Buccaneers WR named free agent Chargers should prioritize signing this offseason

If the Chargers cannot land Tee Higgins in free agency, Chris Godwin would still be an excellent addition to the passing game.

The one free agent wide receiver you’re going to be hearing a ton about this offseason will be the Bengals Tee Higgins. Many believe his best landing spot will be the Chargers so he can pair with both Justin Herbert and fellow wideout Ladd McConkey to fully maximize the passing game under offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

By the end of the 2024 season, it was incredibly apparent how much more help at receiver the Bolts needed. In the loss to the Texans, McConkey caught nine passes for 197 yards and an 86-yard touchdown. The rest of the team? Just five receptions for 45 yards. Quentin Johnston caught zero passes on five targets one week after the best game of his season. The Chargers cannot move forward with that level of inconsistency which means they need to take a good hard look at a free agent wide receiver to add this offseason.

If not Higgins, CBS Sports believes the Chargers need to prioritize signing Buccaneers wideout Chris Godwin who is far and away the next best pending free agent at the position.

“The Chargers desperately need to upgrade at wide receiver, because it can’t be Ladd McConkey and Justin Herbert vs. the world again in 2025. Chris Godwin did suffer a gruesome ankle injury to end his 2024 campaign in Week 7, but he was averaging 82.3 receiving yards per game prior to his injury. Price will be key, but Godwin and Herbert would be fun to watch.”

Before he went down with his season-ending injury, Godwin caught 50 passes for 576 yards and five touchdowns in just seven games. That touchdown total had already tied his most since the 2021 season and his 72.6 yards per game were on pace to be the second highest mark of his career.

Godwin will turn 29 at the end of February and he should still have some strong years left before he falls off with age. As a player who wins with great route-running and elite nuance for the position, this injury should not be as disparaging as it would be for someone who relies on elite speed to win in the NFL. With the proper rehab, Godwin shouldn’t miss a beat in his return. If that ends up being with Justin Herbert in Los Angeles, then even better.