Thursday is the deadline for the Bucs and wide receiver Chris Godwin, who received the franchise tag this offseason, to reach an agreement on a contract extension. The reality of that happening are slim, but there is still a chance, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

The Bucs placed the franchise tag on Godwin on March 9 and he signed his one-year deal with the team on March 18. The franchise tag contract is worth $15.983 million. It is unclear how much money Godwin is seeking to make on an average, per-year basis, but it is likely between $16-$18 million per season. Fellow Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans currently averages $16.5 million per season.

A team official told Pewter Report that there is still a chance something could get done by Thursday, but the situation was described as “not optimistic.”

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Godwin is coming off a season in which he caught 65 passes for 840 yards (12.5 avg.) and scored seven touchdowns in helping Tampa Bay win Super Bowl LV. He battled a hamstring injury, a concussion and a broken finger last year and Godwin’s statistics didn’t quite measure up to the breakout season he enjoyed in 2019. Godwin made his first and only Pro Bowl that year in leading the Bucs with 86 catches for 1,333 yards (15.5 avg.) and nine touchdowns – all career-best numbers.

The Bucs placed the one-year, franchise tag on outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett in 2020 after he had a breakout Pro Bowl season in 2019. Barrett, who signed a one-year, $4 million prove-it deal with Tampa Bay, led the league with 19.5 sacks in 2019 en route to his first Pro Bowl. That broke Warren Sapp’s single-season sack record of 16.5 sacks.

Barrett followed up the next year with just eight sacks in the regular season, but had four more in the postseason. He notched three at Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game and one in Super Bowl LV prior to getting a four-year, $68 million contract extension this offseason that averages $17 million per year.

Godwin may have to take a similar route and play this year on the franchise tag, especially since he has just one 1,000-yard season under his belt. What helps Godwin’s cause is that he plays slot receiver, which is the featured position in Bruce Arians’ pass-first offense – and plays it exceptionally well.