Chris Godwin received the franchise tag for the second year in a row, but he would not play under it for the second straight season.
Godwin and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have agreed to a three-year, $60 million deal with $40 million guaranteed at signing, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said Wednesday.
A Pro Bowl receiver in 2019, prior to the arrival of Tom Brady, Godwin was the Bucs coordinator then and is a vital presence now.
Lost in the 2021 season after 14 games with an ACL tear, the 26-year-old Godwin still has 1,103 receiving yards, five touchdowns and a career-best 98 receptions.
When the Bucks contacted Godwin earlier this month, it was assumed that center Ryan Jensen and cornerback Carlton Davis would get a free hand and possibly leave Tampa Bay. Instead, Godwin received an extension, Jensen re-signed shortly before he became a free agent, and Davis also re-signed. And, of course, Brady didn’t retire.
Things are looking up for Tampa Bay now, and the long-term signing of Godwin also frees up a spot in the cap, Rapoport said.
Godwin is also poised to become a free agent again when he’s 29, so a big deal can work from time to time.