Report: Buccaneers, Chris Godwin Not Expected to Reach Long-Term Deal

Chris Godwin will spend his 2021 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the franchise tag.

The contract extension deadline for players on the franchise tag across the NFL falls on Thursday, meaning each player who does not strike a new deal by 4 P.M. ET will play on a one-year contract throughout the 2021 season.

That includes Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin, which was expected even though the team was negotiating with Godwin on a long-term contract in recent weeks. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport shared on Wednesday night that the two sides are likely not going to reach a long-term extension before the deadline.

Godwin was placed on the franchise tag earlier this year, which he officially signed on March 18. The tag for wide receivers this season equates to a salary of $15.983 million, which is fully guaranteed.

It was reported by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times earlier on Wednesday that Godwin and Tampa Bay remained in talks about a legitimate extension, but those discussions did not result in a long-term contract. 

The Buccaneers currently own under $500,000 in 2021 salary cap space, and although the team has been willing to dip into its future cap table to keep players in Tampa Bay this offseason, the Bucs are also tight on space for the 2022 offseason (currently just over $19 million), making an extension difficult to accomplish until further moves are made across the roster. 

There are numerous players currently on the roster set to join Godwin as free agents in 2022, such as cornerback Carlton Davis III, running backs Ronald Jones II, Leonard Fournette and Giovani Bernard, edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul, and others.

However, it can be expected that Tampa Bay and Godwin will resume these talks once the 2021 season is complete. Both sides have expressed a keen interest in the 25-year-old pass-catcher remaining in Tampa much further into his pro football career, and rightfully so.

Through four seasons with the Bucs after his 2017 third-round selection, Godwin has compiled 244 receptions for 3540 yards and 24 touchdowns in 58 regular-season games.

Stay tuned to AllBucs for further coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offseason updates, and other news and analysis.