Chris Godwin has never had a bad NFL season. He had one that ended badly, in 2021, when a significant knee injury knocked him out for the last three games and the playoffs and forced him to spend the next offseason focusing on rehab. But he has topped 1,000 receiving yards in four of the last five seasons – no mean feat when his fellow starter, Mike Evans, is commanding enough targets to also top 1,000 yards in all of those campaigns – and his 104 grabs in 2022 were the second most in a single season in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history.
It is possible, however, that Godwin has not yet had his best NFL season. There are reasons to be optimistic he could reach new heights in 2024, not the least of which is his move back to being the Buccaneers' primary slot receiver. That was the plan hatched by first-year Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen, who was with the Los Angeles Rams during Cooper Kupp's rise to stardom and sees great potential in Godwin filling the type of role Kupp does in Sean McVay's offense. Coincidentally, Godwin is in his age-28 season, the same age that Kupp was when he won the receiving Triple Crown with 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns.
It would be irresponsible to predict numbers that outrageous for Godwin or just about any receiver in the NFL, but it would be crazy to think he could challenge the 86-1,333-9 season he had as a Pro Bowler in 2019. Most notably, the man calling the plays thinks big things are in store for Godwin in 2024.
"I expect a big year from Chris," said Coen. "He's had a great offseason. He's been so steady, so consistent. Every single day the guy shows up to work and has the same demeanor, mindset and mentality. And then he goes out and practices his tail off. The guy doesn't take a rep off, he doesn't jog through, he doesn't loaf. Everything he does is a pro's-pro mentality."
Coen didn't work with Godwin until this season but he knows his history and he obviously devoured tape on all the Bucs' offensive players after he landed his current gig in January. He's well aware that the injury Godwin suffered late in 2021 has had an affect on the receiver's subsequent seasons. Godwin impressively worked his way back into action by the start of 2022 and did reel in those 104 catches, but he also posted a career low 9.8 yards per carry. He was closer to 100 percent last season, when he caught 83 passes for 1,024 yards, but that was while playing mostly on the outside in the Dave Canales offense. Not only are both Coen and Godwin excited by the receiver's move back inside, but Coen thinks Godwin is also fully back to his peak physical form.
"I expect it to show up," said Coen. "I think it's going to show up for him. I think he's feeling better. You can see his balance is better. He doesn't feel like he has to cut off one leg. He has better balance, he has better feel and I think his physical attributes and tools are going to take over and I expect him to have a good year."
The other big reason to believe in Godwin's potential in 2024 and beyond is his unfailing work ethic, which helped him in his comeback from injury but now can be directed at fully absorbing and executing Coen's fairly complicated and motion-heavy offense. How hard Godwin and his teammates have worked to do that has been a welcome development for the Bucs' new coordinator.
"Their eagerness for more, their eagerness to learn, their eagerness to grow their football minds and continue to learn the details and fundamentals and techniques of their position and of their crafts," said Coen. "We've got Hall of Famers, we've got All-Pros, we've got some really good players, but they're still trying to get better each week, each day. That's been kind of a…not a 'pleasant surprise,' but that's been nice to have, a group of guys that have had success, have been on Super Bowl-winning teams but are still yearning for more."
Godwin, the second-leading receiver in virtually every category in Buccaneers history, obviously still yearns for a lot more. There's a good chance he'll get it in 2024.
