The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could end up trading star wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin this offseason, according to an NFL insider.
Following a glorious three-year run with the now-retired Tom Brady, the Bucs enter 2023 with very small expectations. With the seven-time Super Bowl champion gone, Tampa is widely projected to be a bottom-five team this year.
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, we shouldn’t “be surprised if” Tampa ends up trading its two star receivers this season:
“The Buccaneers are in rebuild mode after Tom Brady’s retirement, and they’re carrying almost $77 million in dead cap money this year, trying to dump as much of that hit as possible into this year so they can go back into acquisition mode next year.
Moving Evans or Godwin to a contender (assuming, as we are, that the Bucs aren’t one) at the deadline would help with that project. Evans is the more movable one, because he’s making just $13 million in salary this year and is a free agent at year’s end, while Godwin has a (non-guaranteed) $20 million due in 2024. But you’ll hear these names kicked around in October for sure.”
Godwin and Evans have been one of football’s best receiving duos since 2019, combining for seven 1,000-yard seasons during that span (Godwin had 840 in 12 games during the 2020 season). The duo helped the Bucs to a Super Bowl 55 upset win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Evans is entering the final year of his contract, and given his age (30), it might be hard for the Bucs to get much value for him. Godwin, on the other hand, is just 27 years of age and is signed through 2024.
If Tampa hangs around in the playoff race leading up to the deadline, GM Jason Licht will probably be keen on retaining the two stars. But if they’re nowhere close to contention, the Bucs can expect a plethora of offers for both wideouts.
