Baker Mayfield on Tampa Bay turning point
After closing his chapter in Cleveland, Baker Mayfield reflects on his time and success as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer thus far.
Sports Seriously
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin’s brutal ankle injury cut short his 2024 season, which was on pace to be the best of his career. This week, the window opened for the star receiver to make his return soon.
Tampa Bay originally indicated Godwin could make an early-season return when they activated him from the PUP list in late August. On Thursday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Godwin was returning to practice for the first time since suffering the injury.
Whenever he makes his first appearance in a 2025 game, it will be his first time back in action since he dislocated his ankle in the final minute of a Week 7 game last year.
Since then, he’s signed a three-year, $66 million extension with the Buccaneers before hitting free agency and has been at work rehabbing from his injury.
Here’s what to know about Godwin’s possible return date:
When will Chris Godwin return? Injury update
Rapoport’s report indicated that Godwin is returning to practice Thursday. He will begin ramping up for a return to game action in the coming weeks.
NFL Network’s Judy Battista followed up Rapoport’s post saying that Godwin won’t make his 2025 debut until October.
“This is part of Godwin working back into football shape,” she wrote on X.
Rapoport also noted that Godwin had a second surgery to “fix some hardware in his ankle.” Since the second procedure may have helped speed up his recovery, the Buccaneers are eyeing a Godwin return as early as their Week 5 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, “though Week 6 is also possible.”
Buccaneers WR depth chart
Evans is going for his 12th straight 1,000-yard season after tying Jerry Rice’s record of 11 straight last year. He also dealt with hamstring injuries last year that led to him missing three games. This season is Evans’ last under contract with Tampa Bay after he signed a two-year extension last year.
Outside of Evans and Godwin, Egbuka, Tez Johnson and McMillan are the other wide receiver standouts for the Buccaneers. Egbuka was the team’s first-round pick earlier this year, and Tampa Bay drafted Johnson in the seventh round. McMillan was a third-round pick for the team last year and finished 2024 second on the team with eight touchdowns.
McMillan sustained a severe neck strain in the Buccaneers’ second preseason game and could be out as many as nine weeks to begin the season.