Chris Godwin Likely to get Franchise Tag over Carlton Davis

Tuesday's 4:00 PM franchise tag deadline is quickly approaching and many are reporting that if a new deal can't be reached between Chris Godwin and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he will receive the team's tag. This would be the second year in a row that Godwin would receive the team's franchise tag. If he indeed is placed under the franchise tag, Godwin will make roughly $19.2 million this upcoming season.

An interesting aspect of this is that Godwin will be coming off severe knee injuries after tearing his ACL and MCL late in the 2021 season. We have seen WRs come back from injuries, so it's really not a huge concern other than the fact he may miss a few games to start the 2022 campaign.

Godwin is a beloved member of the Bucs organization as well as the fan base, however, the two sides have struggled to come to an agreement on a contract extension. Both sides have had a year to come to an agreement. The longer things drag out, the harder it is to see Godwin staying with the Bucs long term.

#Bucs front office has basically batted a thousand for a couple consecutive offseasons. Tons of faith in them.

But needing to tag Chris Godwin bc you couldn’t get a deal done w/ him before Tuesday, which would let Carlton Davis hit the market, would be VERY bad on several levels https://t.co/l58m63wC6P
— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) March 7, 2022

Not only did Jon Ledyard of PewterReport point out the contract struggles, but he also commented on how massive a loss it would be to lose CB Carlton Davis due to Godwin's franchise tag. Seeing as the Buccaneers secondary had problems with injuries all season last year, most would think this would be an area to sure up by locking in Davis for next year. However, the same can be said about the WR group's struggles once Godwin did go down with his injuries.

While the franchise tag seems all but placed on Godwin, some out there are holding onto a little hope for a contract agreement before the 4 PM Tuesday deadline.

There's still some hope the Bucs and WR Chris Godwin can reach a new contract, per source. The preference would be to avoid the franchise tag, but that possibility seems to be in play if necessary.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) March 7, 2022

Jeff Howe, an NFL insider for TheAthletic, is reporting there is still hope for a new contract between the two sides. It will be shocking to me to see them come to an agreement at this point in the process after not being able to all season long. If they are able to, the Bucs will be in a much better position trying to retain most of their roster.

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