The NFL's franchise tag deadline is quickly approaching and there are a handful of teams yet to use it on a star player. One player to keep an eye on is Chris Godwin, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might consider bringing him back over other notable names potentially leaving in free agency.
According to ESPN, the Buccaneers plan to use the franchise tag on Chris Godwin if a long-term deal cannot be reached. “One source predicted there's a 90% chance Tampa Bay tags Godwin, whom the Bucs do not want to lose.” Ensuring Godwin returns is a smart move considering the wide receiver core would be drastically worse if he leaves.
There are a few notable names possibly entering free agency and it sounds like the Buccaneers, ” would tag receiver Chris Godwin over cornerback Carlton Davis, who is set to become a free agent but definitely could be re-signed,” per ESPN. Having Godwin and Mike Evans on the roster alleviates the pressure the front office faces in replacing Tom Brady.
We'll see how it all plays out, but the Buccaneers face an uphill climb this offseason. If they can retain most of the roster they should be able to continue being the best team in the NFC South. However, they're facing a possible rebuild pending how the re-signing period goes.
It'll be interesting to see if they can reach a long-term deal with Chris Godwin. The franchise tag deadline is on Tuesday, March 8, which means we should see what the Buccaneers will do relatively soon. Keep an eye on this situation as news could break at any point.