The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made some big moves as free agency commenced earlier this week. Buccaneers GM Jason Licht continues to prove why he is one of the best GM’s in football.
The Buccaneers’ big fish was re-signing wide receiver Chris Godwin. At first, it looked like Godwin would test the free agency waters. But when the dust had settled, Godwin wanted to stay in Tampa. He wanted to continue building on what he had started with Mike Evans and Baker Mayfield. The Bucs agreed to terms with Godwin on a three-year, $66 million contract that will keep the wide receiver in Tampa through the 2027 season. Multiple outlets reported that Godwin left as much as $20 million on the table to return to Tampa. The New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars were rumored to be in hot pursuit of Godwin.
GM Jason Licht talked about bringing Godwin back to Tampa: “Chris has been crucial to our success, and we are excited to ensure he remains as part of our offensive core in the future. He has an unparalleled work ethic, is a tremendous leader, and is a pro in every sense of the word. His versatility, combined with his playmaking ability and consistency, makes him a perfect fit for our offense.”
Godwin was leading the NFL with 50 catches for 576 yards when he went down with a season-ending injury against the Baltimore Ravens. He rejoins Mike Evans and Jalen McMillian to form the best-receiving corps in the NFL for the 2025 season. Godwin is second all-time in Buccaneers history with 579 receptions for 7,266 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Signing Godwin was just one of the Bucs’ many priorities. They also addressed a huge need by signing edge rusher Haason Reddick to a one-year, $14 million contract. The Bucs were desperate to acquire an edge rusher after they elected not to pick up the fifth-year option on linebacker Joe-Tryon Shoyinka, who had only two sacks last season. YaYa Diaby, who had 7.5 sacks in his rookie season in 2023, dropped to 4.5 last season.
Reddick brings a stellar resume to Tampa. He had four consecutive seasons of double-digit sacks while playing for the Eagles. His production slipped badly last season, as Reddick had just one sack for the New York Jets. The Bucs hope that, on this one-year prove-it deal, Reddick can return to his old form.
The Bucs also re-signed linebacker Anthony Nelson to a two-year deal worth $10 million. Nelson had four sacks in 2024.
The Buccaneers’ offensive line was one of the best in the NFL last season. Tampa Bay re-signed guard Ben Bredeson to a three-year contract worth $20 million. Bredeson, who played next to Tristan Wirfs, helped solidify the left side of the Bucs’ offensive line. Bredeson enjoyed playing next to Tristan Wirfs, stating that “Tristan is an outstanding, outstanding player, and I think we can all see that. Being able to work with him, he makes my job easier, and hopefully I make his job a little bit easier at times.”
Bredeson played the majority of offensive snaps for the Buccaneers and helped transform the running game from the worst in the NFL to the top five. Jason Licht called Bredeson “An important part of our offensive line.”
Continuity is so important on the offensive line. With the signing of Bredeson, the Bucs will roll out the same starting five as last season, barring any injuries. “Continuity is huge in the league,” Bredeson said. “The jell aspect of playing next to guys. It was a great year, and I think it only gets better with reps. I think we showed that through training camp and the early weeks, I think we all got better.”
The Bucs also went shopping for a punter, signing Denver Broncos punter Riley Dixon to a two-year, $6 million contract. The Bucs used three punters last season (Jake Camarada, Trenton Gill, and Jake Browning) and finished last in the NFL, averaging just 43.7 yards per kick. Dixon averaged 46.7 yards per kick with the Broncos last season.