The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will use the franchise tag on former Penn State Football wide receiver Chris Godwin Tuesday, ESPN reports, a prudent move for an offense coming off a Super Bowl victory with QB Tom Brady.
This year, the wide receiver tag carries a $16.43 million cap charge, the average of the top-five salaries at the position, which is how much Godwin will count against the cap for Tampa Bay.
Godwin, 25, is already among the NFL’s premier wide receivers and still has plenty of upside after catching 65 passes for 840 yards and seven touchdowns during an injury-riddled 2020 campaign.
"“He’s a coach’s dream because he’s high production and low maintenance. He’s a quarterback’s best friend because he’s all substance and no flash” Penn State Football head coach James Franklin tells FanSided. “Chris is really a throwback.”"
Godwin is also a favorite of Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians, who recently told FanSided that he’s a focal point of Tampa’s offense because “he’s tough, blocks well, and isn’t afraid to go over the middle.”
The next task for the Buccaneers will be figuring out how to come to long-term agreements with edge rusher Shaq Barrett and/or linebacker LaVonte David, after tagging Godwin. That will be no easy task, as Tampa Bay currently sits just above $3 million over the projected salary cap.
Tampa Bay can always try to negotiate a long-term pact with Godwin to lower his cap-hit and create cap space prior to the new league year beginning on March 17, but this move prevents any other team from having the ability to sign away one of the best young receivers in the game.
Retaining Godwin is also great news for quarterback Tom Brady, as he enters next season at age 44. Brady will still have Godwin, Mike Evans, and presumably tight end Rob Gronkowski in his stable of weapons at the skill positions as the Buccaneers defend their Super Bowl championship.