“We Need Him Bad, Man.”
February 11th, 2022
Joe does not worry about the Bucs losing stud receiver Chris Godwin in free agency.
Why? Because the Bucs could always franchise Godwin again, making sure they don’t wave goodbye to their beastly almost 26-year-old receiver.
Yes, another franchise tag would be costly, just under $20 million for 2022. But that’s a small price to pay to keep a special talent in a passing league.
Joe has no problem arguing that Godwin and Mike Evans are the best receiving duo in the NFL. And the Bucs would be crazy to break that up, unless Godwin is off track somehow in his ACL surgery recovery.
Look at Rams star receiver Cooper Kupp. He blew his knee out (ACL) in Week 10 of the 2018 season. Kupp returned to play 16 games and bust out a monster year in 2019, with 94 catches and 10 touchdowns.
Comparatively, Godwin would be five weeks behind Kupp in his recovery. So it’s very likely Godwin could play 12 or more games next season.
Mike Evans hopped on NFL Network yesterday and just about demanded the Bucs make sure Godwin doesn’t leave One Buc Palace.
“We need him bad, man, because he’s one of the best to do it in the game. Very versatile, tough, blue collar guy, ultimate teammate, one of my favorites that I’ve every played with,” Evans said. “So, I mean, I hope, I’m praying that we get him back. But he definitely deserves to be paid his worth, and that’s a lot.”
Again, Joe knows paying an injured Godwin a guaranteed fat one-year deal is potentially risky, but not nearly as risky as letting him test the market. All it takes is one team to give Godwin a deal he can’t refuse.
Joe would rather see free agents like Ryan Jensen, Alex Cappa, Ndamukong Suh, Will Gholston and Carlton Davis flirt with other teams. Evans and Godwin easily could have five more years of elite play together.
Joe can’t stomach giving that up.
February 11th, 2022 at 5:41 pm
Franchise tag a player who is going to miss camp and probably half of the regular season due to ACL surgery? I don’t see it. They have to keep him, but a team cap-friendly discount will likely be the result. Godwin didn’t want to take much of a discount before, but that injury reduces his effectiveness for the first season, particularly for any non-Buc team that signs him.
February 11th, 2022 at 5:59 pm
Re-sign Godwin? Yes.
Franchise tag? No.
Even after restructuring several contracts, TB12’s help and cutting Succup and Pinion we will have at most $40 million to spend in free agency.
If Godwin will sign a team friendly back loaded deal we can get it done. If the Jags offer him $24 million a year I would say adios amigo.
February 11th, 2022 at 6:00 pm
Nope damaged goods.
February 11th, 2022 at 6:01 pm
He’s getting paid regardless of the ACL. Sure it’ll take him until year two to get back into form, but the league is focusing on WR talent more and more. It’s an offense league, and Godwin’s talent is undeniably superior. Ben would make a determination at QB before giving him a boat load of money. If Kyle Trask is throwing him the football, it’s just a waste
February 11th, 2022 at 6:02 pm
They could always tag and trade
February 11th, 2022 at 6:02 pm
They won’t tag Godwin they will tag Davis
February 11th, 2022 at 6:09 pm
I’m not worried either Joe. Chris Godwin and Glazers wallet will decide what he wants to do. I have no say in it.
February 11th, 2022 at 6:10 pm
The inflation is so bad by next season 10 million will be like 5 Million.
February 11th, 2022 at 6:14 pm
@ Ash
If we use the tag next season it will be on C. Davis…
Agreed.
But I don’t think we could afford that either. Our best bet is to hope for a long term back loaded team friendly deal.
February 11th, 2022 at 6:18 pm
Keep him and Fournette
Jensen and Cappa can walk
Gholston too
Suh give him 6 million
sign Davis
February 11th, 2022 at 6:20 pm
Why would you tag Godwin? You’d pay $19.2 million for the right to have him sit out half of the season or longer and still lack a long-term commitment from him. Then at the end of the 2023 season his contract will become extremely cap unfriendly as you wouldn’t be averaging in his anticipated less productive season in 2023 into any 4 year deal.
That’s suicidal. I’d love to see Godwin re-sign, but it is a now or never proposition.
February 11th, 2022 at 6:26 pm
Clunker.
February 11th, 2022 at 6:33 pm
I love Godwin, but not sure how this is gonna play out. If Godwin can progress back to his original form he’s worth every penny. But there’s no guarantee that will happen. Especially when you consider how Tampa Bay was using Godwin on offense. This season he was the Bucs version of Deebo Samuel and took a lot of running, screen, and short slant plays. Those plays are prime time for taking a beating, on an already bum knee. So either they use Godwin like they were before, and get huge production but high risk of reinjury, or hold him back and he may not even be worth the asking price at that point. Tough situation.
Just don’t waste the tag on him. Hopefully we can get him back.
February 11th, 2022 at 6:37 pm
Negotiate a deal before free agency starts. Get that shyte done!
February 11th, 2022 at 6:43 pm
They could franchise him, knowing he’ll be less than 100% until mebbe the end of the year. BASED upon his likely less-than-stellar stats he’ll probably have next year, a multi-year contract will be millions less. I’m a genius
February 11th, 2022 at 6:49 pm
Tag and negotiate. can’t they use the transition tag? Ben is no crapologist, but it appears this about real dollars, not the cap. The cap is going nowhere but through the roof in the next years. Recievers like him making 25 million will appear cheap in the next three years. Find out who’s throwing him the football first. If it’s one of these big names, it’ll come down to how much these cheap ass owners want to shell out. It does appear they will lose him
February 11th, 2022 at 7:04 pm
Mike Evans is right. Godwin will be fine. Hopefully he’s rehabbing the Brady way.
February 11th, 2022 at 7:07 pm
I don’t think there’s any risk to signing Godwin. These guys overcome worse injuries all the time. Pay him like he deserves
February 11th, 2022 at 7:09 pm
If they can’t do a deal, then you just tag him again. Not sure what the hold up is however, the market for Godwin is pretty well set, so I don’t know if the Bucs are trying to lowball him, something they really haven’t done with anyone else, or if Godwin’s agents are asking for way too much.
But they should get something done, if not, he gets the tag. But really, to make the cap work this year, you need to sign Godwin and get his cap hit down to about $5m, which they can do while still getting him the actual cash up front that the agent would want.
February 11th, 2022 at 7:29 pm
ALOT of teams are going to purge contracts to get under cap and /or work around it. Free agency is going to be wild this year.
February 11th, 2022 at 7:44 pm
I wasn’t think about this before, but posted it another thread, the real hold-up could be the cap going up dramatically next year.
While Godwin, this offseason, might be a $17m/year player, when the cap goes up way next year, he might then be a $22m/year player as everyone’s price is going to go up with all the additional cap space. If you’re Godwin, why would you sign a ‘fair’ deal that might pay you $17m/year for 5 years, when you can get tagged again at $19m, then next year you might get that $22m/year for 5 years deal.
I don’t know if $22m is the right number, it might be $20m or $21m, but the point is the cap is going to explode, and ‘fair’ deals today, will be cheap deals next year.
February 11th, 2022 at 7:45 pm
If he won’t do a long term deal again…..screw the tag & let him walk…..
We should have extended him in the 4th year of his rookie contract….but no, no, no, no, no……why do that? He was under contract.
His injury should make his price more reasonable….
I love Chris Godwin and he is one of our own….but a franchise again just kicks a more expensive can down the road.
February 11th, 2022 at 8:01 pm
“Joe knows paying an injured Godwin a guaranteed fat one-year deal is potentially risky”
No. It is not. It’s the easiest decision of the off-season. If they F around and lose this guy, then Licht should be demoted.
February 11th, 2022 at 8:02 pm
Signing Godwin to a long term contract is a must! Without him we are down to having just Mike Evans whom teams would just double team. Together they are dangerous and they really complement each others game. However, tagging him would be a huge mistake. We would get him most likely for an abbreviated season due to his ACL recovery at a 19 million cap hit as a one year rental. And would most definitely loose him to free agency next year. This would also greatly handicap your ability to sign other UFA. A long term deal spreads the cap hit out over time allowing to make other critical signings. He’s young enough that a long term deal is not a risk. After coming off an ACL recovery Godwin will be motivated to sign long term as apposed to being tagged again. That doesn’t mean he’ll take a discount, but would sign a legitimate offer. Both sides should be motivated! Remember: todays overpay is tomorrow’s bargain! Remember just a couple years ago when QB’s were asking for a ridiculous 27m per year. Now it’s closer to 40m. Let’s get it done!
February 11th, 2022 at 8:14 pm
Ash … ‘They won’t tag Godwin they will tag Davis’.
Just can’t see that Ash. Bucs will only be able to afford to sign ONE high-priced FA. Hopefully it’s Godwin. IF that’s the case, then Davis won’t get a big contract offer from the Bucs & will test the FA waters (don’t blame him one bit since quality CBs are in just as high demand as quality WRs).
The monkey-wrench in the whole equation is QB. IF Bucs sign a high-priced QB, chances are that BOTH Godwin AND Davis will have to walk. The reality of what we DID these last 2 years (from a money aspect) to make our SB runs will come home to roost shortly.
February 11th, 2022 at 8:14 pm
He is great but cannot be paid more than Evans a big part of his effectiveness is lining up opposite Evans who kills one on one’s .ACL plus the him being paid to be number 1 on new team is a big question mark to me how good is he when team plan for him directly
February 11th, 2022 at 8:19 pm
Must.Have.Chris.
February 11th, 2022 at 8:19 pm
Sport surgery has done wonders lately, so Godwin will be fine.
We will need him even more next season, he’s the closest thing to a Deebo we will see for a while. That makes him a lot more important than Lenny.
Let Fournette walk, his style worked best college, where he looked like a man among boys.
Draft a RB that is more elusive, but has power. Maybe let RoJo walk too, Vaughan is getting closer.
February 11th, 2022 at 9:06 pm
We never saw Licht use a franchice tag twice on one player. Would think they will try to avoid that. Players dont like it.
February 11th, 2022 at 9:10 pm
Extend him now or his price tag will be insane.
February 11th, 2022 at 9:18 pm
Defense Rules thats not true we can only sign one of Davis or Godwin. This isnt like going to the grocery store with a 5 dollar bill trying to buy a gallon of milk and a bag of doritos.
There is no set amount of money. We can literally create more money if needed……..and there is no set price for what these players will cost next year(unless we use the tag) if we work out a multiyear deal we can structure it however we need to…….Last year prooves all this to be true when fans were telling us the math didnt work yet the Bucs still brought back everyone.
February 11th, 2022 at 9:26 pm
I think Godwin is going to have a lot of teams to choose from. I never thought a team would throw crazy money at a player like Kwon when it was his time to hit the market after being injured. If there are teams with the cap space, Godwins going to see higher offers. Maybe so high Tampa can’t match. Being a blocking WR and compared to Ward, maybe he ends up as a Steeler with JuJu possibly leaving. This is the NFL…. Taking a gamble on someone and paying a ridiculous salary is a yearly thing. Bucs better bring a big offer if Godwin wants paid over staying in Tampa.
February 11th, 2022 at 9:35 pm
Come on Joe, give the people what they want. Find out if Chris Godwin will get his number 12 back.
February 11th, 2022 at 9:36 pm
I’m reviewing tape of both Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin. Gabbert, we all know. Griffin actually played well in some of the preseason games.
February 11th, 2022 at 10:28 pm
Godwin is arguably the top free agent along with Allen Robinson, Davante Adams, ODB. This is the group to work on, and all will get big offers, unfortunately. Adams might be franchised, or a package deal with whoever get Rodgers.
February 11th, 2022 at 11:52 pm
ANYONE bashing Evans or Godwin need to take their TROLL ARSES to the Saints or or Jags site!
Punks! The LOT of you.
February 11th, 2022 at 11:58 pm
Jealous much Haters? Pathetic pieces of trash. The LOT of you.
February 12th, 2022 at 12:07 am
Arg, just watched the Rams game again. Rams had it 2nd and 11 with 31 seconds and no time outs. How do the bucks not double Kupp? I hate prevent defense but that was the time to do it. If that wasn’t Brady’s last game I’d delete it. The bucs offense was hot, could have won it in OT
Sorry, rant over😡
February 12th, 2022 at 1:49 am
I agree Joe
February 12th, 2022 at 3:02 am
Capt.Oblivious, the problem is, we will never NEVER stop getting it thrown in our faces because that travesty was Brady’s last game. Like the Seahawks blowing a SB victory with a dumb slant, it lives forever now, and will be debated painfully forever.
February 12th, 2022 at 3:42 am
Capn Obvious – I’m so shelled by it I mention it damn near every time I post. Where’s the accountability from Todd’s Bowels? Who was looking for a job instead of preparing ruthlessly. He deserves to be forced to watch clips of Rosie O’Donnell and her partner at a nude beach or something.
February 12th, 2022 at 12:22 pm
Godwin deserves a hefty raise despite the fact the he has proven to be injury prone. I think that he’d be a top 5-10 receiver if he could manage to play 17 a year. I’d try to get him on a short 2-3 year deal just in case he becomes even more fragile as he gets older. Also, if he’s looking for anything more than low end number one receiver money, I’d let him walk.
February 12th, 2022 at 11:29 pm
Evans and Godwin make any QB better. Break them up and we are rebuilding.