The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ two best offensive weapons, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, are currently dealing with significant injuries. Both stars got hurt during the Bucs’ Week 7 game against the Baltimore Ravens, with Godwin dislocating his ankle and Evans tweaking his hamstring.
While Evans is expected back in Week 12, Godwin is out for the season. Tampa Bay also put rookie WR Kam Johnson (ankle) on IR, and Jalen McMillan and Sterling Shepard are dealing with hamstring injuries of their own. With so many injuries to their wide receiver room, could we see the Bucs try to add someone prior to the Nov. 5 trade deadline?
Bucs Acquire Veteran WR in Trade With Jets
Trade Proposal
Buccaneers Get: WR Mike Williams and 2025 seventh-rounder
Jets Get: 2025 sixth-rounder
Once the New York Jets acquired Davante Adams in a blockbuster trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, they immediately started shopping Mike Williams. The 30-year-old signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Jets last offseason, but he and Aaron Rodgers never got on the same page. Following the Jets’ Week 6 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Rodgers called out Williams for apparently running the wrong route in the final minutes of the game.
This season, Williams has appeared in nine games (including three starts), recording just 12 receptions on 21 targets for 166 yards and zero touchdowns.
However, throughout his seven-year stint with the Los Angeles Chargers, Williams was extremely effective when healthy. Across 97 career NFL games, the 30-year-old has 321 receptions for 4,972 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Oh you want a career compilation?
Here’s 10+ minutes of Mike Dub Williams being HIM. #WholeLotta 🤟 https://t.co/P1JGbuLfx7 pic.twitter.com/cl8BvyL60f
— ًBoltUpYo (@BoltUpYo) June 17, 2023
His 2023 season ended in Week 3 when he tore his ACL, so it’s possible his early struggles are at least partially due to the fact that he’s still working back from his injury.
Over the Jets’ last four games, Williams has two catches for 21 yards. New York now has Adams, Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Xavier Gipson, and Malachi Corley, which makes Williams expendable.
However, it’s worth noting that Lazard recently landed on injured reserve due to a chest injury, which means he can’t return until Week 14 when the Jets face the Miami Dolphins. Lazard’s injury reportedly increases the chances that New York will hold onto Williams through the trade deadline.
If they are willing to move the veteran receiver, the Bucs make sense as a trade partner since Godwin, Evans, McMillan, Shepard, and Johnson are all injured.
The Bucs looked like one of the better teams in the NFC at full strength. This is a team trying to win its fourth straight NFC South title, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if GM Jason Licht is a buyer prior to the deadline (especially if they don’t have to give up much).
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Tampa Bay has the NFL’s easiest remaining schedule, with seven of its final eight games against teams below .500 (including five 2-7 squads). PFN’s Playoff Predictor currently gives the Bucs a 55.3% chance of making the postseason and a 46.6% chance of winning the division (in large part because of their remaining schedule).
Licht values his draft picks, but the chance to add Williams for a late-round pick swap could be intriguing for Tampa Bay’s front office.