The Bucs are in the middle of their first true quarterback competition in over a decade, with free agent signee Baker Mayfield going head-to-head with 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask. This is a battle that is likely to go all the way into – and presumably through – the preseason.

But the comforting reality for Tampa Bay is that no matter who wins the job, that quarterback will have plenty of talent to work with in Dave Canales’ offense. Of course, the two top weapons just happen to be Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, one of the top receiving duos in the NFL.

Bucs WRs Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, QB Baker Mayfield and OC Dave Canales – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Mayfield, who is getting his first chance to work with Evans and Godwin this summer, has already gotten a strong impression from the Bucs’ top two targets.

“I mean they’re truly as high-level professionals as you can get at the receiver position,” Mayfield said Tuesday. “The way they detail their work, the way they focus on everything. You watch Chris – Chris changes halfway through practice just so he can continue to play at a high level. Mike is always detailing his routes and talking about his steps.

“To me, the best thing to see is guys at that level who have that success, they could just worry about continuing to improve with only their game, but they’re truly helping out the rest of that room and everybody else. That’s what makes them special – they’re not trying to keep it for themselves, they’re not selfish, they’re trying to have team success and that’s why they have it.”

Trask has been around Evans and Godwin for two years already, but with Tom Brady and Blaine Gabbert ahead of him on the depth chart in 2021 and 2022, this is essentially his first opportunity to throw to the Bucs’ leading pass-catchers.

“You just see their grind and the passion that they come with every day,” Trask said. “You see why they’ve been playing at a high level for so long. That’s huge not only for me – this is just my third year – but a lot of the young receivers we have in that room. It’s great for them to look up to those veteran guys and have two really solid guys to look to and see how to get it done.”

Amid High Praise, Mike Evans And Chris Godwin Continue To Grind For Bucs

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Mike Evans is the only player in NFL history to begin their career with nine straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons, and he’s looking to make it 10 in 2023. He’s up to 81 receiving touchdowns in his career and is a four-time Pro Bowl selection. As for Godwin, he’s a three-time 1,000-yard receiver and just eclipsed the 100-catch mark for the first time in his career during the 2022 season.

Both guys have their claim to greatness, and it’s no surprise to hear both Bucs quarterbacks giving them high praise. This is one of the better pass-catching tandems in the game for several years running now. But that isn’t stopping them from working and growing their games even further to help the Bucs bounce back from a disappointing 2022.

That’s something Godwin spoke about at length on Tuesday, referencing the game’s greats and how they’re always working to get better.

“I really want to be efficient in my routes. I feel like I can do a better job at that at the top of my routes and my releases.” Godwin said. “I want to do better with my run after the catch – I feel like that was something where I kind of dropped off a bit last year, for obvious reasons. I feel like there’s a lot of ways that I can improve and I feel like Mike [Evans] feels the same way. I think whenever you get to a point where you’re stagnant or complacent and you’re just like, ‘I’m good,’ I feel like that’s when things start to go downhill.

Bucs WRs Chris Godwin and Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“If you look at all the greats in the game, they’re always looking for ways to improve. You wouldn’t hear Aaron Donald say, ‘Yeah, I’m good,’ but he’s one of the best defensive players of all time. The year Cooper Kupp won the triple crown, you look at that guy and he’s working. Davante Adams, it’s the same thing. The guys that are really, really great, they continue to push themselves, continue to find ways to improve and that’s where I want to be.”

That mentality is part of what has made Godwin great, and it’s something that has always been there for Evans, too. The hard work has always been the priority, not the kudos and accolades.

Evans is an especially great example of that. Because for as consistent as he’s been and as much as he has already staked a claim to be one of the best Bucs of all time, the 29-year-old still doesn’t always get the respect he’s due around the league. But as Godwin said Tuesday, Evans doesn’t care about that.

“I think he’s just the ultimate pro, man,” Godwin said. “I think Mike knows what he needs to do to be ready to go. Obviously, you look at his career, no matter who the quarterback was, he’s able to go out and perform. I think that’s very commendable. I say it every year, he’s one of the most underrated players in this league. But he doesn’t care about that. He just goes out and he handles his business. I’ve got a lot of respect for Mike, and I always have.

“Like I told y’all before, he’s always been there in my corner, rooting me on. I’ve got his back no matter what. So, we’re going to go out there and continue to work.”