Top Options For the Bucs Target To Replace Chris Godwin
Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost Monday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, but the losses they suffered on the injury front were even worse. Chris Godwin is set to miss the rest of the 2024 season with a dislocated injury, and Mike Evans suffered a hamstring injury that’s expected to keep him out at least three weeks.
The Buccaneers sit with a 4-3 record, but the cupboards are bare in the wide receiver room. Godwin and Evans are the top two wide receivers with yards, and the next three on their receiving leaderboard are either a tight end or a running back. Sterling Shepard is the next-best wide receiver in terms of yardage, and he has only eight catches for 93 yards so far this season.
The Buccaneers still have a chance for success, especially in the NFC South, but it could all slip away quickly if they don’t make a trade to improve the wide receiver room. Let’s look at four wide receivers that would make a lot of sense for the Bucs to acquire.
Cooper Kupp
Cooper Kupp should be on the top of the Buccaneers trade board, especially with the reports that the LA Rams are looking to trade him.
Allegedly Cooper Kupp could be on the move 👀#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/nbVHcjYkW7
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 22, 2024
Kupp hasn’t played since Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals after suffering an ankle injury, but when healthy, he’s still one of the best wide receivers in the league. Last season, Kupp finished with 59 catches for 737 yards and five touchdowns in just 12 games.
The biggest question to figure out with Kupp is the money. There is still about $12 million left that Kupp is owed this season, and according to OverTheCap, Tampa has a little over $10.5 million in cap space right now. That part will need to be figured out, but if the Bucs have a chance to get Kupp, they need to take advantage.
Tyler Boyd
If the Buccaneers don’t want to give up as much draft capital and wish to not take a big financial hit, Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd makes a whole lot of sense. Boyd is having a down season, but so has most of the Titans’ offense. In each of the last six seasons, Boyd has finished with at least 667 receiving yards, and Baker Mayfield represents a big upgrade at quarterback over Will Levis and Mason Rudolph. Boyd would be a perfect under-the-radar addition. Although he’s not a true number one, he can be a band-aid for a couple of weeks until Evans is back, then thrive as a slot receiver.
Hunter Renfrow
Michael Thomas might be the sexy free agent name to go after, but if the team decides to go the route of free agency, Hunter Renfrow makes a lot of sense. The best season for Hunter Renfrow came back in 2021 when he caught 103 passes for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns. The big problem with Renfrow is that he might be retired, according to Bucs insider Greg Auman.
I checked on Hunter Renfrow this morning as a possible Bucs call. They had not reached out, and I would classify him more as retired than unsigned. Not to say it couldn't happen, but sounds unlikely. https://t.co/fHCIpBVFsE
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) October 22, 2024
It’s unclear if that’s his final decision, but if Renfow decides that he wants to come back, the Buccaneers give him a great chance for a playoff run, and he instantly is a great upgrade in the wide receiver room.
Tee Higgins
This last one might be an even longer shot than Renfrow, who’s halfway retired, but Tee Higgins would be a huge upgrade if he’s available. Higgins and the Bengals agreed to a restructured deal before the season started. The Bengals still believe they have a chance to make a run, but they still sit with a 3-4 record.
After the season it’s hard to imagine that the Bengals are going to get Higgins signed to a long-term contract so if they were able to trade him away now, they would at least get something in a season that looks like it could be wasted after the slow start. Higgins might be a No. 2 with the Bengals, but he could step in a be a true No. 1 until Evans comes back.
Outside of the four listed above, there are plenty of options that would make sense, including Christian Kirk and Adam Thielen, among others. No matter which way the Buccaneers decide they want to go, one thing is for sure: Tampa Bay needs to bring in some more talent because, at this point, Mayfield doesn’t have enough offensive talent to compete for the NFC South crown, much less a Super Bowl.
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