“That was my first time ever being carted off the field and if you play long enough, you see somebody being carted off and it is a different experience. When you are actually the person that is on the cart, it kind of changes for you, so it was bizarre feeling.” Baker Mayfield’s offensive weapon looked at himself in distress. The wide receiver wasn’t sure how to react but the players approaching him to ask about his health made him see the reality. The reality is that he was on the medical cart this time, as the 2024 season ended with a dislocated ankle for him. Now Tampa Bay Buccaneers weapon, Chris Godwin, is about to hit the market as a free agent. Will the franchise keep him or will they send him to another nestle?

The NFL had a “Free Agency, HBCU Combine & 2024 Season Retrospective” segment with the insiders—Tom Pelissero & Judy Battista, and national reporter Adam Rank. Together they discussed the upcoming free-agent players, including Chris Godwin. No doubt, we all know that this veteran wideout has been a great asset to the team’s offense. He has been a key member of Baker Mayfield’s team’s passing attack.

In addition, Chris Godwin has surpassed 1,000 yards four times in his career. And this season? Well, he averaged just over 82 receiving yards per game—the second-highest of his NFL career. So, will it be a good move for him to walk away and get on any other team? Adam Rank thinks so. He expressed, “I think that if he gets an opportunity to hit the open market, I would love to see him get that chance to get another big payday.” Why?

Well, it’s because Rank thinks Godwin “has a lot of good football left in him. So, if he was given a chance to go out there and test the market and you know there’s going to be a number of teams are going to be looking for wide receiver help. I think the Rams could be one of those teams in the mix if Cooper Kupp is going to leave the team as a lot of us expect. I would like to see him get a chance.”

So, it would be exciting to see Baker Mayfield’s offensive weapon land in a situation where he can thrive. From the Buccaneers’s perspective, Rank pointed out that Jaylen McMillan is emerging as a promising talent. Hence, this situation might make it the right time for both sides to part ways. So, “no hard feelings”—just a fresh start for everyone. But it seems the team’s OC, Josh Grizzard, isn’t interested in a fresh start approach.

This is because he expressed, “I love Chris. And you guys know Chris is as good of a human being and football player as you’re going to be around. He was a huge asset to us last year, being a coach on the field and playing all those different roles.” Hence, Grizzard thinks it’s not the correct time to part ways with Godwin. So, although Baker Mayfield’s offense is under scrutiny, the QB has something else to celebrate at the moment. After all, he knows how to work without his elite players.

Baker Mayfield proved himself in the 2024 season

After Tom Brady left the Buccaneers, people doubted Baker Mayfield’s taking up the reins. As the seasons passed, he continued to prove the doubters wrong. He started his second season in 2023, leading the team to two consecutive division titles and a playoff victory.

2024 was even better. It was enough for the NFL, as the website released their end-of-season quarterback rankings. And guess what? This time, Baker Mayfield earned the league’s respect by finally being recognized. The NFL ranked him at no. 6 after the 2024 season. With a new offensive coordinator (Josh Grizzard) in 2024, Mayfield answered his doubters in the best way possible.

The quarterback set career highs in passing yards (4500), touchdowns (41) and completion percentage (71.4%). And guess what? He did all without the help of his key receivers—Mike Evans and Chris Godwin because of injuries. Baker Mayfield turned the Bucs’ offense into a scoring machine, dropping 30+ points three times in their last seven games. Six wins later, there was no debate—Tampa indeed made the right call. Mayfield is their QB!