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It was perhaps one of the most intriguing contract sagas to watch, and in the end, both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and receiver Chris Godwin got what they wanted.
Godwin got a new deal, and the Buccaneers were able to keep one of the franchise's best players on the team for another three seasons.
The three-year, $66 million deal sees Godwin stay with Baker Mayfield and Co. as the Buccaneers look to take another step forward in their hunt for a Super Bowl.
And for Godwin, he's happy still to be a Buc.
“It's family, it's relationships, it's being where you want to be, being where people want you,” Godwin said. “I couldn't be happier to be coming back, we love Tampa, we love it here, so it's a great day, and I'm looking forward to creating a lot of great memories and chasing more championships.”
“Chasing championships? That take may turn some heads. But the track record is there.
With free agency looming, the Buccaneers were on the clock with Godwin, and receiver-thirsty teams were ready to break through the door to try to secure his services.
But the Buccaneers managed to get a deal done before Chris even hit free agency, and even general manager Jason Licht stated that he was a little stressed over the last few days, but now the dust can settle. The deal is done.
As Godwin returns, the Buccaneers can look towards other roster needs in free agency prior to the draft to give themselves the best shot at making the playoffs in 2025, which is easier when you have Chris Godwin in your ranks.
More must-reads:
- Caleb Williams reveals why Bears players were annoyed with Matt Eberflus
- NFL Draft countdown: Focus on Cowboys' first-round pick at No. 12
- The 'AP NFL Comeback Players of the Year' quiz
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Steelers Receive Stern Warning About A Prospect The Organization Has Shown Interest In
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the hardest teams to predict when it comes to the 2025 NFL Draft. The organization holds the 21st overall selection, and the options are endless when it comes to what the franchise may decide to do. There has been talk about making a move to trade up or trade down, and it seems as though nearly every position is on the table. Many fans want the team to address the need on the defensive line or in the secondary, while another weapon for the offense could also be in play. The Steelers usually tip their pick prior to the NFL draft. It would still be difficult to decipher which player they are selecting, but it will be someone that the organization has had in the building for a pre-draft visit, or that the team at least met with at the player's Pro Day. Pittsburgh has some level of interest in Stewart, but fans should not be excited if he is the selection in the first round. Well-respected ESPN Draft Analyst Matt Miller was asked for his opinion of Stewart on a recent episode of the Bootleg Football podcast, and his words should make every team think twice about picking Stewart. "I have a hard time with him.” Miller said. “He is the reason for the ‘draft good football players’ sticky note, because of the hype. He had 1.5 sacks each of the last three seasons and that doesn’t even begin to paint the picture. He just, he wasn’t an impact. I know he had 26 pressures, that’s kind of his calling card, he got into the backfield a little. But I wasn’t impressed.” Miller is a big proponent of spending premium picks on good football players rather than the raw athletes that are a bit of a project. A project should certainly be the label for Stewart. During his college career he played in 37 games over three years, and he tallied just 4.5 sacks while playing along the defensive line and as an edge rusher. The versatility and raw athleticism is undoubtedly attractive for some NFL teams, especially in a day and age where premiere edge rushers are so vital to a team's success. However, raw athleticism is something a team should be drafting for on Day 3 of the event, not in the first round. Miller continued with some criticism over Stewart's collegiate career. "He’s confusing as well.” Miller said. “Number one, what is he? Because he has been everything from 290 pounds to 267 pounds, so it’s like, ‘Ok, what are you? Who are you trying to be with this weight variance that is just wild?’ He is a great athlete. He looks like Myles Garrett from an athletic standpoint, but none of the football ability. He’s an athlete not a football player. He doesn’t have a pass rush plan, he doesn’t know how to use his hands, he doesn’t know how to set up moves.” When rushing the passer it is important to have a calculated approach. There may be some snaps where a defender is setting up a lineman for a specific move later in the game, and Stewart doesn't have any of that in his game. He struggled against the top two tackle prospects in the 2025 class in Will Campbell and Armand Membou, and all signs point to him being a bust in the first round. Steelers Need To Focus On The Positions Of Need Pittsburgh still views itself as a team that is trying to win a Super Bowl, which means the organization should be making the majority of its picks with a player's immediate impact being the primary deciding factor. A player like Stewart would not move the needle. Not only is he a raw prospect, but the Steelers have too much talent at outside linebacker already. Stewart would never see the field over TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, or Nick Herbig. It would be a waste of a selection, even if they want to use him on the inside. If the Steelers want to attack the front seven of their defense, an interior defensive lineman is the best way to do that. Derrick Harmon or Walter Nolen should be able to make an impact in the NFL almost immediately. Would you want Pittsburgh to draft Stewart?
'Made the right call': Azzi Fudd’s UConn decision gets positive support from NCAA analyst
Lakers Announce Massive Roster News Ahead of Season Finale
The Lakers will close out the regular season on Sunday against the Trail Blazers, and if you suspect they do not much care about the outcome of this one, you would be right. By beating Houston on Friday, the Lakers have already secured a 50-win season and the No. 3 seeding that comes with it, and can thus make some massive changes for the finale. In what has been a wild season that began with JJ Redick in his first year as coach and with Anthony Davis the team's No. 2 star behind LeBron James, the team went through some wild fluctuations. Davis is in Dallas now, the centerpiece of a trade that brought new franchise face Luka Doncic to town. When the Lakers clinched the No. 3 spot on Friday, the team let loose in the locker room with a massive celebration. They're still awaiting news of their opponent in the first round, which will be decided on Sunday. Said Redick of the Lakers' stress-relief showing on Friday: "I think it was just for our group, different versions of this team for the guys that have been here all along, they went through every single peak and valley. I think even this third iteration of this team has gone through a bunch of peaks and valleys. “I’m just incredibly proud of our team. It’s an accomplishment to win 50 games in the regular season in any year. I think particularly this year, in this Western Conference, it is, and it’s a credit to our players. Each one at different points in time has contributed to winning. They’ve all participated in a winning culture. Our coaching staff, our performance staff, everybody down the line, it’s a great group to be a part of. We want to go win one more game, and we’ll figure out Sunday who we play in the first round.” Redick will have to figure out on Sunday, too, whom he will play in the 82nd game. That's because the team released its injury report on Saturday evening and, well, the pickings are slim. Listed as out are Doncic and James, plus star guard Austin Reaves, forward Dorian Finney-Smith and Rui Hachimura. Jaxson Hayes, Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent are all questionable. That means the entire starting five is either out or questionable to appear against Portland. Bring on the playoffs.
Calls Mount for Umpire's Firing After Blue Jays' Loss to Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 in extra innings on Thursday. Walking off their American League East rivals, the Red Sox improved to 7-7 while Toronto fell to 8-6. While Toronto was able to push across its free runner in the top of the 10th inning, Boston countered with two in the bottom half to secure the victory. After the game, Blue Jays manager John Schneider made it clear he was upset with home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez. "It’s tough to battle nine hitters and an umpire," he said (via Keegan Matheson of MLB.com). "I’ve got all the respect in the world for them, but it wasn’t a great day for him behind the plate." As it turns out, Schneider had a point. After the game, it was revealed by Umpire Auditor on X that Gonzalez missed 14 calls, 12 of which disadvantaged Toronto. "Umpire Manny Gonzalez missed 14 calls in the Red Sox Blue Jays game," the account wrote. "12 of them went against the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays lost by 1 in 10 innings." Fans were quick to call for Gonzalez's firing after this poor performance behind the plate. "Honestly after that Schneider at bat he shouldn't be in the league," a fan said. "Games like this should get you banned from home plate," said another. "This man should be fired," another claimed. "That was his last game, right?" a fan asked. "If you mess up that bad in any other job you’d be fired," another wrote.
Tennessee moving on from starting QB Nico Iamaleava
Nico Iamaleava was supposed to be the next great quarterback for the Tennessee Volunteers, and for a time, it appeared that he was on track. He's a former 5-star recruit ranked as the No. 2 quarterback in the 2023 class, behind only Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning. In his first full season as a starter, he threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns (five interceptions) while rushing for 358 yards and three touchdowns. He helped the Volunteers qualify for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff, and now, shockingly, Tennessee is moving on from Iamaleava as he enters the transfer portal. Iamaleava and Tennessee were allegedly in active "contract negotiations" ahead of the 2025 season. Those negotiations apparently didn't go well because he missed a practice and a team meeting on Friday, leading head coach Josh Heupel to move on from the starting quarterback. Iamaleava seemed to try to "hold out" like his NFL counterparts, but Heupel and Tennessee didn't want to play the game. Despite this, Iamaleava will be the most sought-after player on the transfer portal until his next commitment.
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