Another offseason, another free agency article on Chris Godwin by yours truly. Last offseason he received the franchise tag for a whopping $16m so the defending Super Bowl champions could “run it back” in hopes of another championship. Instead of being disgruntled he forged ahead with career highs in targets (127) and receptions (98) despite tearing his right ACL and MCL 16 snaps into Tampa Bay’s Week 15 contest against New Orleans. His 17 game pace was 154 targets, 119 receptions, 1,340 receiving yards, and six TDs.
What is the outlook for 2022 and beyond?
Embed from Getty ImagesFirst off, his surgery was a success and he projects to make a full recovery. Second, he will only be 26 years old at the start of the 2022 season. Spotrac estimates his market value at $18m annually with a projected five-year, $90m contract in his immediate future.
Tampa Bay is reportedly very interested in resigning Godwin to a long-term deal to maintain one of the best WR tandems in the league; however, the salary cap is an issue. The prospect of being a cornerstone of a potential rebuild may not be appealing to Godwin either. Let’s have some fun and predict he doesn’t resign with Tampa Bay. Here are five teams that need to sign Chris Godwin.
Jacksonville Jaguars
It isn’t a free agent frenzy article without the perennial “we’re $60m under the salary cap” Jaguars. The team has the following WRs signed at least through 2022: Marvin Jones Jr., Jamal Agnew, and Laviska Shenault. That is the opposite of setting Trevor Lawrence up for success.
Godwin would step into the building as the number one target and earn 130+ targets. This fit is the least appealing from a fantasy football perspective due to the decrease in the quality of targets; however, the Jaguars need to do everything possible to add offensive firepower and maximize their financial flexibility during Lawrence’s rookie contract. Love it for the team, dislike it for Godwin’s fantasy production.
Miami Dolphins
Let’s keep it in Florida with another team desperately trying to put weapons around a young, highly touted QB. Miami has the most cap space of any team this offseason at just under $64m. They spent the sixth overall pick on a stud WR and dynasty darling in Jaylen Waddle. DeVante Parker is there in his role as a serviceable outside threat. After that, it gets very thin, especially with the potential departure of Mike Gesicki.
Adding a prolific slot receiver like Godwin would immediately provide a boost to this offense. I’m kind of in love with this fit granted Miami finds a way to shore up the horrific offensive line. Godwin does everything well, including run blocking where, according to PFF, he had the ninth highest grade among WRs. That tenacity fits in perfectly with the Shanahan-style offensive Mike McDaniel is bringing to the organization.
Chicago Bears
Godwin makes a ton of sense for the Bears. There is a zero percent chance Allen Robinson returns after the way he was utilized in 2021. They have just over $26m in cap space and a massive need at WR. Expect them to hit the position at least once in the draft, but why not bring in an uber-talented veteran as well? Bringing in Godwin allows Darnell Mooney to take advantage of more favorable cornerback matchups while adding an All-Pro to Justin Field’s arsenal. A core of Fields, Godwin, Mooney, David Montgomery, and Cole Kmet has a ton of upside.
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Washington Commanders
What happened to the defense from 2020? Your guess is as good as mine. The offense didn’t look much better after Ryan Fitzpatrick was injured in Week 1. The Commanders are desperately thin at WR after Terry McLaurin. The 2021 offseason saw the team sign Curtis Samuel (79 snaps due to injury) and draft Dyami Brown in the third round (25 targets on the season) to shore up the pass-catching crew. Neither player panned out as they hoped.
Bringing in a proven veteran in his prime like Godwin would take the receiving corps from rags to riches in a hurry. The QB position is a nightmare at the moment as Taylor Heinicke is the only QB on the team signed for 2022. The free agency class isn’t great either, so this team will probably look to bring in a veteran on a cheap deal and draft one in the first round. The situation sounds bleak, but this team could have a Bengals-Esque turnaround if they add Godwin and can find a franchise QB in the draft.
Indianapolis Colts
Offensive line? Check. Dominant RB? Check. Young, stud outside WR? Check. Stability at QB? Not even a little bit. Adding Godwin to this offense would make it the premier destination for any free agent QB or disgruntled QB looking for a trade (cough cough Russell Wilson).
Pairing Michael Pittman Jr. with Godwin would create one of the youngest, most feared WR tandems in the league. The Colts have just under $36m in cap space and a glaring need at pass catcher. Godwin to the Colts is my favorite fit as it allows him to continue working from the slot while the 6’4″ 223 lb Pittman wreaks havoc on the outside.
There you have it. The five teams that *need* to sign Chris Godwin in 2022. Let me know what you think on Twitter, @FantasyBBQ.
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