Chris Godwin trying to be 'QB friendly' as Buccaneers competition continues

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one of several NFL teams hoping to settle a quarterback battle during training camp. Between former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and former Gators star Kyle Trask, the Bucs have two options with their fair share of question marks.

On the Rich Eisen Show this week, wide receiver Chris Godwin shared the role he’s trying to play as the quarterback competition continues to unfold.

“I want to be as quarterback-friendly as I can for those guys,” Godwin said. “They have a lot of stuff going on anyway, the competition but also, playing quarterback is a hard position. I don’t know if everyone fully understands how much they have to know. I don’t want to add any extra stress to their lives.

“From my perspective, it’s doing the little things right… Working on friendly angles. Seeing the coverages the same way that the quarterback sees the coverage so when you make route adjustments, you’re on the same page… When to sit into zones, when to run away from guys… I take care of that by knowing what to do and communicating with them.”

Godwin enters his seventh year in the league this season. He’s recorded three seasons so far with 1,000 receiving yards or more and he’s constantly trying to outdo himself. The veteran needs to take it to another level to help the Bucs win this season with a new QB.

“Every time I go into training camp, I feel like my approach is just to find different ways to get better each day,” Godwin said. “I want to make sure that I’m growing everyday and learning. I’m going into Year 7 now but there’s still so much I have to learn and experience.”

Mike Evans: Bucs will ‘win some games’ with either QB

Gone are the days of Mike Evans catching passes from one of the most prolific quarterbacks of all time, Tom Brady.

Ahead of training camp, the Bucs wide receiver opened up about the two quarterbacks battling it out, emphasizing his faith in either one at the helm of the offense

“Kyle’s improved a lot,” Evans told Ari Alexander of KPRC. “I’m really impressed with what I’ve seen with Baker. Whoever the quarterback will be, I’m positive they’re going to make the right choice and we’re going to win some games.”

Offensive coordinator David Canales wants healthy competition between the two quarterbacks. Both see this situation as their ticket to becoming the face of the franchise but only one can win out. For Mayfield, the stakes are sky-high.

“I think Baker, would he love to be named the starter?” Canales said. “I’m sure. But Baker also knows this is his road back, too. From Cleveland to Carolina and L.A., you know, he’s been told, ‘No,’ a couple of times. And so for him to be able to come out here to win the team over in his own right, to perform and to show them that he can be the caliber quarterback that he believes he can be, I think I owe it to both of them and to the team to put the best guy out there.”