Chris Godwin on a return to the Buccaneers: ‘I want to be here’

Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin is set to become a free agent. Many outlets even have him listed as the second best free agent this offseason, so he will undoubtedly be one of the most popular names during the free agency period.

Of course the team can place the franchise tag on him and make sure he doesn’t go anywhere and get a deal done, which Godwin is open to doing.

Speaking on the Pat McAfee show Tuesday, Godwin talked about wanting to return to Tampa Bay and re-joining his current teammates for at least 2021.

“For me, looking at free agency, that’s something that I’m considering. I want to be here. I love the guys on the team. I think we have something special,” Godwin said. “But at the same time you got to consider all the possibilities and doing what’s best for you and your family.

“The goal obviously is to get paid, right? But I’m not stupid. I’m not going to put myself in a situation where I’m going to be miserable for some years to come just for a couple extra dollars.”

However, Godwin knows he is worth those extra dollars.

Just days away from being 25 years old, the young receiver is in position for a big payday. If he is tagged by the organization, it sounds like he won’t fight it and will just worry about a long-term deal down the road despite his desires of signing a big contract.

“An extension would be ideal, but at the end of the day if the [franchise tag] is what happens that’s what I got to do then we’ll revisit later. I want to be in Tampa but at the end of the day I want to get paid to.”

The NFL’s franchise tag window opened Tuesday and will run through March 9.