of uncertainty with free agency looming.
What everyone underestimated was the esteem with which Godwin was held around the NFL. So much so, he eventually turned down an offer reportedly in the vicinity of 4 years and between $90 million to $100 million from the New England Patriots to return to the Buccaneers on a 3-year, $66 million contract with $44 million guaranteed.
Now, the only thing left to do for Godwin is to actually play in a game again.
It’s something ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler thinks could happen this week when the unbeaten Buccaneers host the unbeaten, defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4.
“We mentioned last week that Week 4 against Philly is a real possibility for Chris Godwin Jr.’s return in Tampa Bay, and that hasn’t changed,” Fowler wrote on September 24. “Godwin (ankle) has progressed well in recent weeks, and with Mike Evans out, a Godwin return would be timely.”
Buccaneers Already Down Top 2 Wide Receivers
There were a lot of eyebrows raised when the Buccaneers used their first round pick (No. 19 overall) in the 2025 NFL draft on Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Just 3 games into the regular season, it seems like drafting Egbuka was one of the genius moves of the offseason.
Not only has Egbuka been a revelation with team highs of 14 receptions, 181 yards and 3 touchdowns, having him has become more valuable than ever thanks to a rash of injuries.
Not only is it uncertain if Godwin will actually play against the Eagles, Evans is about to miss multiple games with a hamstring injury for the second consecutive season. Then there’s a third starting wide receiver from last year, Jalen McMillan, who will miss at least the first 8 games after he severely sprained his neck in the preseason.
Godwin’s Second Major Injury of Career
While Godwin should very well still be in his prime at 29 years old, it’s important to remember that last year’s season-ending injury was the second major injury of his career.
Godwin suffered a torn ACL in Week 15 of the 2021 regular season that cost him the last 3 games of the year and the playoffs, which was a major blow to the Buccaneers as they tried to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton put Godwin at the top of his list of “NFL Bounce Back Candidates” in the preseason.
“(Godwin) remains the Buccaneers’ most dynamic receiver, still in his prime,” Moton wrote on June 28. “At 31, Mike Evans barely kept his 1,000-yard receiving season streak alive last year. Entering his second term, Jalen McMillan is in the early stages of development. Emeka Egbuka has to earn quarterback Baker Mayfield’s trust as a reliable receiver.”
Shedeur Sanders Seems to Want to Play the Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are just a few days removed from their underdog win over the Baltimore Ravens during Monday Night Football on September 22, but they already have another big matchup on the way. The team is up against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, September 28, and everyone in the NFL knows that the Browns’ defense is no joke.
So, Lions head coach Dan Campbell is making sure his team is as ready as possible for the defensive challenge ahead. But, the Browns also have one of the most talked-about quarterbacks of 2025 on their roster in rookie Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders, of course, was drafted surprisingly late in the NFL draft this year, as No. 144 overall, and it was really the story of the draft. But, he was a solid addition to the Cleveland Browns, and he sounds like he’s ready, and wanting, to play the Detroit Lions.
Shedeur Sanders is Ready for Whenever His Name is Called
Ahead of Sunday’s game, Sanders spoke with the press about the Browns’ quarterback situation. He’s been the Cleveland Browns’ No. 3 quarterback, sitting behind starter Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. So, Sanders has been inactive for the first three weeks of the regular season, just being the emergency quarterback.
Ahead of the Lions game, Sanders asserted that he’s “ready to play right now.” So, if, somehow, he gets the chance to take the field against the Lions, or any other NFL team this season, he says he’s primed to do so.
“I don’t think playing or not playing is in my head. Based on the situation, if things happen and it turns out that I play, then I’ll be out there and I’ll be ready to play,”
He also talked about the quarterbacks in the NFL and said that he believes he can do better, noting, “I know if you see the quarterback play in the league right now, I’m capable of playing better than that.”
His dad, Deion Sanders, agrees. The elder Sanders went on Jason and Travis Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast and said that he thinks his son will have a chance to show his stuff with the Browns sometime this season.
“Be patient and be ready,” Deion Sanders said, regarding the advice he gave his son. “You got to be ready when it’s time. But when it’s time, you’re going to know. And it’s coming up. I got a prediction. I ain’t telling nobody. I got a feeling when it’s going to go down. But it’s going to go down this year.” He added that he is “going to get a shot.”
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell on the Win Over Baltimore
After the Lions’ Monday night win over Baltimore, Lions head coach Dan Campbell talked about how great his team played under the Monday night pressure. He gave props to defensive end Aidan Hutchinson for the late forced fumble.
“Our hardest workers are our best players. It’s not lip service; it’s not fake. Our best players are our hardest workers,” he told reporters. “Go out and watch them practice. It’s like that every day. So, that’s the standard. That’s the standard.”
Now, the Detroit Lions’ defense will really be tested against the Browns. Get your popcorn ready for Sunday.
