The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have informed wide receiver Chris Godwin that he will receive the franchise label, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The brand will cost Bucs about $ 16.5 million and means they will not be able to brand external linebacker Shaq Barrett, who won $ 15.8 million playing under the franchise brand last year. Scoring Barrett again in 2021 would cost Bucs $ 18.96 million – 120% more than they paid last year. Barrett and internal linebacker Lavonte David will both become free agents.
Bucs will need to make a series of limit reduction moves to retain these players, as they had only $ 15 million projected in the salary cap space before scoring Godwin, assuming the salary cap is $ 181 million (the NFL did not make the official number salary limit for 2021).
A third round pick by the Buccaneers in 2017, Godwin worked his way up to a full-time starting position in the 2019 season, when he reached the Pro Bowl and established himself as one of the league’s most consistent wide receivers.
His 74% receiving percentage in the last two seasons is the third highest in the NFL, behind New Orleans Saints ‘Michael Thomas and Seattle Seahawks’ Tyler Lockett, and Godwin’s 0.5% drop percentage in the last two seasons is among the lowest in the NFL.
Moving to coach Bruce Arians’ “big slot” receiver in 2019, Godwin ended the season with 1,333 yards received – the third longest in the NFL, despite losing the final two games due to a hamstring injury.
A hamstring injury, concussion and finger fracture forced him to lose four games in 2020, but he ended up with four touchdowns in the final three games of the regular season and led the team with 232 receiving yards and a post-season touchdown. , with the victory of the Bucs Super Bowl LV.
Godwin, who turned 25 in February, may not have game-breaking speed, but his consistency as a runner and his ability to concentrate on contested footprints allow him to shine. Quarterback Tom Brady considers Godwin to have “some of the best hands” he has ever seen.
He has 244 receptions for 3,540 yards and 24 touchdowns in 58 regular season games in his career.