Roquan Smith fine too-little, too-late to save Chris Godwin’s season

The NFL has deemed Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith's season-ending hit on Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin a hip-drop tackle. Per ESPN's Jenna Laine, the league fined the former $16,833 in response to the recently banned means of bringing the latter to the ground.

Smith's tackle on Godwin came in garbage time of Baltimore's Week 7 blowout Monday Night Football over the Buccaneers. Facing a 10-point deficit with roughly a minute remaining, Tampa Bay lost their top pass-catcher to a dislocated ankle on a meaningless play.

Talk about a crushing blow for the Bucs. Godwin will miss the rest of the year, leaving a significant void in Tampa Bay's offense. Moreover, he may have played his last snap for the team, considering the one-time Pro Bowler is slated for unrestricted free agency this upcoming offseason. Meanwhile, all Smith gets is a slap on the wrist.

Ravens LB Roquan Smith getting fined for hip-drop tackle on Chris Godwin won't give Bucs their star WR back

As football's highest-paid inside linebacker, the financial penalty is peanuts for someone of Smith's stature. Frankly, the punishment doesn't fit the crime and it feels like he's getting off scot-free. The All-Pro defender can pay his sanction and move on. Conversely, Godwin's long, grueling recovery process is only beginning.

Somehow, Tampa Bay and Godwin are taking the brunt of the damage for Smith's illegal tackle. How does that make sense? Seeing the league take action is nice, but the verdict is ill-timed. Regardless, the forfeiture won't give the Bucs their star receiver back.

The league disallowed hip-drop tackles after determining they cause "lower extremity injuries at a rate 20 times higher" than other techniques. Unfortunately, Smith's takedown proved them right, leading to Godwin suffering a gruesome injury that officially ended his 2024 campaign.

Before going down, Godwin was pacing for a career-best season. After seven games, he'll finish with 50 receptions for 576 receiving yards and five touchdowns. To make matters worse, fellow Bucs star wideout Mike Evans re-aggravated a hamstring ailment and is expected to be sidelined for multiple weeks. Yet, Smith walks away unscathed, only burning a minor hole in his pocket.