Chris Godwin’s unsure future in Tampa Bay has an influence on the Giants
“No risk, no cookie.”
This philosophy was popularized by Bruce Arians, the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and adopted by star-wide recipient Chris Godwin.
Godwin is in his fourth NFL season. He broke out last year with 86 catches for 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns to earn a Pro Bowl selection. A year later and at the age of 24, Godwin is fighting for a Super Bowl as the Bucs prepare to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Tampa on Sunday. The biscuit of all biscuits.
But while Godwin has had a successful stint in Tampa, he will become a free agent at the end of this season, adding additional wide-out impact to Sunday’s game. The Buccaneers must decide whether to use their year-long franchise day for pass rusher Shaquil Barrett or Godwin. If he, the Bucs, decide not to use their label, Godwin is expected to command about $ 18 million a year as the # 1 recipient.
This is where the New York Giants could come into play. Godwin brings with him a consistent and explosive ability to play that has long been lacking in the giants’ reception corps.
But leaving Tampa means separating what Godwin himself called the “dynamic duo” of himself and Mike Evans. In Godwin’s media availability on Monday, he said Tampa’s reception corps (which includes Godwin, Evans, and Antonio Brown) is unmatched in the NFL. Although Godwin and Evans’ numbers are down from last year, Godwin views this season as more of a success.
“I think if you ask a recipient,” Would you rather produce more or play in a Super Bowl? “The majority of them would say you’re playing for a Super Bowl because that’s important,” Godwin said. “I know for myself and Mike we’d rather go to the Super Bowl every day.”
Evans recently became the first player in NFL history to receive 1,000 seats in each of his first seven seasons.
“I don’t know if I can say enough about Mike. It’s been a great honor to play alongside him for the past four years and learn from him. As much as he’s in the field, he’s a bigger person off the field … it helps you learn the bigger picture. “
Playing with Tom Brady also only helped make Godwin a stronger player.
“His brain is second to none,” said Godwin. “It’s so interesting for me to see how he processes all of this information in his head. There are situations where he talks about plays they did in New England seven years ago … if he operates him on the border and then sees how those plays work, this guy knows exactly what he’s doing, so will I start with it. ”
Godwin saw his role grow last season when he switched to the slot receiver. He said he had to adjust his understanding of where the guys on the field come from. Particularly in the offensive of the Arians, great importance is attached to the slot receiver, both in the running game and in the passing game.
“I was lucky enough to play a bigger role last season,” said Godwin. “I had never played the slot before so that was a small question for me to just get a better feeling. But I always have a lot of faith in myself. “
Godwin said the opportunity to work with 82-year-old Tom Moore further helped him develop his skills as a recipient.
“I make a point to spend some time with him and try to dig through his brain a little,” Godwin said. “At his age, it is so impressive that he is here every day to pay attention and help young people. We’re so young that we all have so much respect for what Coach Moore went through. If you just listen to the guys he trained and the success he had, you have no choice but to respect that and rely on his knowledge. It was really a blessing to have him here. “
Amid his growing league success, Godwin emphasizes the importance of staying calm and keeping perspective.
“I’m very much the person who keeps my head down and working, and I don’t focus on the numbers until after I’m done because sometimes I feel like it interferes with the task at hand. As a young man in his third year, as an all-pro and as a top three in all major reception categories, that’s a blessing. These are things that I dreamed of as a kid, about being in the NFL, doing these kinds of games, and putting these kinds of numbers up. But now it’s even cooler because this was the biggest dream I had as a kid to play in the Super Bowl. I can’t even explain it to have both for two consecutive years. “
Although Godwin’s future with the Bucs is uncertain, he is focused on doing whatever he can to win the final game of the season. His playoff debut against the Washington Football team was shaky when it posted five drops. But he had a strong performance in the 110-yard NFC championship game, including a 52-yard reception. He hopes to keep that momentum going on Sunday.
“At this point, all of these things are beyond my control,” said Godwin of his future in Tampa. “With all of these things on the way later, I’m just focusing on the Super Bowl and trying to help my team bring this home. I’m not going to let anything else take my focus off anything else. “
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