Finding The Right Deal For Chris Godwin
March 13th, 2022
Trying to keep Chris Godwin long-term.
Yeah, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht tagged Chris Godwin for the second straight year. That’s initially good for Godwin.
A tag doesn’t mean the Bucs have stopped trying to sign him to a long term deal, but what would be a good deal for the Bucs? Joe asked former Tampa Bay scout and Jets personnel suit Pat Kirwan about this face to face in Indianapolis.
Kirwan admits Godwin’s knee surgery is the curveball in the negotiations.
“The problem is, what is the right contract, because of the injury?” Kirwan said. The Bucs “will offer him something with the injury in the equation. He might not want to take it. He might want to take a one-year deal, [but you] risk another injury. Ask Odell Beckham. He hurt the ACL twice. Now, where is he going to be this offseason?”
Kirwan noted what offsets Godwin’s surgery is that he is everything a football organization wants in a player: A guy who busts his tail and can be trusted.
“So, [Godwin] is a fine player,” Kirwan said. “A high character guy. I don’t know if I can pin down what would be a good deal for him. If you believe he is going to be 100 percent healthy in time [for the season opener]…
“The ACL used to be a career-ender. Then it was a two-year injury. Then it was a one-year injury. And now, it’s about an eighth-month injury. If you believe [he will be fine physically], then give him the deal he deserves. I don’t think they are going to be able to do that.”
The pinch on the Bucs’ salary cap would hinder negotiations, Kirwan believes. But of course a long-term deal lets a team play with the numbers and, you know, kick the can down the road.
Kirwan co-hosts pound for pound the best damn football show heard in the free world along with former Bucs quarterback Jim Miller, “Movin’ the Chains,” heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio. There he routinely explains that the franchise tag sets a player’s value floor. So the Bucs can’t ever get away now with paying Godwin less than the $19 million-plus he’ll earn on the 2022 franchise tag.
It would behoove the Bucs to get a long-term deal done with Godwin while the Super Bowl window is still open, but does Godwin want to do that? If he is healthy and has another strong season, he hits the market next spring looking at $23 million a year.
The deadline to sign a franchised-tagged player to a multi-year contract is July 15.
If Mike Williams of the Chargers is pulling $20 million a year, surely Godwin is worth more.
March 13th, 2022 at 10:09 am
Mike Williams getting 20 million has raised the price for Chris Godwin, on a long term deal.
March 13th, 2022 at 10:14 am
Either figure out a long term deal or trade him to the Jets/Jags and let them work out a deal.
It is beyond ridiculous to pay Godwin $19.8M for 11 games. A short term expensive rental for a team without a QB.
March 13th, 2022 at 10:22 am
Hes not going to sign a deal as long as Licht puts an injury clause in it. Why sign something thats going to pay you less than the 19 mil you are guaranteed to get.
March 13th, 2022 at 12:24 pm
‘The deadline to sign a franchised-tagged player to a multi-year contract is July 15.’
And there-in lies the real gotcha. There’s no need for the Bucs to rush into a long-term deal now that they’ve franchise-tagged Chris. But it’ll certainly be in their best interest to sign him to a 5-year deal or whatever just prior to that date so that they can have more salary CAP space available for signing their draft class, etc.
March 13th, 2022 at 1:53 pm
Injury has nothing to do with it. The Bucs want to sign him for a long term deal at todays prices, like $17m-19m, Godwin knows if he signs a long term deal next offseason, he’d likely get $21m-23m, that adds up when you’re talking 4 or 5 years.
The big risk with Godwin however is who the QB is going to be. The team is Tanking w/ Trask™ then who knows what Godwin’s numbers are going to look like. If he misses half the season and then only has like 300 yards, what is his price going to be then? Even if everyone knows why his stats are down, he won’t get paid like a top WR. If the team landed Watson or resigned Winston, then he’s position to cash in next year.
That should be the Bucs big selling point – that if Gabbert is throwing the ball, or Trask or Bridgewater, his stats are not going to be anything special and he won’t get anywhere near what he’s being offered now. But then again, who knows, maybe he hates it here and wants out and that’s why he won’t sign a deal.
March 13th, 2022 at 1:56 pm
Defense Rules Says: There’s no need for the Bucs to rush into a long-term
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The Bucs would want him to sign the deal ASAP because they’re going to dramatically decrease his cap number, and the team would want to know their cap space before FA. This has thrown a wrench into their plans, if they actually wanted to bring guys back.
March 13th, 2022 at 2:02 pm
California has a 12% state income tax and Florida has none. Take that off of Mike Williams deal he only nets 17.6 million. Therefore the 19 million he is receiving this is better the what Mike Williams is getting.
March 13th, 2022 at 2:31 pm
I’m getting tired of all the talk about players signing for less because they won’t have to pay state taxes in Florida. The players don’t care about “State tax” when negotiating. It’s more about pride and where their salary ranks. They’d rather rank #1 at their position in salary even if it means getting less NET money after taxes. And their agents definitely could care less about State tax. They just want their cut of the biggest deal they can negotiate. When did you ever hear a player signed with a team because he wouldn’t have to pay state tax. Remember most of these guys who make tens of millions end up broke within 5 years of their career ending. Just because they can play football doesn’t mean they understand money management.
March 13th, 2022 at 5:08 pm
Yup, Chris’s floor is now $20 million per since the idiot Chargers gave that to Williams. I’m p!ssed at what’s happening with Godwin, but he is better than Williams all day long. Personally, I’d love to trade Chris for a first round pick if someone is dumb enough to give us one. I’d hate to see Chris walk for nothing, but that’s what I’d do if he wants more than 20 per year.
Licht, please don’t compound your mistakes of franchising this dude two years in a row. If he wants too much, or doesn’t want to be here then let him go. Tons and tons of wide receiver talent that we could draft this year that aren’t hurt and would be loads cheaper than Chris. This ain’t Jerry Rice man, let him bolt.
March 13th, 2022 at 8:04 pm
Brady just said hes coming back to the Bucs. Bring Ali Marpet out of retirement and keep Ryan Jensen.