There’s some hope that Chris Godwin could end up inking an extension with the Buccaneers after all. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports (via Twitter) that there’s still a “chance” that the wideout inks a long-term deal with Tampa Bay.
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The Buccaneers have been willing to dish out money this offseason to retain their top players, but Godwin’s demands could be too pricey for the organization. As Fowler notes, Kenny Golladay was able to earn $18 million this offseason from the Giants; that type of average annual value might not be palatable to the Buccaneers front office.
We heard last week that negotiations between the two sides weren’t particularly close. Godwin’s tag is worth $15.9 million, but the Pro Bowl receiver is likely shooting for a deal in the WR1 range. Presently holding less than $500,000 in cap space (and, not to mention, paying fellow wideout Mike Evans a sizable contract), the Bucs will need to create some room if they truly want to re-up Godwin.
The former third-round pick has just one 1,000-yard season on his resume, but the Bucs did not make him a full-time player until they traded DeSean Jackson after the 2018 season. Godwin blew up for 1,333 yards and nine touchdown receptions in 2019. Although he encountered multiple injuries last season, the Penn State product still surpassed 800 yards and remains an essential part of Tampa Bay’s loaded skill-position corps.
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