Chris Godwin discusses what to expect from new-look Buccaneers offense in 2023

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin is eager to show the team’s potential this season under new offensive coordinator Dave Canales in 2023. Coming off of an 8-9 season that saw them lose in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, the Bucs brought in Canales to replace Byron Leftwich.

Canales had previously spent the past 13 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks in a variety of roles from receivers coach to quarterbacks coach to passing game coordinator. As Canales prepares to take on the role of offensive coordinator for the first time, Seattle assistant Brad Idzik follows him to Tampa and will work closely with Godwin as receivers coach.

“I definitely think it’s gonna look different,” Godwin said on The Rich Eisen Show. “The presentation of things is gonna be a bit different. If you look at some of the things that Dave and Brad did while they were in Seattle, what they did compared to what we’ve done in the past is very different. The interesting thing is for them to be able to come and kind of merge the two systems. To take some of the stuff that they’ve done really well and take some of the stuff that our guys are accustomed to and merging the systems.”

Leftwich had been the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator since 2019, so the change will surely come with some challenges. It also coincides with the retirement of quarterback Tom Brady, who led Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl in the 2020 season and had been the starter the past three years.

The Buccaneers brought in free agent QB Baker Mayfield, who is currently in a battle with third-year player Kyle Trask for the job. However, with Brady gone, Godwin pointed to a need to establish the running game after ranking last in the NFL in rushing yards in 2022.

“I think that we’re gonna have to be significantly better running the ball,” he said. “I think we might’ve been 32nd in the league last year. It’s only up from here. Just from that perspective, it’s already gonna look a lot different just because of our commitment to the run game. If we’re able to really establish that, then a lot of other things open up for us.”

Tampa Bay loses leading rusher Leonard Fournette from a year ago, but returns former third-round pick Rachaad White for his second NFL season. White took on a larger role over the back half of his rookie season, starting the final eight games of the year to record 364 yards on 4.0 yards per carry. The Bucs also brought in free agent running back Chase Edmonds.

Additionally, the duo of Godwin and Mike Evans is back in the receiving corps for the Buccaneers. Despite the many changes, Tampa Bay still brings back a good number of key contributors and figures to be a contender in an NFC South that, at the moment, looks wide open.

“It’ll be interesting to see how Dave reacts as a play caller, not only to adversity but success as well,” Godwin said. “Just trying to find our niche of things that we do well and make sure we’re able to execute at a high level. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but we have to make sure all of our guys understand what we’re trying to do. Then figure out the best way to get them in position to do that.”

The Buccaneers are set to kick off the 2023 regular season on Sept. 10 against the Minnesota Vikings.