The New England Patriots need playmakers more than any other team in the NFL, and they also have the most cap space in the league heading into free agency.
Do the math: that means the Patriots will surely be willing to spend big bucks to obtain some weapons for Drake Maye, and Mike Giardi of The Boston Sports Journal fully expects them to do just that. Or at least attempt to.
Giardi has reported that New England is expected to be the “driver” of the market for wide receiver Chris Godwin, who is hitting free agency next week. He adds that the Pats may be willing to give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers star at least $25 million annually.
Godwin is somewhat of a risky proposition for the Pats, as he is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he missed the entire back half of the season due to a dislocated ankle. He was productive During his time on the field this past year, however, catching 50 passes for 576 yards and five touchdowns in seven games, but it remains to be seen how he recovers.
When healthy, however, there is no doubt that the 29-year-old is a dynamic pass-catcher, as he already has four 1,000-yard campaigns on his resume. He topped out at 1,333 yards back in 2019, which represents his lone Pro Bowl appearance to date.
It’s also important to keep in mind that Godwin has been operating in the shadow of Mike Evans in Tampa Bay, so it remains to be seen if he would post even bigger numbers as a No. 1 receiver.
With Tee Higgins getting franchise tagged, Godwin is quite easily the best receiver on the open market, so expect the Patriots to be heavily involved.
