New England Patriots Should Trade for Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Chris Godwin to Boost Rookie QB

Why New England Patriots Should Trade for Chris Godwin

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo‘s job really is two-pronged for the 2024 season; lay the foundation for a sustainable contender, and close the sizable talent gap between the once proud franchise and the likes of the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets in the AFC East, alone.

If the Patriots don’t command a king’s ransom by trading back, and wind up selecting a quarterback such as Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy or North Carolina’s Drake Maye, or even LSU’s Jayden Daniels, adding a consistently reliable receiver with big-play ability is a must.

Chris Godwin checks all of those boxes.

Godwin, 28, is coming off one of the most prolific seasons of his career, catching 83 passes for 1,024 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the same receiving corps as Mike Evans.

According to Pro Football Focus, Baker Mayfield posted an 88.3 passer rating when targeting Godwin, who averaged a solid 4.6 yards after the catch per reception. That kind of reliability could be a significant asset both to the Patriots’ offense in 2024 and the development of an incoming rookie quarterback.

What Would a Potential Chris Godwin Trade Look Like?

Godwin has been a pillar of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ franchise, but after general manger Jason Licht managed to keep Mayfield, Evans, LaVonte David, and emerging safety Antoine Winfield Jr., the organization could be looking for some cap relief.

Entering the final year of his contract, Godwin’s cap number is set to balloon in 2024 to $27.5 million, which could make Licht and the Buccaneers shopping the veteran receiver ahead of, or during, the NFL Draft a palatable idea.

Given his cap number and age, Godwin could potentially be had for a third-round pick.

In a deal that nets the Buccaneers the No. 68 overall selection, and frees up $20 million as a post-June 1 trade, Tampa Bay just might be tempted to move off Godwin.

That trade would provide the Buccaneers with some much-needed cap relief, potentially to sign Winfield Jr. to a long-term extension and ink the incoming rookie class, while adding a veteran presence and consistent weapon to the Patriots’ receiving corps.