Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians announced Monday that Godwin (knee) will miss the remainder of the season after he was diagnosed with a torn ACL in addition to an MCL sprain, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.
Early tests on the right knee injury Godwin sustained in Sunday's 9-0 loss to the Saints revealed that he was dealing with only the MCL injury, but a follow-up MRI on Monday detected more serious damage. The 25-year-old will soon undergo surgery to address the injury, an unfortunate development as he heads into free agency this spring. He appeared in 14 games for the Buccaneers in 2021 and recorded 98 receptions -- eight shy of the franchise single-season record -- for 1,103 yards and five touchdowns while rushing four times for 21 yards and another score. Mike Evans (hamstring) -- when available -- and Antonio Brown (ankle) are expected to serve as the team's top receivers down the stretch, while Tyler Johnson, Breshad Perriman (reserve/COVID-19 list) and Scotty Miller could also see increased playing time. Given the timing of his injury, Godwin's recovery from surgery could extend into the early portion of the 2022 season.