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Buccaneers fan-favorite left massive amount of money on table to return to Tampa Bay

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have Chris Godwin back, and he chose to return despite more cash elsewhere.
River Wells|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin is pressured by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin is pressured by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chris Godwin technically did hit the free agency market, in the end, but it didn't last long — he returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers right as the legal tampering period began on March 10 at noon, signing a three-year, $66 million extension with $44 million guaranteed.

But that wasn't the best deal he could have gotten, apparently. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Godwin left as much as $20 million on the table. Rapoport noted on NFL Network that the New England Patriots were also involved — given their large cap space and need at receiver, it makes sense that they would have been the team that was most interested in him.

Godwin leaving so much money on the table to stay with the Buccaneers is proof that Tampa Bay's culture and environment remain incredibly appealing to players. General manager Jason Licht has always been about taking care of his players, and Godwin is the latest in a line of Mike Evans, Baker Mayfield and Chris Godwin to be sought-after free agents on the market — and to all return to Tampa Bay and play with the Buccaneers.

The deal locks Godwin in for three more years in Tampa Bay, and he'll look to get back on the field in 2025 after dislocating his ankle midway through the season last year. But when he does so, he'll be doing it in sunny Tampa Bay, as opposed to New England — and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wouldn't have it any other way.

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2025 offseason.

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River Wells
RIVER WELLS

River Wells is a sports journalist from St. Petersburg, Florida, who has covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2023. He graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2021. You can follow him on Twitter @riverhwells.

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