The Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin will miss the team’s Week 2 game against the New Orleans Saints, as reported by sports writer Adam Schefter. The Buccaneers’ head coach, Todd Bowles, previously said that he was not sure if the star player would participate in Week 2.
Bucs ruled out WR Chris Godwin for Sunday’s game vs. the Saints.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2022
Reports said that Godwin missed the team’s practice on Wednesday and Thursday this week due to his troubled hamstring that began since their first game this season.
According to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, Godwin’s injury was “more of a week-to-week thing” so he would likely participate in future games. Bowls also affirmed this statement.
“I don’t think it’s as serious as we thought it was, but it all depends on how his treatment goes and how he heels,” Bowles said. “Hopefully we’ll have him back sooner than later.”
Godwin returned to Tampa Bay at the beginning of this season after missing a few last games in the previous season due to an ACL injury. Before quitting last season, Godwin recorded 98 receptions, 1,103 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He participated in 14 games.
Source: Chris Godwin’s hamstring injury is “more of a week-to-week thing.” This is positive news for Tampa.
The All-Pro #Bucs’ WR injured himself on SNF against the #Cowboys and missed practice today.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 14, 2022
The WR participated in the 2022-23 season opener against the Dallas Cowboys where he recorded three receptions for 35 yards. In that Week 1’s matchup, Godwin left early due to his hamstring injury. The game eventually ended with a 19-3 victory for the Buccaneers.
Godwin signed a three-year contract extension with the Buccaneers in March this year. The contract reportedly is worth $60 million.
WR replacement for Godwin
For the upcoming matchup with New Orleans, veteran WR Julio Jones is expected to replace Godwin as a starter. Jones made three receptions for 69 yards in the Cowboys game where he also recorded 20.62 miles per hour on a 48-yard then 19.98 miles per hour on a 12-yard rushes. Those are among his top three speeds since he began his career as a receiver in 2020.
However, Jones was reported to have sustained a minor knee injury, making his participation on Sunday questionable.
WR Russell Gage, who previously played for the Atlanta Falcons, is another possible filler for Godwin’s absence. When facing Dallas last week, he made two receptions for 13 yards. He also reportedly sustained a minor hamstring injury but there was still a possibility of participating in this Sunday’s game.
Other receivers within Tampa Bay’s roster include Jaelon Darden, Mike Evans and Scott Miller. Evans did not join Thursday’s practice and his status for Week 2 was questionable.
Buccaneers vs Saints
Tampa Bay and New Orleans’ rivalry is quite known within the NFL community, and the two have been members of the NFC South Division since 2002, meaning that they will meet each other annually. In the 2021-22 season, the Buccaneers sat first and the Saints second in the division.
Their last meeting was in December last year when the Saints defeated the Buccaneers 9-0. The next game will be held in the Saints’ home stadium, Caesars Superdome.
Last Sunday, the Saints just won a game against the Falcons 27-26. Their top players include QB Jameis Winston, WR Michael Thomas and LB Pete Werner. Winston reportedly suffered a minor back injury that limited his practice on Thursday and was declared questionable to join the Tampa Bay game.