Adam Schefter On Chris Godwin & Shaq Barrett: “Both Would Like To Test The Market”
March 8th, 2021
Stressful times for Super Bowl GM Jason Licht
Hopefully, you’re among the blissful Bucs fans still celebrating the Super Bowl win and caring little about anything else.
If not, you maybe be chewing your fingernails more than ever after reading this.
ESPN NFL super-insider Adam Schefter, a close confidant of the man Jason Licht called “the real GM” at One Buc Palace, said today on Stay In Bed Get Up! that pending free agent Bucs studs Shaq Barrett and Chris Godwin “both would like to test the market.”
This is unsettling considering the franchise tag deadline is tomorrow at 4 p.m. and, perhaps more important, teams already are negotiating with agents of free agents behind the scenes and new deals will be unofficially announced on Monday. That’s when the window opens to legitimize all the backroom dealings.
There’s no upside to Godwin or Barrett leaving Tampa, other than perhaps that paving the way for a Lavonte David return.
Joe’s not going to sleep for days.
March 8th, 2021 at 8:32 am
Tag Barrett please and draft an edge rusher and bring back David/Suh. Based on Suh being 50/50 and these two wanting to test the market it isn’t looking great. We’re going to retain a couple of these guys, right? We almost have to.
March 8th, 2021 at 8:38 am
Thank God we just won the Super Bowl. I had thought year two with Brady we would win the Super Bowl but looking at all the free agents who are pending leaving I’m not sure that would have even been possible. Go Bucs! Find a way.
March 8th, 2021 at 8:45 am
Sign Shaq let Godwin test the open market.
No need to overpay a wide receiver in this environment…
Plenty free agent WR plus more available in this years draft.
March 8th, 2021 at 8:49 am
Well, seems to me Agent´s are pulling their strings everywhere…As far as I know last week CG said he couldn´t care to be tagged, also last week one of the so called insider or experts said one day LVD was probably out, and the following day he said the contrary……
March 8th, 2021 at 8:50 am
Did I miss something? What is our cap number….did the NFL announce the 2021 cap figure?
So….we are supposed to make a decision on franchising players without knowing the cap? Surely, the NFL will extend the deadline……
March 8th, 2021 at 8:54 am
If these players both value themselves more than our view of the market, I don’t see the downside to tagging one of them and being openminded about a trade. You would think that either player could fetch a first round pick, which could be used to draft a defensive lineman, which we need whether or not Shaq returns.
March 8th, 2021 at 8:56 am
Cap will probably be around $180 mil
March 8th, 2021 at 8:58 am
Tampabaybucsfan- You are correct. Ian Rapoport just reported that if the official cap number does not come down today and very soon the nfl will be forced to push the franchise tag deadline back.
March 8th, 2021 at 8:59 am
Did Godwin prevent Brady from throwing 3 interceptions in NFC Championship , which kept the Packers in the game?
It was the D with their turnovers and late 4th quarter stop inside the 10 yard line that won the game.
Godwin is a very good player, but is he worth $ 16-20 million + losing Suh or David or both? Not to mention other potential signings Bucs could make ( Brate, FA depth)
March 8th, 2021 at 8:59 am
Doesn’t necessarily mean they want to leave. Just see what their value is. And a negotiating tactic for the agents.
March 8th, 2021 at 9:01 am
@ TBBF
No word from the NFL yet on final cap number. I believe it will be announced next week. Probably will be @ $185 or so… They announced the floor will be $180.
I still dont see how we re-sign our 3 big FAs while keeping all our depth players needed.
I would rather have Succop, a solid QB2, QB3, A. Stinnie, J. Wells and AB over one oft injured WR…
March 8th, 2021 at 9:02 am
It means that Shaq and Godwin haven’t heard a team-friendly offer that they find acceptable. The Buc front office might be readying for Round 2, allowing them to talk to other teams and come back with a counter. The Bucs just won the Super Bowl, I don’t think either will want to walk if the Bucs are somewhat near their best outside offers.
March 8th, 2021 at 9:04 am
The deadline is tomorrow for the franchise tag.
I expect to see Shaq franchised.
The reality of the salary cap is, we will not be able to keep everyone.
March 8th, 2021 at 9:22 am
Well Joe…the way I see it is that we have two choices…toss in bed and chew our fingernails to the nub because we will likely lose one or more of them. Or trust that Licht and Co. will give it their best shot to get these guys back, and if not the Licht, Arians, Brady and Greenberg will put their heads together and sign most, and find replacements that will adequately replace the others. Or at least, make the best of a difficult situation, and sleep pretty well. I choose to choose the later.
And the other point is, remember all the guys that said that this SB year was only a preliminary to next year when we would be ready to make a SB run? Just goes to show…strike when the iron is hot. Who knows what next year will look like?
March 8th, 2021 at 11:07 am
Calm down folks! We’re probably going to lose Godwin and AB. Our offense will still be dominant. Tag or negotiate with Shaq and bring back Suh and LVD. I remember back after the 2002 season and we won the SB. We lost Dexter Jackson, the MVP. to free agency and everyone thought the world would come to an end. How did that work out? Well, maybe that’s not the best example.
March 8th, 2021 at 11:30 am
@Buc50 … “Cap will probably be around $180 mil”.
I know all the TV pundits keep throwing that number out, but that’d literally destroy most NFL teams for years to come IMO. Nine teams have ALREADY busted the $180 mil CAP according to Spotrac (using their ‘CAP Space – Top 51’ numbers (Spotrac assumes a $185 mil CAP for now) … and they all have numerous FAs to still sign. Another 7 teams (including the Bucs) would have less than $15 mil CAP space left if using the $180 mil CAP. That’s HALF the league right there. And $15 mil wouldn’t even be enough to sign a single FA like Shaq or Godwin.
Reality IMO is that all the NFL franchises are multi-billion dollar BUSINESSES. They have numerous very expensive signed contracts that they’re on-the-hook for already. Plus some that they could probably get out of with minimal impact from a money-perspective, although that’d badly dilute their ‘product’ on the field if replacing quality starters with ‘cheaper bodies’.
These owners aren’t fools Buc50; keeping the CAP where it was in 2020 (at $198 mil) essentially already represents taking a 10% cut (the amount it historically goes up every year?). Gut feel is that’s why we haven’t seen a new salary CAP yet. The majority understand that you don’t compromise your product even in hard times if you expect to endure. A few though will always try to ‘go cheap’, but they’ll come around eventually for the good of the league. And themselves. Time will tell.
March 8th, 2021 at 11:32 am
I hope you’ll are correct that losing CG is no big deal. Every time I watched this offense without him in the lineup it couldn’t run the ball or pickup 3rd downs. Just wasn’t the same.
March 8th, 2021 at 11:41 am
No matter what else happens in free agency we better find a way to keep Shaq Barrett. It would be nice to be able to sign him to a long term deal but if that can’t happen right away they better tag him again and then maybe get a deal signed with him.
March 8th, 2021 at 11:42 am
Let these men get their money. I hate when Buc fans think players will stay on the cheap out of loyalty to Tom and the Bucs. People want to make as much money as they can in the limited time they have.
March 8th, 2021 at 11:42 am
@Rick they are FA
Can’t TRADE them lol
March 8th, 2021 at 11:43 am
The reality for Shaq is without Vea to push the pocket Shaq struggles. Vita Vea’s push keeps QB’s from stepping up in the pocket. Makeing things easier for Shaq. When Vea was out Shaq didn’t play at an elite level. He would almost disappear in some games. Honestly the whole defense struggled in the middle of the regular season. An elite player puts the team on his back and carries them through tough times. Shaq wants Elite money. And he is Elite but only if the conditions are right. I say he gets tagged again. This team has searched for an edge rusher for years. We finally have one. Tag him and work out a big contract after next year when the cap rises. And if he plays average next year Tampa saved themselves from having an average edge rusher with an elite money contract.
Godwin is a young developing talent. Who got the droppsies in the playoffs. He could definitely be a no.2 on any NFL team. Maybe a No.1 on some? I would hate to lose him. Especially because nobody knows what’s going to happen with AB. AB could be suspended. Who knows? There are two positions Tampa seems to be able to draft well receivers and linebackers. Between Shaq, LVD, and Godwin. Godwin is the easiest to replace. And to be honest Evans getting double coverage deep helps Godwin a lot. I think Godwin would Struggle as a no.1 receiver. If I thought he could replace Evans one day I would be more inclined to keep him.
LVD is a huge part of this defense. Watching Devin White and LVD play was so much fun. I hope they can work out a deal to keep him. He is 31yrs old and will probably play for 3 more years Im guessing. This is probably his last chance at a big contract. If Tampa can’t match his best offer I think he follows the money. The guy has nothing left to prove. He led a defense to a Superbowl and won a ring he had a great career in Tampa. I wouldn’t blame him for following the money. I think Devin White can step into that leadership role for this defense.
The hardest to replace is Shaq. Have to keep him tagged..
Talented No.2 receivers can be found. Tampa actually has two No.1 receivers Evans and AB. Godwin is probably gone.
If Tampa can’t at least come really close to LVD’s best offer I think he may leave. I don’t think he wants to leave. I think the team will do everything they can to have him retire as a buc. I think if Miami offers him more than Tampa he would take it.
March 8th, 2021 at 12:02 pm
1) Licht
Do we think the guy who assembled this team, signed the contracts, and is paid to produce a team doesn’t have a plan?
2) Brady
The guy is a FA magnet. He pulled in Gronk, AB, Fournette in year one. You think he’s not working the phone getting more guys headed to Tampa for his last year?
I think we’ll be real happy with the 2021 version of the Bucs.
March 8th, 2021 at 12:09 pm
Tag Shaq, if he signs somewhere else then the Bucs get two 1st round draft picks for him. No one is going to give the Bucs 2 first round draft picks for Godwin, so the Tag is on Shaq. GO BUCS!!!!
March 8th, 2021 at 12:17 pm
I’m pretty sure.. Godwin will get the franchise tag.. which means ” zero cents ” against the cap. That removes Godwin from the equation. Brady, Evans, Gronk, take a hit in the wallet.. and everyone signs on for at least ” one more year “! Plus, they can re-structure current contracts and extend them out further beyond 2024.
March 8th, 2021 at 12:53 pm
i know a lot of people love the guy (as well they should) but I think Godwin is the guy to part with. Paying your #2 WR $15M per would be really dumb; I’ve often criticized CLE for doing that very thing and allocating $30M+ a season for two WR’s.
You could easily bring back AB for half that annual salary and I do like (and would like to see more of) both Scotty Miller and Tyler Johnson. And besides all that, as we know, a great QB can help make a pedestrian receiver a better, more productive player. Lastly, what free agent or soon-to-be free agent Wide Receivers would gladly take less to play w/ Brady and go for a ring? There will be some for sure, may as well take advantage of that.
March 8th, 2021 at 2:19 pm
ALL FREE AGENTS (good ones) WANT TO TEST THE MARKET.
Who wouldn’t?
This is their career and their only shot at probably setting up themselves and their families FOR LIFE without having to get a job after life in the NFL (which careers are short).
You certainly can’t blame them.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:12 am
Tag Shaq n let Godwin test FA. We got plenty of WR…sure they are not Godwin…but im sure they would like their shot. We have depth at WR n im sure our GM would draft another one…I like Chris…but the WR we drafted fr Minnesota has a similar skill set. Shaq would be way harder to replace. Cant just draft a DE or OLB n hope he plays at Shaqs level. Lol