Chris Godwin would prefer to remain in Tampa, and he’d prefer a long-term deal. He might not get both.
The Buccaneers want to keep Godwin.
The best way for the Bucs to keep the receiver is to apply the franchise tag.
“Yeah, I mean, the way I look at it, similar to like a lot of guys,” Godwin told MJ Acosta of NFL Media. “Obviously, we all want to have long-term security; we all want to be able to take care of the people that we love. So that’s the ideal situation. But, you know, a franchise tag is not something that I can control. If that’s what keeps me here, then that’s what it is. And I’ll play on it and go back to war with my guys. Like I said, I love it here in in Tampa. I love what we have building, and I would love to stay.”
Teams have until March 9 to designate franchise players. The Bucs tagged pass rusher Shaquil Barrett last year and could tag him again this year.
Godwin, a third-round choice in 2019, vowed Wednesday not to put himself in a miserable situation for a few extra dollars. Still, if the Bucs don’t tag him, Godwin might make more money elsewhere.
Godwin, 25, made $4.65 million on his rookie deal. The franchise tag for receivers is $16.4 million for 2021.