The first major blockbuster of the NFL offseason went down on Saturday, with the Washington Commanders acquiring Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a fifth-round pick. The Commanders added a solid No. 2 option to pair with Terry McLaurin, and the Niners received draft capital in exchange for a player they might have opted to release in the coming months.
While the deal involved the Commanders and 49ers, it feels as if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might just be the biggest winner of Saturday's transaction for one particular reason: Their odds of re-signing Chris Godwin might have just shot up.
Commanders acquiring Deebo Samuel gives Buccaneers reason to believe a Chris Godwin reunion is forthcoming
In just a couple weeks, Godwin is set to hit free agency. And even despite his season-ending injury, he should receive tons of interest: Prior going down, Godwin had recorded 572 yards and five touchdowns while racking up 50 receptions in just seven games. The 29-year-old was playing like one of the best receivers in the sport and a true menace out of the slot.
One team that felt like a lock to be in the running was the Commanders. Washington had seemingly everything Godwin could have wanted: He could have been the team's 1B alongside Terry McLaurin; he could have caught passes from Jayden Daniels; he could have joined a team that just made it to the NFC Championship Game. And perhaps most importantly, he could have gotten paid, as the Commanders were among the teams with the most cap space in the NFL.
Now, everything has changed. The Commanders still have the cap flexibility to pay Godwin, and they still have Daniels under center, but after acquiring Samuel, Washington won't have enough targets to entice Godwin, nor will they be desperate enough to outbid a team like Tampa Bay who'd presumably love to bring him back. Samuel operates purely out of the slot, which is where Godwin really took off last season; it's tough to imagine the fit here.
Assuming the Commanders are out of the running, where is Godwin going to go? Teams like the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars might try to lure him away, but as long as the Bucs are on their level financially, Godwin can get targeted often, and remain with an NFC contender that's also the only organization he's ever known.
The Commanders adding a legitimate weapon to pair alongside McLaurin, and the Bucs refusing to top what was a very beatable offer to acquire Samuel to begin with, suggests that a Godwin reunion could be likely, which would be awesome for the Buccaneers.