The Tampa Bay Buccaneers want to keep competing and even trying to push for a Super Bowl run. However, they need a healthy team for Baker Mayfield to deliver. The general manager, Jason Licht, has given new updates on wide receiver Chris Godwin and tackle Tristan Wirfs.
According to Licht, Chris Godwin should be back in October, for either Week 5 or Week 6. This per the report of Greg Auman of Fox Sports. Godwin is still recovering from an ankle injury.
As for tackle Tristan Wirfs, the All-Pro tackle might be a bit sooner than Godwin according to Licht. Wirfs suffered a knee injury but is now poised to return somewhere in September. Both are great news for the Baker Mayfield-led offense.
Godwin is a staple on this offense
Godwin is a Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend. He won a Super Bowl with the team, has been a two-time Pro Bowler and is a total captain and leader. However, the Bucs, while they will gladly have him, they don’t necessarily need to rush him back. In the end, they have Mike Evans and first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka.
Godwin had 576 yards in seven games last season, very well on pace to overcome the 1,000-yard mark. Now, he will share the field with other receivers like Egbuka and Jalen McMillan. However, McMillan is dealing with a sprained neck and could also miss more than a month of action, returning similarly to Godwin.
Why are Wirfs and Godwin not on the PUP list?
If you’re placed in the physically unable to perform list, you miss at least the first four weeks of action, but it also means you can’t even train with the team. Wirfs might not even need to miss the four games so keeping him out of the PUP list was a no brainer.
As for Godwin, he will still be out of the first four games, but he passed a physical test. Hence, the Bucs want him to train with the team as opposed to ramp him up until Week 5. This way, the team ensures that when Godwin is cleared to return, he is in peak physical shape to start racking up yards.