Chris Godwin was a wide receiver that the New England Patriots may have been interested in acquiring in free agency. However, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reported on Tuesday, that Godwin and the Buccaneers are working on a new contract.
So, the pool of available free agent wide receivers reportedly continues to dwindle. It was also reported this week that Tee Higgins would likely once again be franchised by the Cincinnati Bengals ahead of free agency. So, it appears, that arguably the top-two free agent receivers, Higgins and Godwin, will not be hitting the open market in 2025.
Godwin, 28, is in the peak of his career. He played only seven games in 2024, due to an ankle injury suffered in Week 7 that caused him to miss the remainder of the season. He was red-hot prior to that, with 50 receptions for 576 yards and five touchdowns in less than half a season.
Over his career, Godwin has been Tampa Bay’s wide receiver 1B next to Mike Evans and has been very productive in that role. He has played 111 total NFL games, with 579 receptions, 7,266 yards, and 39 touchdowns.
Although the deal with the Bucs is not signed yet, one must assume that Godwin will not be available come the start of free agency on Mar. 12. The same can also be said about Higgins, so the Patriots must use their nearly $130 million in cap space on another position of need.
Nonetheless, the team still needs wide receiver talent to surround Drake Maye, so if free agency is limited, they should look for weapons in the draft or up for trade.
Luke Graham is a digital sports content co-op for 98.5 the Sports Hub. He is currently a sophomore communications student at Northeastern University. Follow him on X @LukeGraham05.