Chris Godwin Injury: Optimism for Week 1

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said Monday that Godwin (ankle) is "working hard" approaching mandatory minicamp and that the team is "hopeful" he'll be ready to go Week 1, Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times reports.

Godwin began the 2024 campaign on fire, averaging 7.1 targets and 82.3 yards per game while scoring five times across the first seven weeks of the season, but a dislocated left ankle cut what could have been a career year short. That injury didn't impact Tampa Bay's decision to extend Godwin a three-year, $66 million contract in March, another indication that the team expects him to be at full strength for 2025, though Bowles did indicate that his most significant recovery benchmarks won't occur until training camp. The 29-year-old returns to familiar offensive circumstances alongside quarterback Baker Mayfield and star wideout Mike Evans, though the selection of rookie first-round receiver Emeka Egbuka and replacement of Liam Coen with Josh Grizzard at offensive coordinator are both notable developments. Even when he's back at full health, Godwin will have difficulty replicating the workload and efficiency that buoyed his production to an elite tier in 2024.