Take out a No. 2 pencil.
Make out a list of all the 2024 things that new GM Adam Peters and new coach Dan Quinn did wrong in their overseeing of the Washington Commanders' lightning-fast turnaround.
You done? You should be. It's a short list.
One fair criticism dates back to the start of the year and lingered on throughout th season. DC thought it had something in rookie QB Jayden Daniels. The club knew what Terry McLaurin could do, too, and viewed that as a possibly lethal pairing.
Check. And check.
But Washington also knew it was one wideout short ... which is why every time a name popped up on the market, the Commanders were either rumored to be involved in trade talk or were involved in trade talk.
Fast forward to 2025 ...
Chris Godwin was on the way to his usual benchmark of 1,000 yards when an unfortunate ankle injury ended up cutting his season short and leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers void of their No. 2 option at receiver.
Mike Evans maintained the No. 1 spot helped keep their offense afloat, but the Bucs lost that energy in the passing game for the remainder of the season.
The hope in Florida is that Godwin has not played his final snaps with the team and will return to Tampa Bay for the coming years.
However, a presumably wild free agency season could put those hopes in jeopardy. And that's where Peters/Quinn can get busy.
Godwin will be one of the most coveted receivers on the market. If he chooses to leave the Bucs, several teams will likely pursue him.
One possibility? Godwin seeks out a signing rival NFC contender. ... like the Commanders.
The Commanders and the Bucs just got done tangling; Washington is coming off a remarkable postseason run that started with a 23-20 NFC Wild Card win at Raymond James Stadium and landed them, shockingly, in the NFC Championship Game.
They did it riding Daniels throwing to Terry McLaurin.
Washington has $60 million in projected cap space for next season compared to just over $6 million on Tampa Bay's part - so the Commanders can win that part of a bidding war. ... and smart money predicts - given that WR2 is a recognized hole - they will attempt to do just that.
