NFL Analysis Network

This Buccaneers-Colts Trade Sends Chris Godwin To Indianapolis

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are staring down a potential rebuild during the 2023 off-season. With Tom Brady opting to retire, this offseason could be as good of a time as any for the Buccaneers to start tearing things down and rebuilding the roster.

Tampa Bay is in a very difficult spot trying to find a replacement for Brady. That is a hard enough thing to do when you aren’t the franchise projected to be the furthest over the salary cap in the league. Right now, the Buccaneers are more than $55 million over the salary cap.

General manager Jason Licht certainly has his work cut out to not only get under that number but to field a competitive team as well. Given how wide-open the NFC South is, all it could take is a move or two for the Buccaneers to be considered the favorites in the division once again.

If that is an unrealistic route to take, Licht could use 2023 as a gap year and just reload for the future. That would entail paring down the roster and acquiring as many assets as possible. That would also put the team in a position to land one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft.

If that is the plan of action one of the players who could be made available in a trade is wide receiver, Chris Godwin. Godwin’s 2022 could not have gotten off to a worse start. After tearing his ACL during the 2021 season, he was able to rehab and be back in the lineup in Week 1. But, he suffered an injury against the Dallas Cowboys that kept him sidelined for the next two weeks.

Recovering from the most recent injury while still knocking off the rust from the ACL tear would be enough to derail any player. But, Godwin didn’t let that stop him. He got right back to work after that and put together a very strong season.

In 15 games, the Penn State product caught 104 passes for 1,023 yards and three touchdowns. He was healthy from Week 4 on, continuing to be a go-to target for Brady in the passing game. Now, he could be the Buccaneers’ best trade chip this offseason.

Moving on from Godwin would save Tampa Bay $8.75 million in cap space, which they could certainly use. If he was made available via trade, one team that could show some interest is the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts are on the lookout for some upgrades to their offense this off-season. Finding a quarterback is their No. 1 goal, but upgrading the weapons around that quarterback is also imperative. 

Michael Pittman Jr. has shown flashes of being a No. 1 and Alec Pierce had moments as a rookie. But with Parris Campbell hitting free agency, the need for another wide receiver is there, making Godwin an ideal fit.

What would it cost to land Godwin? He has proven to be one of the premiere slot receivers in the NFL with the capability of playing on the perimeter as well. Indianapolis could offer the Buccaneers a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and a second-round pick in 2024.

Bringing in Godwin would give whoever is under center in Indianapolis in 2023, whether it is a veteran acquisition or rookie draft pick, a strong trio of pass catchers to target. When you add in Jonathan Taylor returning from injury and hopefully a bounce back from the offensive line, the pieces would be in place for the Colts to have one of the best offenses in the NFL under new head coach Shane Steichen.

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