Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin was on his way to putting up historical numbers before a dislocated ankle abruptly ended his season. At the time, the veteran wide receiver led the NFL in receptions, yards, and third-down conversions and was tied for the lead in touchdowns. The Bucs offense was still very much productive after he went down, but no one could replicate the impact he had through the first seven weeks.

Godwin is now set to be a free agent and is expected to garner significant interest from wide receiver needy teams across the NFL. Bengals receiver Tee Higgins is expected to be the big-ticket free agent at the position, but Godwin is right behind him. In Pro Football Focus’ latest free agent rankings and contract projections, Godwin is ranked as the fourth-best player available this year and second-best wide receiver coming in right behind Higgans.

Here is what PFF had to say about Godwin:

“Godwin has consistently displayed reliable hands, dropping fewer than 6% of catchable passes in six of his first seven NFL seasons. He was on pace to maintain that standard in 2024, earning an 85.7 PFF receiving grade through nearly seven weeks without a single drop on 52 catchable targets. However, Godwin sustained a season-ending left ankle dislocation. He is no stranger to entering free agency with an injury, and hopefully, the recovery will be even quicker this time around.”

PFF projects Godwin to sign a three-year deal for a total of $60 million with $40 million guaranteed. The big question, though, is if the Bucs want him back in red and pewter — and at what cost. Godwin has stated his love for the team and the city on multiple occasions and a hometown discount could be on the table, especially with no state tax, But this will also likely be his last big NFL contract. Signs point to a reunion but the Bucs will have some competition.