Chris Godwin

The Patriots lack an elite veteran wide receiver, which is why Phil Perry believes they should monitor Tampa Bay's Chris Godwin for a potential trade.

The Buccaneers are installing a new offense under offensive coordinator Liam Coen and one feature will be a throwback to pre-2023 days in Tampa.

Bucs WRs coach Bryan McClendon said Monday that the team believes rookie WR Jalen McMillan can play both outside and in the slot. McMillan played almost exclusively in the slot the past two seasons at Washington but lined up out wide for 84% of his snaps as a sophomore back in 2021. That ability to play outside will be important with the Bucs planning to move WR Chris Godwin back into the slot for the majority of the time this season. That figures to leave McMillan and WR Trey Palmer battling for the outside spot opposite Mike Evans. Consider McMillan a slight favorite to win that job. He beats Palmer in draft capital (Round 3 vs. Round 6), and Palmer ranked 77th among 80 qualifying WRs in yards per route as a rookie last year.

The Buccaneers selected Washington WR Jalen McMillan in Round 3 of the NFL Draft. McMillan functioned as Washington s primary slot over the past two seasons, with 2022 turning up peak production (79-1,098-0). He hit 80 yards in seven of 13 games. McMillan even out-targeted Rome Odunze (118-110) with help from one extra game played. Last year, a left MCL sprain limited McMillan s output. Still, he posted solid marks in yards per route run (2.30) and yards after catch per reception (6.4). Notably, his aDOT dropped to 9.6 well below the 13.1 figure he posted in 22. Of course, catching balls from Round 1 QB Michael Penix Jr. helped. But the tape here shows a nice blend of route polish and athleticism. At the NFL Combine, McMillan registered a strong 9.33 Relative Athletic Score, highlighted by a 10 7 broad jump. The 6 1, 203-pounder could earn a starting role as soon as 2025 when Chris Godwin is due for free agency. For 2024, though, McMillan is only worth stashing in deep formats.