The Washington Commanders and everyone else around the NFL can chalk Tee Higgins off their list of potential wide receiver options in free agency. Whether he was a legitimate option for Adam Peters is debatable, but there are several other ways the general manager can bolster the weapons at quarterback Jayden Daniels' disposal.
A recent report from James Rapier of Sports Illustrated revealed the Cincinnati Bengals plan to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on Higgins for the second consecutive year. The public pressure from quarterback Joe Burrow on those in power paid off. Peters must pivot according with less than a month remaining until the legal tampering window commences.
The Commanders are loaded with salary-cap space and their Super Bowl window is open. Peters won't be reckless, but the fact Washington is an attractive football destination again makes life easier. Fans have complete trust in the front-office leader, who made a significant impression with a drastic yet measured approach to his roster regeneration in 2024.
Commanders projected to land Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin in free agency
One analyst believes the Commanders could land the next-best available wideout with Higgins off the board. However, this comes with much more risk attached.
Ian Valentino from The 33rd Team projected Washington to sign Chris Godwin when the free-agent frenzy begins. The analyst acknowledged that it's hard to envisage the pass-catcher anywhere else but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Even so, this represents a potentially dangerous weapon to place alongside Terry McLaurin entering the 2025 campaign.
"Thanks to Jayden Daniels' breakthrough, Washington will be a popular landing spot for mock trades and free-agent signings. Flush with money and featuring a well-liked coaching staff, Washington will win most recruiting battles if they want to. Its quest to add a great No. 2 receiver next to Terry McLaurin is one race it could spend a lot on. [Chris] Godwin primarily wins from the slot, logging at least 61 percent of snaps there in five of his last six seasons. Washington may like Luke McCaffrey, but the third-round rookie wasn't good enough to dissuade them from chasing Godwin and utilizing both receivers in various alignments. Instead, this would be more of an upgrade on Jamison Crowder and Olamide Zaccheaus than McCaffrey."Ian Valentino
Godwin is talented, there's no getting away from that. The former third-round pick has four 1,000-yard receiving seasons in eight years. He was on track for a career year in 2024 before another cruel injury brought his momentum to an abrupt halt.
Just when it looked so promising for Godwin, a dislocated ankle ended his season way ahead of time. The receiver is expected to make a full recovery, but it might give the Commanders cause to pause regarding a lucrative long-term commitment.
According to Spotrac, Godwin is expected to get around $22.52 million per season on a three-year, $67.58 million deal. That's a big commitment, so Peters must be convinced the positives outweigh the negatives and the wideout's ankle issue isn't going to be lingering.
If everything checks out and the Buccaneers cannot raise the resources to keep Godwin around, it becomes more realistic. But if Peters has even the slightest doubt, he'll turn his attention elsewhere.
Godwin is an outstanding player. What the Commanders must decide is whether this could be the move that gets their offense over the top.
