Chris Godwin Rumors: '90 Percent Chance' Buccaneers Use Franchise Tag on WR

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are considered likely to use the franchise tag on wide receiver Chris Godwin despite him suffering a torn ACL. 

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported there is a "90 percent" chance the Bucs wind up using the tag on Godwin before Tuesday's franchise deadline. The Penn State product played under the franchise tag in 2021, making $16 million. Another tag would be worth around $19.2 million.

Godwin was on his way to potentially earning a second Pro Bowl berth before being injured in a Dec. 19 game against the New Orleans Saints. He finished the season with 98 receptions for 1,103 yards and five touchdowns, leading the Buccaneers in the former three categories despite missing the final three games of the regular season.

Tampa Bay's roster is set for a major overhaul this offseason. Several top veterans, including Godwin, tight end Rob Gronkowski and cornerback Carlton Davis, are set for free agency. The team also lost quarterback Tom Brady to retirement, though the door is very much still wide-open should the GOAT find the itch for a return to football.

While it's not typically a favorite of players, the tag may be the best possible result for Godwin. It's hard to see him commanding $19 million a year coming off a torn ACL. Coming back to Tampa, getting healthy and then performing when he gets back on the field before hitting the open market in 2023 may wind up giving him the largest financial windfall overall.

As it stands, he'd make $35.2 million guaranteed over a two-year franchise tag, which is more fully guaranteed money than all but four wide receivers in the NFL received on their long-term contracts.