The second potential franchise sign is good news and bad news for Chris Goodwin

One of Monday’s biggest surprises regarding an unnamed NFC South receiver Calvin Ridley Came from Tampa Bay, where the pirates Reportedly planning to use the franchise tag For the second year on the receiver Chris Goodwin. While being on the wrong end of the franchise is always bad news for the player, this particular development holds little good news for Godwin.

First, the Buccaneers apparently believe he has ruptured his ACL and his MCL, which he suffered at week 15 and repaired in early January, is recovering well. Otherwise why would the Bucs offer him a 20 percent raise over the franchise bid last year, with $19.18 million in cash set aside and plenty of room for him for 2022?

Secondly (related to the first), the pirates seem to believe that Godwin’s services are in great demand elsewhere, and that he will be able to leave Tampa Bay and make more in a long-term deal elsewhere.

Third (related to the second), Godwin must be willing to refuse to sign any long-term deal with the Bucs because he is one year away from fully unrestricted free agency. Yes, he was assuming an injury risk in 2022, but the hackers won’t give him the 2023 quarterback money, which is the requested amount from a third franchise. If the franchise is flagged again this year, Godwin will never be ranked again, in 2023 or at any other point in his career. Even if he ends up with another team and his contract ends there, the franchise’s third mark will always result in quarterback money or a 44 percent increase over his cap number, whichever is greater.

All in all, it’s bad news that Godwin is being tagged. The rules allow hackers to do this, and teams do it routinely. Specifically for Godwin, the fact that the Bucs are supposedly ready to do it and the fact that they can’t, in practice, do it again in 2023, becomes a very good development at a bad time for Godwin.