The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have educated wide receiver Chris Godwin he will obtain the franchise label, a source tells ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The label will probably cost the Bucs approximately $16.5 million and they will not have the ability to tag out linebacker Shaq Barrett, that made $15.8 million playing below the franchise label this past year. Tagging Barrett again in 2021 could have cost the Bucs $18.96 million — 120 percent of what they paid annually. Barrett and within linebacker Lavonte David are become free agents.
The Bucs will want to earn a run of cap-saving moves to keep those players, since they had just an estimated $15 million in salary-cap distance before tagging Godwin, supposing that the salary cap is $181 million (that the NFL hasn’t made the salary-cap amount official for 2021).
By tagging Godwin, the Buccaneers made it a priority which he return to match with high recipient Mike Evans. Together with all the franchise tender, the Bucs will probably be devoting a joint $33.1 million to Evans and Godwin in 2021.
“It is not poor paying two No. 1 recipients, that is for certain, when they are as great as both No. 1s,” coach Bruce Arians stated .
A third-round draft selection by the Buccaneers at 2017, Godwin worked his way up to a fulltime starting role at the 2019 time, when he attained the Pro Bowl and established himself as among the league’s most constant broad receivers.
Moving indoors to Arians'”large slot” receiver function in 2019, Godwin ended that year with 1,333 getting yards — third most in the NFL despite missing the last two matches with a hamstring injury.
Godwin, who turned 25 in February, may not have game-breaking rate, but his consistency as a route runner and his focus ability on contested grabs let him shine. Quarterback Tom Brady regards Godwin as having”some of their greatest hands” he’s ever seen.
