With Mike Evans out, the potential return of Chris Godwin and Tristan Wirfs could give Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers a much-needed lift against the undefeated Eagles.
TAMPA, Fla. – There’s a chance Bucs wide receiver Chris Godwin and left tackle Tristan Wirfs could play Sunday vs the 3-0 Eagles. Godwin could surely help QB Baker Mayfield with his big target, Mike Evans, out now for a couple of weeks.
“He (Godwin) did a lot more things this week and practiced a lot better,” Todd Bowles said. “It’s just going to be a matter of him healing up and seeing what he can do in the ball game if he plays.”
Godwin has been fully participating in practice for the first time since he dislocated his ankle in a game last October. Wirfs, who protects Baker Mayfield‘s blind side, had knee surgery late in the offseason, and it’s the first week that he’s been able to practice.
“He (Wirfs) did some things as well,” Bowles said. “We’ve got to ramp him up a little more, and I think both of them will be end-of-the-week evaluations.”
Mayfield would surely love to have both stars back for not only what they bring on the field, but mentally it would put his mind more at ease. Evans hurt his hamstring last week in the win over the Jets, so getting Godwin would be big for Mayfield.
“You know when he (Godwin) is in there, good things are going to happen,” Mayfield said. “He gets everybody on the same page, whether he is communicating it or not. He’s going to correct someone if they mess up. He’s always great to have in there.”
Wirfs and Mayfield are best friends. There’s a bond between them on and off the field. In the first three games, the Bucs had to move Graham Barton over to left tackle from center. Barton has done an admirable job, but he’s not Wirfs.
It’s a little different when he (Wirfs) is in there,” Mayfield said. “Just the communications and understanding what is getting done on that left side when he is in there, you can kind of cross that off the mind. You do not really worry about it as much.”
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