Team news: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Page 29

Chris Godwin’s numbers are down this year because he missed four games with three separate injuries (concussion, hamstring and finger), but he’s still just two catches behind Mike Evans for the team lead in receptions. Don’t forget his 2019 production in a Pro Bowl season: 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games. It’s hard to pay two receivers $15 million or more a year, but they’re such central parts of Bruce Arians’ offense that it’s hard to imagine them trading either of them.

The author said a possible solution is to give Godwin the franchise tag, which should be around $16 million for one year. The story added writer Sheil Kapadia had Godwin ranked as the No. 2 overall free agent at any position for next year. The piece said if the Bucs don’t think they can afford him longterm, it would be better to franchise him and trade him than to let him walk and only (maybe) get a third-round compensatory pick in 2022.

Cardinals RB Chase Edmonds will be a game-time decision Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.

With Edmonds expected to be limited if he plays, Eno Benjamin and/or D.J. Foster could find a way into playing time.

The Jets released kicker Sergio Castillo on Tuesday after he missed three field-goal attempts in Sunday’s 40-3 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday.

Related players: Chase McLaughlin, Sam Ficken

As the story said, the writing was on the wall for Castillo when the Jets claimed McLaughlin off waivers from the Jaguars on Monday. Jets coach Adam Gase also said Ficken could return from injured reserve this week. Castillo had been filling in for Ficken, who had a groin injury.

Sergio Castillo’s time as the Jets kicker is likely over, as two different pieces of news Monday signaled that the Jets were ready to move on.

The Jets gave the 30-year-old Castillo his first six games of NFL experience. He had three decent games before fraying in the last three weeks. A missed chip shot against the Dolphins and extra point against the Raiders were followed by a full-blown meltdown in Seattle, where three straight Jets drives ended in Castillo misses from 37, 41 and 43 yards.

Related players: Chase McLaughlin

The Jets claimed McLaughlin off waivers on Monday. As the story said, McLaughlin had been part of the revolving door at kicker for the Jags, going 4-for-5 on field goals and 3-for-4 on extra points in three games. He bounced around between three teams in his 2019 rookie season, going 18-for-23 with the Colts, Chargers and Niners. That’s an unspectacular 78%, but Castillo has as many misses in ten fewer attempts this year. At 61.5%, Castillo has the worst field goal percentage in the NFL among qualified kickers, the story said.

Yes, Buccaneers receiver Antonio Brown led the team in receiving on Sunday, with five catches. But he was on the field a lot less than he previously had been.

Emerging from the bye week, a time during which the coaching staff presumably made conscious, strategic adjustments to the offensive approach, Antonio Brown’s playing time plummeted from nearly 75 percent to below 50.

Related players: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin

The story makes about good point about this change coming after a bye. But the team did say Brown was more of an insurance policy when they signed him.
Against the Chiefs in Week 12, Brown participated in 43 offensive snaps, which equated to 73 percent of the total plays. Against the Vikings, Brown played only 49 percent of the time on offense, taking part in 25 snaps, the story said.