Buccaneers: Franchise tag not a forgone conclusion for Chris Godwin

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may not tag wide receiver Chris Godwin for a second time, as both sides are reportedly working towards a long-term deal.

Though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could use the franchise tag on wide receiver Chris Godwin for the second year in a row, it seems as though it will only be used in a last-ditch effort during the ongoing negotiating process.

ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported “The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently working on a long-term contract for receiver Chris Godwin. If a deal is not struck between the two sides by 4:00 p.m. ET today, expect Tampa Bay to tag him for the second consecutive year.”

Godwin has spent his entire NFL career with Tampa Bay since being drafted out of Penn State by the Buccaneers in 2017. He was a Pro Bowler in 2019 and played a huge part in the Super Bowl team two years ago. Though he missed three games a season ago, Godwin broke the 1,000-yard receiving threshold for the second time in his career. No wonder the Buccaneers want him back.

Even with major quarterbacking concerns going forward, the Buccaneers are not letting Godwin go to market this offseason.

Chris Godwin free agency rumors: Buccaneers WR may not get tagged after all

There are several things to glean from these ongoing negotiations between the Buccaneers and Godwin’s representation at this time. The first is it is obvious the Buccaneers have no interest in letting Godwin play a snap for somebody else while he is still in his prime. Though the tag stinks for a guy who has not had long-term stability before, both parties may be working towards that.

Given that Godwin has already helped the Buccaneers win a Super Bowl, long-term stability may be what he wants above all else. While the Buccaneers could artificially suppress his earning potential by not letting him go to market, both parties have enough time to negotiate a long-term deal. The idea of the tag anyways is to be a placeholder for teams to agree to a longer extension.

If Godwin is tagged again, the Buccaneers and his representation can continue to work though the finer details of an extension. This is not a rarity coming after a notable player gets tagged. Since Godwin already played on the tag, it serves the Buccaneers to pay it forward and give one of the better players over the last half decade the security he and his camp have long been hoping for.

Even if Godwin gets tagged again by the Buccaneers, a long-term extension is still a possibility.