Patriots aggressively pursued Chris Godwin but failed

The New England Patriots actively pursued wide receiver Chris Godwin, who ultimately chose to stay with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Godwin signed a three-year contract worth $66 million. Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht mentioned that Godwin "left a lot of money on the table" by not joining another team. Licht expressed concern that Tampa Bay might lose Godwin, but he was relieved when the star receiver decided to remain with the team. He noted that several teams showed interest, but one team was willing to offer a significant amount. Licht indicated that this team was the Patriots, who were eager to improve their wide receiver lineup. The Patriots have struggled to acquire a top receiver for their new quarterback, Drake Maye. They had targeted both Godwin and Tee Higgins, but Higgins was franchise tagged and later signed an extension with Cincinnati. Recently, the Patriots hosted Stefon Diggs for a visit, but he left without signing a contract. New England continues to search for a key wide receiver but has faced challenges in their efforts.