Where does the Buccaneers WR room rank across the NFL?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have one of the best wide receiver units in the league, but how do they stack up against the rest?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin congratulates wide receiver Mike Evans after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin congratulates wide receiver Mike Evans after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
In this story:

Chris Godwin recently re-signed with the city he has made home, coming to terms with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signing a three-year, $66 million, fully guaranteed deal.

It comes as no surprise that the Bucs would take care of their own as they have done so with so many including Mike Evans, Lavonte David, Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield Jr., but there could have been a scenario in which Godwin walked in free agency due to other teams offering a drastic increase in pay outside of what Tampa Bay was willing to give.

Fortunately for the Buccaneers and their fans, things didn't make it to that level, and Godwin will be returning to partner alongside his running mate of the past eight years in Mike Evans.

With Godwin now under contract and the rest of the league's rosters mostly set, the big question around the NFL became which team has the best wide receiver unit after both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins signed lucrative extensions with the Cincinnati Bengals.

READ MORE: Tampa Bay Buccaneers maintain top-10 spot in latest power rankings

In a recent article published by Bleacher Report, their team took a crack at ranking the top wideout units from around the league, and unquestionably, they had the Buccaneers' wide receivers as the third-overall wide receiver unit in the league, just behind the Minnesota Vikings and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin celebrates his touchdown with teammate wide receiver Mike Evans.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin celebrates his touchdown with teammate wide receiver Mike Evans. / Douglas DeFelice-Imagn Images

Out of the three teams at the top, the Buccaneers are likely the only ones that can be looked at as having three solidified guys who can change the game at any moment with Godwin, Evans and McMillan running things. However, it is easy to see why the Bengals and Vikings are above the Bucs as Chase, along with Justin Jefferson — both former LSU Tigers — are the top two wide receivers across the entire NFL with above-average, nearly WR1 sidekicks in Higgins and Jordan Addison respectively.

While the Buccaneers' trio of wide receivers is absolutely one of the best in terms of production, they also stand out amongst the rest due to Evans and Godwin's longevity. Evans just cashed in his 11th straight 1,000-receiving-yard season to tie a record held by the legendary Jerry Rice, while Godwin has become synonymous with getting open and making the big play when it is needed most, especially on third downs.

Oh, and let's not forget the obvious differentiator in all this — Super Bowl rings.

Tampa Bay is the only team out of those top three units to hoist a Lombardi Trophy, so the case could be made for them to have the top spot with the Philadelphia Eagles on their heels with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

The Buccaneers tend not to get the most love due to being in a smaller market and the character and poise their wide receivers show rather than the flashy, primadonna wideouts that have taken the league by storm. However, they go about their business and get the job done.

Godwin will look to bounce back from a season-ending injury last season to try and replicate his first half of the season splits. Meanwhile, Evans hunts down Jerry Rice's record and McMillan looks to build off his fantastic finish to his rookie season where he had seven touchdowns over the team's final five games of the regular season.

While many can argue this one way or another, one person who is happy and will claim that his unit is the best in the league is quarterback Baker Mayfield.


READ MORE: Buccaneers earn praise for best free agency move with $14 million star

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2025 offseason.

Follow BucsGameday on Twitter and Facebook

More Tampa Bay Buccaneers News

• Buccaneers take talented Alabama linebacker at No. 19 in new PFF mock draft

• Ryan Fitzpatrick pushes Jon Gruden to meet new Bucs OC Josh Grizzard for one key reason

• Buccaneers star reveals how NFL has evolved in last decade

• What’s missing? Buccaneers’ top roster needs post-NFL free agency


Published
Caleb Skinner
CALEB SKINNER

Caleb is from Nashville, TN and graduated from Florida State University in 2018 with majors in Sociology and History. He has previously written for an FSU outlet and started covering the Buccaneers in March of 2022. Caleb is an avid sports fan and former host of the Tribeoholics podcast. You can follow Caleb on Twitter @chsnole