Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without star wide receiver Chris Godwin for the rest of the season, and without Mike Evans for a few weeks too.
Going into Week 7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin was ranked as the WR2 on the season. With 43 seconds left in the game down by 10 Baker Mayfield found Godwin for a 21-yard completion. But Godwin did not get up after he was tackled, instead he would have to get carted off the field. After the game reports came out Godwin dislocated his ankle and will have to have season-ending surgery this week. It is devastating news to the 28-year-old impending free agent, who was having a career year before this injury.
Godwin’s future is in question, he is set to be highly sought after in free agency, he very well could have played his last snap with the Buccaneers. For the rest of season, the Buccaneers will have to lean on their 3-headed running back core and young receivers in Jalen McMillian, Trey Palmer, Sterling Shepard, and Cade Otton. Mike Evans would be the number one target, but he too suffered a hamstring injury in Monday’s game and will be out until after Week 11 per reports for Head Coach Todd Bowles.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) ...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) ...
The Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud reports that Tampa Bay ...
The Buccaneers are going to need more cannons after defeating the Commanders 37-20.
Baker Mayfield thrived week 1 versus the Washington Commanders. With new offensive coordinator Liam Coen in town, questions arose in the offseason about whether or not there would be a dropoff for the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year Finalist.
Baker cooked up 289 passing yards and 4 touchdown passes against the Commanders weak secondary. Mike Evans rose to the occasion with 5 receptions, 61 receiving yards, and 2 touchdowns. Chris Godwin and rookie Jalen McMillan also had a receiving touchdown each.
The Buccaneers will travel to Detroit for what will present prime conditions for an offensive shootout. Expect Baker Mayfield to pick up where he left off in week 1, making Buccaneers wideouts viable in all formats.
The Buccaneers rookie wide receiver is getting encouraging usage both in practice and in preseason action.
Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillan is an excellent late round pick on UnderDog fantasy for best ball, going in round 15. Ian Hartitz on X posted that McMillan lined up out wide for 7 out 10 snaps he played against the Bengals in his first preseason game.
The competition for the Buccaneers third wide receiver spot is something to monitor as Chris Godwin and Mike Evans roles are set in stone set aside an injury occurring. Jalen McMillan is battling second year wideout Trey Palmer. Trey Palmer ran 53.4% of his snaps in the slot last year. The expectation is that Chris Godwin will move primarily into the slot.
With Godwin playing in the slot, this opens up an opportunity for Jalen McMillan to battle for time in 11 personnel packages. Jalen McMillan runs a 4.47 40-yard dash and comes from the Washington Huskies offense that was crowded with NFL talent in Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze and Patriots wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk. Jalen McMillan can certainly hold his own and is a sneaky player to acquire in a larger trade where he is thrown into the deal.
Mike Evans is set up to end his Hall of Fame career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Mike Evans is staying in Tampa Bay. Adam Schefter reports that Mike Evans agreed to a 2-year, $52 million extension with $35 million guaranteed. The deal significantly raises the chances of Mike Evans finishing his Hall of Fame career with the team who drafted him.
Heading into his 11th NFL season, Mike Evans has shown no signs of slowing down. Evans consistently prints 1,000 yard receiving seasons. His 2023 campaign saw 1,255 receiving yards on 79 receptions and 13 touchdowns. His 16.6 fantasy points per game were 10th at the wide receiver position. You want Mike Evans on your win now dynasty teams. On UnderDog BestBall, Evans is going at pick 31 in the middle of the second round. Take advantage of any cooling of his ADP from prior hopes that steamed Evans ADP up the draft board.
While there may be some questions as to why Mike Evans didn’t entertain going to another team, it is likely Mike Evans got feedback about what the market had to offer. Free agent wide receivers are colliding and competing with the projected 2024 rookie class which gets deeper by the minute. Consider this a savvy move by Mike Evans securing the bag and staying in a familiar place where he has had nothing but success.
The Buccaneers have replaced Dave Canales with Kentucky offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Liam Coen.
So long as you’ve worked as a coach with Sean McVay you can be assured you will always have food, a job, and your pets’ heads will remain intact. New Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen is the latest hire from the Sean McVay coaching tree. Liam Coen spent last season as the Kentucky offensive coordinator and quarterback coach.
The Buccaneers look to reunite impending free agent Baker Mayfield with a coach he is familiar, having worked under Liam Coen in their shared time with the Rams. In 2023, Baker Mayfield’s 4,044 passing yards was number 9 overall in the NFL paired with 28 touchdowns which ranked 7th. The Buccaneers will want to replicate last season’s offensive production and having a familiar coach will help keep Mayfield in Tampa Bay. Hanging in the balance is whether Mike Evans will re-sign. Evans, who will be a free agent this offseason, prints 1,000 yard receiving seasons like clockwork. A departure for Mike Evans would vault Chris Godwin to the lead receiver role on Tampa Bay while second year wideout Trey Palmer would become a sneaky late round draft pick.
All purpose running back Rachaad White remains a hold and buy in dynasty. His 990 rushing yards were number 14 in the league while his 549 receiving yards were third in the NFL for running backs. The Buccaneers are likely to add a running back late in the 2024 NFL Draft, but do not let it dissuade you from rostering Rachaad White.
Philosophically, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will look very similar to their 2023 structure. The output was desirable and helped lead the post Tom Brady Buccaneers to the playoffs, a feat they aim to repeat in 2024.
