6 wide receivers the Carolina Panthers must consider in 2022 free agency
By Noah Bryce
Carolina Panthers must consider Chris Godwin
2021 stats (Tampa Bay Buccaneers):
- 98 receptions
- 1,103 receiving yards
- 5 touchdowns
Oh, how sweet it would be to steal a star from a divisional rival.
Chris Godwin is another player like Michael Gallup, a solid contributor forgotten behind bigger names. Yes, Mike Evans and Antonio Brown deservedly take a lot of headlines but don’t sleep on the former Penn State standout, who could be better than both.
Godwin has improved every season since coming into the league in 2017, albeit being slowed by injuries for the better part of the last two campaigns and his 2021 season ended with an ACL tear which is always a concerning injury for a wideout.
However, the skill is undeniable and an over 70 percent catch rate receiver is a true commodity worth its weight in gold. Being able to heave the ball in the general area of a player and have the trust that they will come down with it is irreplaceable and something Godwin is capable of providing.
On top of those ridiculously secure hands, Godwin somehow averaged almost 80 yards a game on a team with at times three targets ahead of him on the radar of the since-retired Tom Brady. That is no small accomplishment.
One could even say that the young wideout going down with that ACL injury was the reason that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t make a deeper run of it this season.
Scheme fit is where the issues begin though. Godwin would essentially be a twin of D.J. Moore or even a replacement for a player the team let walk in Curtis Samuel. Not that either of those is a bad thing, but when you consider the possible price tag it is a bit of a concern.
However, the idea of having a player with the talent of Godwin is not something to turn away from. Just imagine the nightmare of having him in the slot with Moore and Robby Anderson on the outside.
That is a tantalizing proposition.