Chris Godwin: Projected free agent contract: 5 years – $22m/year ($65m guaranteed, $110m total)
Projected franchise tag: $15.808m
**courtesy of PFF**
Chris Godwin burst onto the NFL and fantasy football scene in 2019 to the tune of a 121/86/1,333/9 receiving line.
He is the number one non-QB free agent for myriad reasons.
- He just turned 25 years old
- Proven WR1 production
- Nose for the end-zone (23 TDs in the last three seasons)
- One of the best athletes at the position
All 32 teams in the NFL would be improved by signing him. Alas, there can be only one!
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This is the obvious and most likely landing spot for Godwin. It seems Vegas agrees as well because Tampa Bay is the odds-on favorite. As of March 3, 2021, they are nearly $12m under the cap, so it is a possibility they can slap the franchise tag on him.
The problem is they have A LOT of key free agents including Lavonte David, Shaquil Barrett, Rob Gronkowski, Ndamukong Suh, Leonard Fournette, and Antonio Brown.
Are they willing to part with David or Barrett to franchise tag Godwin? The defense was the catalyst to the franchise’s second Super Bowl championship. It is arguably more important to keep it intact to take the pressure off their soon to be 44-year-old QB.
Nevertheless, Tampa Bay is likely to cut some players and move money around in order to make a run at the first back-to-back championships since Brady’s Patriots achieved that in 2003 and 2004.
This bodes well for his fantasy value because he was on a 16 game pace of 87 receptions, 1,120 yards, and nine TDs in 2020.
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Baltimore Ravens
Admittedly this one is a bit of a pipe dream. Vegas doesn’t see Baltimore as one of the top four favorites to sign Godwin, but it would be a giant “Mario mushroom” for their Super Bowl odds.
Lamar Jackson desperately needs a possession-style WR who can produce opposite Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. Someone who can gain separation in the intermediate area to allow Hollywood to stretch the field on the outside and Mark Andrews to bully linebackers and safeties down the seam.
It wouldn’t be great for his fantasy value because Baltimore has ranked last in pass attempts over the past two seasons. He would need to have A.J. Brown-like efficiency to rank inside the top 12 WRs again.
In summation: a great NFL fit that would terrify Godwin dynasty managers.
Indianapolis Colts
T.Y. Hilton is a free agent, Indianapolis has $44.7m in cap space, and they are a playoff contender in probably the second weakest division in football.
Carson Wentz gained a new lease on his NFL career by running back into the arms of an old flame. His borderline MVP-caliber season in 2017 was guided by Frank Reich who at that time was the offensive coordinator in Philadelphia.
Godwin would certainly give Wentz a viable number one receiver he could target early and often.
Their cap situation is the paramount reason this is a distinct possibility. This organization believes it has the talent to make a run at a Super Bowl and moves like this (see Buffalo and Stefon Diggs) are necessary in a conference that features Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen-led offenses.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence (don’t @ me Justin Fields truthers) – CHECK
$85m (most in the NFL) in cap space – CHECK
A massive need at slot receiver – CHECK
Three-for-three in reasons why this is the best fit for the organization and the player. Godwin can become the next $100m man in the NFL, Lawrence gets a bonafide weapon, and Jacksonville can focus on the offensive line/defense in the 2021 draft.
This is a great fit for fantasy football as well. That defense is bad and probably not getting exponentially better this offseason.
They ranked in the top five (in a bad way) in points against, yards gave up, total plays ran against, yards-per-play, passing TDs, rushing yards, and rushing TDs.
That’s a scrumptious recipe for fantasy success on the offensive side of the ball for Jacksonville.
Washington Football Team
This one is the most intriguing of all the destinations in this article. Pairing Godwin with Terry McLaurin would immediately catapult Washington into the conversation for the most talented WR corps in the NFL.
They currently enjoy $40.3m in cap space, so they have the money to sign Godwin to a long-term deal.
The pushback for this fit is the uncertainty at QB. Alex Smith is all but gone, Dwayne Haskins is backing up Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh, and Taylor Heinicke is unproven.
A team can have the most talented pass catchers in the world, but the lack of talent at QB will squander that talent on the field and in the fantasy football realm.
If Washington were to sign someone like Ryan Fitzpatrick to compete with Heinicke for the starting job then this fit has some legs… not Saquon Barkley or A.J. Dillon legs, but a healthy punter’s leg.
Godwin is on record saying he would play for Tampa Bay under the franchise tag if necessary. I believe that is ultimately the outcome. Every WR wants to play with the G.O.A.T. and win Super Bowls. Remaining with Tampa Bay affords him both of those opportunities.
Godwin managers in dynasty can breathe a sigh of relief at least for one more year.
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