This is a challenging situation for Chris Godwin, and I am not just talking about his ACL injury.
Godwin was set to be a free agent last year when the Bucs hit him with the franchise tag. The difference between playing on the franchise tag and getting a long-term contract was is probably anywhere between $15-30 million for Godwin. If he had signed a deal in the offseason that was similar to, say, Kenny Golladay, who, in my opinion, isn’t as good of a receiver as Godwin, he would have signed somewhere in the area of 4-years $72 million and $40 million guaranteed.
Instead, he had to sign a one-year deal for $16 million.
With his ACL injury coming so late in the season, it puts his 2022 season in jeopardy, and whoever does sign him likely isn’t going to give him the type of money he would have gotten if healthy.
It is the economics of the NFL.
The NFLPA never fought to get the franchise tag rescinded, but at least they can smoke weed now.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowl wide receiver Chris Godwin suffered a torn ACL during Sunday night’s 9-0 loss to the New Orleans Saints and will miss the remainder of the season, coach Bruce Arians announced Monday.
Godwin suffered the knee injury in the second quarter while falling awkwardly after a collision with New Orleans safety P.J. Williams.
“You feel bad or him because he was having such a great year, and the type of hit it was — totally legal but I think that’s one of the things we have to look into in the offseason,” Arians said.
“We’re so concerned about hitting people in the head, that we’re getting a lot of knee injuries now because of that type of tackle. But it is legal and wasn’t a bad play at all. But yeah, I just feel bad for Chris.”
Early indications were that it was an MCL injury, and the team was hopeful he might return for the playoffs. But further testing revealed a torn ACL.
Godwin’s wife, Mariah DelPerico, was understandably upset about the hit and the fact her husband will be looking at a long rehab with an uncertain future.
Flip the pages to see what she had to say and the hit that took him out.
