NFL Rumors: Buccaneers expected to franchise tag key offensive weapon
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are rumored to franchise one of the top weapons on the offensive side of the ball.
According to USA Today sports reporter Tyler Dragon, Tampa Bay will franchise tag wide receiver Chris Godwin before the deadline:
Bucs are expected to franchise tag WR Chris Godwin before Tuesday's deadline, per source.
Bucs are expected to franchise tag WR Chris Godwin before Tuesday's deadline, per source.
Godwin was drafted by the Buccaneers in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Penn State. In his rookie season, he played in all 16 games while starting two of those games.
The receiver caught 34 passes on 56 targets for 525 yards and a touchdown in the 2017 season. In the following season, he was targeted 95 times as he had 59 receptions, 842 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns.
He had a breakthrough year in the 2019 season and caught 86 passes to pair with 1,333 yards receiving and nine touchdowns. The 86 receptions placed him in the top 20 while he was third in receiving yards and tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns that season.
Godwin made his first Pro Bowl and was on the AP second-team All-Pro as well.
In the opening game of the 2020 NFL season, the Buccaneers receiver suffered a concussion in the 34 – 23 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He missed the following game versus the Carolina Panthers in Week Two.
Godwin suffered an injury to his hamstring in the team's 28 – 10 victory over the Denver Broncos in Week Three. This would cause him to miss two games.
Godwin fractured his left index finger while making a touchdown catch in the Buccaneers' Week Seven win over the Las Vegas Raiders. He underwent surgery on the fingers and missed one game.
In 12 games, he had 65 receptions, 840 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns in 2020.
The following season, Godwin suffered an ACL during Tampa Bay's Week 15 loss to the Saints. He missed the remainder of the 2021 season.
#Bucs WR Chris Godwin suffered an ACL injury and his season is over. He will not return.
He led the team with 98 receptions and 1,103 yards receiving. The five touchdown catches were the third-most on the team that season.
Will the Buccaneers give Chris Godwin a contract extension?
This marks the second straight season that Tampa Bay will be using their franchise tag on the receiver. Last year, the team signed him to a one-year, $15,983,000 contract.
According to the salary cap tracker Spotrac, Godwin’s market value is a five-year, $103,727,565 deal with an average annual salary of $20,745,513. Presently, Tampa Bay has $21,310,880 in total cap space per Spotrac.
Will the team get a long-term deal done for their 26-year-old receiver this offseason or in the future? We’ll see as the offseason begins to take shape.