“Do Not Expect Him To Go Anywhere”
February 22nd, 2021
“Hey Licht, you really gonna show me the money?”
It seems an NFL insider is very confident Bucs free agent receiver Chris Godwin will still be wearing a Bucs uniform this fall.
That’s the word from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. He did a news hit earlier today on the network and he had good news for Bucs fans who are chewing their fingernails concerned Godwin might escape the Bucs.
“Do not expect him to go anywhere,” Rapoport said of Godwin. He added the Bucs will first try to work out a long-term deal with Godwin. And if that’s doesn’t happen, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht will slap the franchise tag on Godwin.
So that leaves potentially Shaq Barrett, another free agent, swinging in the wind. Shaq has 31.5 sacks the past two years (including playoffs). Surely the Bucs won’t let two reliable pass rushers within a decade walk out the door, will they?
Do the Bucs even make the Super Bowl without Shaq?
You can view Rapoport’s report in the NFL Network video below.
From NFL Now: The franchise tag window opens tomorrow, and we break down the futures of #Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, #Bucs WR Chris Godwin, and #Lions WR Kenny Golladay. pic.twitter.com/pQ9Awlc1zZ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 22, 2021
February 22nd, 2021 at 2:45 pm
I will believe that when I see it….
February 22nd, 2021 at 2:50 pm
The bottom line is, No pass rush from Shaq, no Super Bowl. They need to sign him. Prettty simple really. GO BUCS!!!
February 22nd, 2021 at 2:51 pm
Tag and trade if a great deal comes
February 22nd, 2021 at 2:54 pm
An option could be to Sign Godwin and then restructure the deal. It is not that crazy and other teams have done this method. The most recent big time deal im aware of the the Cards signing their LT to a 3 year deal and restructuring that deal. If godwin signs a 4 or 5 year deal there should be no problem doing this. He will be young and on this team all 4 years I would envision.
February 22nd, 2021 at 2:54 pm
But, but, but…What about all the people saying Godwin is “expendable”?
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:04 pm
Godwin is a must sign.
Our offense is what it his bcuz of him. There’s no way … no way another wr can run block , slot and stretch the field @24yrs old. . You think scooter or t. Johnson can do what Godwin does. ?
Shaq is the man out.
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:04 pm
@August: No Vita Vea, no pass rush from Barrett, no SB win.
He was terribly inconsistent in 2020, but cranked it up for GB and the Chefs.
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:08 pm
I think the need to sign the kicker , defense line before Godwin 1st. . The bucs have other receivers who may not be as good but Goodwin didn’t show up for a couple of games.
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:09 pm
Florio & Simms think Godwin is gone and Shaq will be signed…..so there.
I think a lot of this will depend on Brady…..if Brady says he can win without Godwin…..perhaps promised AB or a WR draft pick….then they will go with Shaq.
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:10 pm
It is a must to bring back the key players, one of which is Godwin. Don’t screw it up, Jason.
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:10 pm
The way vea was mad handling chiefs, packers centers was key to breaking down the pocket.it allow suh to pick his match up s. Not shaq.
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:10 pm
But, but, but…Pass rushers never hit the open market, people say.
Top 100 Free Agent Pass Rushers (that might include Von Miller):
1) Yannick Ngakoue
17) Shaq Barrett
19) Bud Dupree
20) JJ Watt
21) Trey Hendrickson
28) Jadevon Clowney
29) Carl Lawson
38) Haason Reddick
40) Leonard Floyd
45) Matt Judon
77) Melvin Ingram
78) Jordan Jenkins
79) Kyler Fackrell
81) Aldon Smith
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:12 pm
Tag and trade??? This isn’t basketball
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:16 pm
The results speak for themselves, no Shaq no Super Bowl It is all about the front 7 not Vita or Suh or White or JPP or Shaq. It is about the front 7, without that foundation, no Super Bowl period. No pass rush, Rodgers wins, no pass rush and Mahomes wins. Shaq 31.5 sacs last 2 years. GO BUCS!!!!
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:16 pm
Joe in Michigan
Well duh. Don’t you listen to SAS? He can’t catch. He had some drops in the playoffs after mid season finger injury. Can’t block. Can’t run routes. No YAC. Can’t catch. Way too young. Kick his ass to the curb.
1. David
2. Godwin
3. Succop
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:17 pm
Joe in Michigan
*mid season surgery
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:20 pm
When thinking about this, I rank keeping the defense together as priority 1, and therefore think priority signings 1a) Barrett and 1b) David… 2) Godwin… I’d put Gronk and Suh at next level priority and then Succop. I don’t care about AB unless he wants to come in at a vet minimum. I’d love to have Fournette back, but not at a top market price.
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:22 pm
15.5 mil for 1 year for Godwin is a steal. How about transition tag though?
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:29 pm
SOEbuc: Way too young and is too much of a team player. BYE BYE. Hahaha
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:32 pm
they have to write about something. CG is gone.
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:34 pm
Joe in Michan
Huge dropoff after the 1st 3 names on your list there.
Some of you Bucs fans have way too much confidence in our secondary by being willing to let go of a dynamic pass rusher.
Its unreal the amount of ppl im seeing value traditional linebackers over pass rushers. I like LVD but he is not the game changer that Shaq Barrett can be.
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:44 pm
Just hit Godwin with a first round tender. Atleast we’d be compensated if he leaves. I wanna keep this whole team but odds are against it.
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:56 pm
John Says: “Just hit Godwin with a first round tender. Atleast we’d be compensated if he leaves.”
Nice thought but Godwin is an unrestricted free agent. Can only slap a tender if he was a restricted free agent.
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:58 pm
Here’s a thought … Let the big three walk (LVD, Godwin, Shaq).
“OMG! You suck. You know nothing. You’re a moron” … Got it. This idea maybe too uncomfortable for most.
Why not instead …
1. Resigning all the other FAs wto team-friendly deals (Suh, Gronk, Fournette, Succup, AB, and RNR)
2, Draft long-term replacements for DL and LB (this draft has Shaq and LVD replacements)
3. Keep cap room to swoop up a bounty of formerly high-priced, stud vets (i.e. Von Miller) that become expendable.
Isn’t this how the Bucs won the Super Bowl? The Bucs didn’t have the #1 best player. They had the most complete team. I say keep your money and load up.
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:58 pm
tbbucs3 Says:
February 22nd, 2021 at 3:34 pm
Joe in Michan
Huge dropoff after the 1st 3 names on your list there.
Some of you Bucs fans have way too much confidence in our secondary by being willing to let go of a dynamic pass rusher.
Its unreal the amount of ppl im seeing value traditional linebackers over pass rushers. I like LVD but he is not the game changer that Shaq Barrett can be.
SPOT ON..tbbucs
Shaq was a game changer in Green Bay and in the Super Bowl. The biggest games of the year, and he answered the bell.
WR is less priority than pass rusher. How many years have the Bucs tried to draft pass rushers. How many teams every year look for pass rushers in the draft every year and miss. They are rare, that is why they get the money they do.
Hey Joe maybe you could do a reminder of how many pass rushers have been drafted by the Bucs in the last 10 years, or the last 44 years for that matter. There has only been a few that have been really good. In 1976 the first pick was HOF Leroy Selmon, they hit it with him, but that is 44 years ago with the first pick in the draft that year. Shaq is a known talent and with this team. He is not a mystery like a draft pick or even an injured Vonn Miller. GO BUCS!!!!
February 22nd, 2021 at 4:13 pm
We have to bring Shaq back and LVD if we want to win this coming year. The defense must stay together if not we ain’t winning nothing . Maybe Watt will be good but I don’t know with all those injurys .
February 22nd, 2021 at 4:26 pm
Need shaq. Simple as that. More than just sacks, pressures lead to mistakes mistakes lead to picks. He’s tops in pressure and once Vea was back he turned the pressures into sacks. Pay the man he earned it
February 22nd, 2021 at 4:42 pm
I’d like Shaq to be back…Hey, that rhymed…We’ll see what kind of salary cap magic the Bucs can work.
February 22nd, 2021 at 4:50 pm
Lichts job has gotten so much easier, basically he can just ask arians, bowles and brady on who to keep
February 22nd, 2021 at 5:08 pm
It’s not either/or with God & Shaq. We can fit ‘em both. Lavonte after that? Dunno.
February 22nd, 2021 at 5:58 pm
If Shaq want to break the bank let him go and sign Von Miller he will come cheaper for a ring. Shaq didn’t show up this year until Big Vita came back, the man was JPP all year.
February 22nd, 2021 at 6:13 pm
Bingo. Godwins not going anywhere. I can be your insider or you can think different. Shaq might just rosenhaus his way out. Once again rewatch the season. Bowles will work wonders with that 20 mil no worries. We all know who got them the trophy. It would still be tanning if shaq were still a backup in denver. Only gota win by one point
February 22nd, 2021 at 6:20 pm
August 1976 Buc
“I like LVD but he is not the game changer that Shaq Barrett can be.”
SMH. That’s beyond absurd. You really wanna break up the band in the middle? LVD was #8 ranking LB.
Shaq is more a priority than Godwin? I don’t know where you people come up with sh!t about Godwin not being one of the best #2 WR. Gonna pay Shaq over Chris. SMH.
February 22nd, 2021 at 7:32 pm
SOEbuc
Lavonte was here from 2013-2018, how was the defense during that span? Pretty dreadful, why? Because there was 0 pass rush.
February 22nd, 2021 at 8:03 pm
In 2003 and 2004 Back to Back for Brady. Brady relied heavily on great slot receiver troy brown and bone crushing running back Corey Dillon.
Brady needs to stay upright with superb slot receiver Godwin and Bone Crushing Lenny.
The big key> you cannot control attrition. Stay healthy Tampa. All System Go! Go for it Now! Tom versus Patrick Again> Bucs Repeat!!!
February 22nd, 2021 at 8:50 pm
Tbbucs3
2013-2018 he was playing lights out OLB in the 4-3 of a very long list of bad coaches.
PFF Lavonte David had best coverage rating since 2016: 92.8
February 22nd, 2021 at 8:57 pm
*best LB coverage rating
February 22nd, 2021 at 9:32 pm
Life long Patriots fan living in Tampa. Loved seeing the Buccaneers win it with Brady. Expect Brady to restructure his contract like he’s done so many times in NE to allow more cap space to keep this team together. Trust me he wants #8
February 22nd, 2021 at 9:55 pm
Pay godwin in bitcoin that should help the cap space
February 22nd, 2021 at 10:51 pm
DUH dumb arse national news with nothing better to do but talk about breaking up this team and we can’t pay everybody. It was ignorant to begin to even talk about someone leaving that could get the franchise tag
February 22nd, 2021 at 10:54 pm
I can’t believe how many are so willing to let SHAQ go. The Buccaneers have looked for an edge rusher for a decade!
Absolutely not!
They must re-sign him. Extend Brady 2years, JPP 3years, Donovan Smith 4years.
They can save another 12 million under the By doing that.
Shaq & JPP
LVD & White
Those pairs need to stay together.
JPP and White are not as good if the other half leaves.
February 22nd, 2021 at 10:55 pm
They need to franchise tag Godwin & then keep the D together. Plus they still have to resign JPP & Brady next year. Sorry Godwin. Keeping the D together still should be more important.
February 22nd, 2021 at 10:56 pm
Can people put to rest the notion that Shaq was not very good this year because he didn’t have 19 1/2 sacks?
He had 8.5 but his tackles for loss, quarterback hits, quarterback pressures were all right there. In fact when you add up all those categories – he’s top two in the NFL two years straight.
Right now he is better than Von Miller and he is better than Yannick.
MUST resign him
February 22nd, 2021 at 11:00 pm
Yes they make the super bowl without Barrett.. as good as he played, and yes as important as the position is…. 8 sacks within the year is replaceable!! What’s NOT replaceable is Veta Vea!!! … Jpp and Barrett had all but disappeared without Vea on the field… This draft they need to focus on a VERY strong and HUGE DT and a good LOLB that can put this hand in the dirt too!! They can get those things in the 1st and 2nd round!!.. I liked Vaughn as RB even tho he had some rookie mistakes in big pressure situations, he flashed moments of brilliance!! (Think Rojo) so they could get rid of “playoff Lenny” … Playoff Lenny just tells me he was only putting in 50% effort when his job was taken by Rojo!! He made all those fake azz posts about how humble he’s become! That’s when you know people like him are the most jealous they have ever been… It’s a lie he’s trying to convince himself and you!! …. They could use some better depth at offensive line, another linebacker to replace David in a another year or two because despite the fact he played his tail off this year, he did lose a step…. 5 year younger David picks cook off on that last pass against the saints… If you watch the film he couldn’t get himself in the air high enough… He got his hand in his face but cook should have caught that… And they DESPERATELY need a QB who can learn behind Brady! Hell, let Brady pick him from the 4th round or something…. I actually heard something about Arians saying the other guy would probably take over … That is code for I’ll retire then and I don’t care wtf you do with QB ….. Aside from all that we’re pretty set!! … I would have actually used Goodwin as trade bait and not take less than a 1st rounder and a decent tackle!! Brown and Miller and Johnson could have taken over for Godwin…. Just my take on it… May be crazy, may blow the team up and make them the worst in the league or it may be a good idea .. who the hell am I to guess!! Lol 😘
February 22nd, 2021 at 11:07 pm
OJ Howard is gone. Minter is gone. McCoy is gone. McClendon is gone. Nunez-Roches is gone. Deone Buchannon is gone. Antonio Brown is gone. Andrew Adams is gone. Ryan Smith is gone. Fournette is gone. And re-structures coming from vets.
February 22nd, 2021 at 11:15 pm
Always value a good pass rush over good coverage.
Ask Pat Mahomes if he would rather face good coverage or a good pass rush. I think we all know that answer.
Linebackers and wide receiver are replaceable when you have a great QB and the ability to rush the passer.
In a perfect world we could keep them all. Shaq and Ryan Succop should be 1A and 1B.
February 22nd, 2021 at 11:25 pm
The just knocked off Rodgers and Mahomes because of a pass rush. Mahomes was under the more pressure than any QB in Super Bowl history. The 2 games against Rodgers this year he was hounded and Sacked and GB lost both to the Bucs. Rodgers or Mahomes slice up defenses when there is no pressure. No they would not have won the Super Bowl without the pressure. The Bucs would have been watchiing Green Bay play KC in Tampa JUST like the Rams did. Rams #1 Defense, Jalen Ramsey all Pro Cornerback, but zero pass rush again zero pass rush and they went down. Keep the front 7 intact, foundation of their World Championship. GO BUCS!!!!
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:22 am
Brady is very fond of CG. Tom knew he was good but had no idea how valuable he was until he got here. That matters.
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:58 am
@DayOnePaul
Why would Nunez-Roches be gone? He’s an inexpensive backup that’s given them some decent snaps. They can bring him back, easily… and should, unless they think they can do better. Is Khalil Davis ready to be a contributor? If not, then who? They’ve got a few other practice squad guys they may like, I guess. They’d be cheaper.
Same for Minter — decent backup at a reasonable price.
Same for McClendon.
Why would affordable guys be gone? Only if you think you can do better.
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:59 am
@Robert
I’ll bet you ANY amount of money you think you can afford you are DEAD WRONG.
Godwin will be the 1st resigned if not tagged.
You are literally the worst poster on this site.
So dumb
February 23rd, 2021 at 8:03 am
@pete
I saw in an interview where giselle said brady is more a fan of reverse CG than CG
February 23rd, 2021 at 8:10 am
I have nothing against a report from Rapoport, but this is the same guy who filed the headline last December: “Buccaneers will retain Jameis Winston for the 2020 season”
February 23rd, 2021 at 8:59 am
Go.back and watch the film…..Godwin had some critical drops later in the season and playoffs….good pass rushers are alot less common and they have receiver depth…..they can draft or sign a FA….remember when Dalls and Denver overpaid Brysmt and Thomas?those guys did nothing and were released a couple seasons later….teams need to sign and pay on performance/need, not flavor of the month ….
February 23rd, 2021 at 9:34 am
Hissylizzard: You mention “bad film” on Godwin. I’m sure you’ve seen a lot of good stuff too, right? Or are you going on the “flavor of the month”, pick and choose “bad film”?
To the people who think that Shaq Barrett is the only one in the world who can rush the passer…He was 3rd on his own team in sacks. Von Miller has 64.5 more sacks than him. I like Shaq and would like to see the Bucs resign him, but if not, they’ll get somebody else.
February 23rd, 2021 at 9:48 am
Let’s not get stupid and forget that Shaq Barret has has had his greatest success when Vita Vea was on the field picking up doubles and triples. Which would explain why he had his best games when Vita was there vs when he was absent. First two playoff games vs the last two.
February 23rd, 2021 at 11:32 am
@soebuc nobody cares how good David is at his own position. He doesn’t come close to shaq when it comes down to impacting the game. Still a great player regardless
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:12 pm
1 Succup 2. Gronk 3LVD 4Shaq 5Suh 6Godwin