When the Bucs take the field at SoFi Stadium Sunday night to face the Rams in a primetime matchup, wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. is set to suit up for the first time since Tampa Bay’s Week 5 win in Seattle on Oct  5.

After returning in Week 4 from the dislocated ankle he suffered in October 2024, Godwin got two games in before he was sidelined again, this time with a fibula injury. The legendary Tampa Bay receiver has missed the last five games as a result, so with that in mind, the team is going to monitor his workload against the Rams. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported as much on Sunday morning.

Keeping Godwin on a pitch count makes good sense if you’re the Bucs, especially considering the nature of his injury as well as his recent injury history. When he returned in the loss to the Eagles in Week 4, he played 58 snaps and caught three passes for 26 yards.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The following week against the Seahawks, Godwin played 47 snaps and once again caught three passes for 26 yards. It was a slow start in his first action in almost a year, and before he even had time to get his feet fully underneath him, he was out again.

It’s worth wondering what kind of Chris Godwin Jr. the Bucs will get when he makes his return against the Rams in Week 12, as he has dealt with two significant injuries in the last calendar year. But perhaps with the team being conscious of his workload in his first game or two back, it’ll allow for the chance to get the most out of the franchise’s second-leading receiver all-time.

Extent Of Chris Godwin Jr.’s Fibula Injury Revealed

Since Chris Godwin Jr. popped up on the injury report in the leadup to Week 6 with a fibula injury, there wasn’t a whole lot that has been said about the exact nature of the injury. Other than general progress updates — with updates being used loosely — it was relatively unclear exactly how serious the fibula issue was.

Bucs OC Josh Grizzard and WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Well, late Sunday night, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport had an update on Godwin’s status, and in that update, he referred to the injury as a “hairline fracture.” Of course, that would more than explain the veteran receiver’s six-week absence.

Even in a limited capacity, Godwin’s return to the field should be a help to Baker Mayfield and the Bucs offense. He is just the first key piece to return to the offense for the stretch run, too, as Bucky Irving is reportedly targeting a return for Week 13 against Arizona. Plus, there’s still the hope that Mike Evans makes a late-season return as well.

While Tampa Bay has lost back-to-back games and three of its last four, there could be a sense of hope that it has weathered the storm and will have some impact players back for the stretch run of the season as well as the playoffs.

Update On Benjamin Morrison’s Week 12 Status

While there’s some hope in the way of players coming back, the Bucs have also continued to deal with new injuries by the week. They lost Jamel Dean two plays into last Sunday’s game, and he will miss Sunday night’s game against the Rams. Rookie Benjamin Morrison is the obvious replacement in the lineup, but his status came into question late in the week, too.

Morrison landed on the injury report with a hamstring injury and entered the weekend with a “questionable” tag. Pewter Report learned Sunday morning that the 2025 second-round pick is a true game-time decision.

Bucs CB Benjamin Morrison – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R

The Bucs were already in a tough spot with the potential of starting a struggling rookie in a game against a Rams offense that features a deadly wide receiver duo in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. If Morrison is unable to go, the situation gets even worse as the depth at cornerback will be tested even further.

Without Dean and Morrison, Todd Bowles could elect to kick rookie Jacob Parrish outside and start Christian Izien at nickel, or he could keep Parrish in the slot and start veteran Kindle Vildor on the outside.

Stay tuned to PewterReport.com leading up to the game for the final gameday inactives list, which will provide a clearer assessment of Morrison’s status.