Franchise Tag Window Nears
February 18th, 2022
General manager Jason Licht has exercised his franchise tag power during his eight-year reign as the Buccaneers top dog in personnel.
In 2021, it was Pro Bowl receiver Chris Godwin getting the fat pay day, as the Bucs didn’t reach a long-term deal when his rookie contract expired. In 2020, Bucs sacks king locked down the huge prove-it deal — and he proved it by getting a long-term contract before last season.
The Bucs can tag one of their big-time free agents again. The tag window is from Feb. 22 through March 8.
Tampa Bay could drop the rare back-to-back tag on Godwin, who is coming off major knee surgery (ACL). It would cost the Bucs a shade over $19 million, which is very close to Godwin’s market on a long-term deal. Joe would assume that the Bucs could reach a multiyear contract with Godwin. It’s reasonable to expect Godwin back on the field by Week 6 or 7 of the ’22 season.
Maybe the Bucs drop the tag on Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen, but that would run in the neighborhood of $17 million. Joe can’t imagine that being worth it, as that’s a ton of money for a center. The “transition tag” could be an option for Jensen, which would pay him about $12 million, though the Bucs could lose him to a higher bidder if they don’t exercise right of first refusal.
Cornerback Carlson Davis is ready to cash in, and a franchise tag on him would run in the whopping neighborhood of $17 million. Is he worth it?
Joe likes the potential wild card of tagging tight end Rob Gronkowski, which would run around $11 million. That million-dollar raise might intrigue Gronk and spark him to make a speedy decision on his future.
Any tag can be rescinded by a team if a player has yet to sign it. Once signed, the tag contract is guaranteed. One one franchise or transition tag can be offered per offseason.
February 18th, 2022 at 1:58 pm
What’s our current cap room?
February 18th, 2022 at 1:59 pm
Don’t franchise a guy that will be out half the year. Sign Godwin to deal and give him #12 back if he wants it. Use the tag on Jensen so he can help the new QB and hope that you can sign Davis. If Davis bolts then sign a CB or draft another and hope SMB and Dean can hold up. But at least you have signed your offensive pieces even if Cappa leaves Stinnie would stay to be a starter.
February 18th, 2022 at 2:07 pm
Franchise for Carlton Davis. This isn’t even a difficult decision tbh.
February 18th, 2022 at 2:09 pm
It’s going to be interesting, who they tag.
I think they will tag CG, they will try to see how that knee performs before throwing him a long term deal, The OL is a mystery to me, and I guess CDIII is gone, he will chase the big money that Bucs will not give him.
And they will resign Gholston and probably Suh too.
February 18th, 2022 at 2:09 pm
Yeah, I’m not tagging anyone this year. Either sign to agreeable long term deals or let them test the market.
February 18th, 2022 at 2:22 pm
Good thing Mike (above) isn’t our GM.
February 18th, 2022 at 2:25 pm
If they franchise tag Carlton Davis I’m done with this team.
Dean, SMB, and Davis should all be traded as a package for 2 warm beers and some stale popcorn.
February 18th, 2022 at 2:27 pm
@ Buzz
We currently have a dollar and forty seven cents of cap room at the moment…
This should be interesting.
February 18th, 2022 at 2:29 pm
@ mike
Agreed.
Long term, back loaded deals with a few void years in each…
Similar to LVD’s deal last year.
February 18th, 2022 at 3:05 pm
I wouldn’t franchise any player this year……try to hammer out a longer term deal with them……2 years (maybe 3) 3 for Jensen, 4 for Cappa or Davis, 5 for Godwin.
If they don’t go for that….let them walk.
Davis, Godwin & Cappa were draft picks…& all of them won a ring with the Bucs……
February 18th, 2022 at 3:13 pm
I think the only one they would tag is Davis
February 18th, 2022 at 3:21 pm
Buzz almost 7 mil.
February 18th, 2022 at 3:24 pm
@ allbuccedup
Actually it’s closer to $3 million…
“Second year in a row, Bucs have three players getting nice bumps in final year of their rookie contracts due to NFL’s Proven Performance Escalator incentive. Sean Murphy-Bunting, Jamel Dean and Mike Edwards each will make $2.54 million, a bump of $1m+ from their original deals.”
We just lost $3 more million two days ago.
February 18th, 2022 at 3:33 pm
@Mike … ‘I’m not tagging anyone this year. Either sign to agreeable long term deals or let them test the market.’
Agree 100% Mike. Franchise tagging a player rarely makes sense IMO anyways. You almost always end up overpaying for the player (over what you would’ve paid if you negotiated a long-term deal) AND end up eating that full amount of the franchise tag that year in terms of the salary CAP (not allowed to slide any of it to future years).
Then to top it off, you end up going through the same process the next year AND it ends up costing you even more. The topping on the cake is that it very often ends up pissing off the very player you consider to be critical to your roster that season. It’s a lose-lose proposition far as I’m concerned.
February 18th, 2022 at 4:04 pm
I’d tag Stinnie. He is currently a back-up, so it should be cheap.
Godwin, Cappa, and Davis get three year back loaded contracts to cut the cap load.
Jensen gets a straight 2 years at 15 mill per.
The rest of the money to fill out the team, add some depth.
February 18th, 2022 at 4:37 pm
@ Craig
I agree I would like to see Stinnie back next year… But franchise tagging him would cost $16.5 million…
That is cra-cra.
I also agree with back loaded contracts. It’s our only hope to sign any of our free agents including Godwin, Davis, Whitehead, Jenson and Cappa.
February 18th, 2022 at 5:48 pm
No to Godwin, by the 8th game the Gravediggers will have done their job on the Bradyless Bucconeers. 2-6? 3-5? If lucky 4-4. Nahhh. Get some new Beef and break em in this year. Arieans will be crabbier than ever in his last rodeo season.
February 18th, 2022 at 7:36 pm
I say franchise tag everybody that works all the players contracts. This way we don’t lose any of them.
February 18th, 2022 at 7:47 pm
Interesting option to tag Gronk! Had not thought of that. His tag number of 11m is not bad and it is clearly a position of need. This would assure that he doesn’t jump ship to another team like the Bengals. Only down side of this move is he very likely would just choose to retire since TB is not here anymore which would then be a waste of the tag. However, if we are holding out any hope of a TB return in August having Gronk locked down would help.
February 18th, 2022 at 8:03 pm
If they can’t reach a long term deal, Davis will get the franchise. Mark my words. I think Godwin gets his big deal with the Bucs. I like Jenson but he will be 31 going into next season and showed signs of breaking down near the end of the season. Center is a much more replaceable position then WR or CB. Bring in a cheap vet to compete with Hainsey for the starting center.
February 18th, 2022 at 9:56 pm
FYI Tony: you can only franchise tag one player per year
February 19th, 2022 at 1:04 pm
Yeah they don’t average the salary for backups lol
Tagging Stinnie would be close to tagging Pamela Anderson.
In your dreams.
February 19th, 2022 at 7:50 pm
A franchise tag is for one year. I don’t think Bucs can take an $20 million cap hit for just one player this year. If they sign CG to a 5+ year deal, which he surely deserves, it can be structured to be a relatively easy cap hit for the first year or two.