Noncommittal Buccaneers news could spell disaster in free agency

It doesn’t seem like the Buccaneers, Chris Godwin, and Carlton Davis are any closer to having a plan for the 2022 season.

The Buccaneers losing Tom Brady hurt. The Bucs coupling the loss of Brady and several unlikely names in free agency with guys like Chris Godwin and Carlton Davis could spell disaster for any prospect of competition in 2022.

Davis and Godwin have easily emerged as two of the most important in-house free agents for the Bucs in a very long time. The value placed on a top-teir corner and a do-it-all wide receiver like Godwin is unmatched on the free agent market, and the Buccaneers have to do everything in their power to keep this pair in Tampa.

Losing either player would set the Bucs back substantially at two vital positions next season. Having to push Jamel Dean into the starting role alongside a rookie will hurt the already-bleeding secondary, and we already saw how the offense looked without Godwin at the end of last season.

Despite the dire need for both players, the Buccaneers have done little to put their money where their mouth is. You can talk about the value of either player all day; the only way to show their value is with a contract.

No news is bad news in a situation like this, and it doesn’t look like we are positioned to get any good news before tomorrow.

With one day left before the deadline to use the franchise tag, the inaction by the Buccaneers (at least, the lack of successful action) has put the team between a rock and a hard place.

It looked like the team was going to push to find a long-term extension for both prior to this point, but the presence of the franchise tag complicates matters greatly.

Had the Bucs been able to reach a deal with Godwin before tomorrow, they could at least guarantee that Davis would stay on the roster by using the franchise tag.

Now, it looks all the more likely that Tampa will have to use the tag on Godwin to create some extra time to work out a deal, which puts Davis in a position where he can test the open market.

There is still a chance that the Bucs find a way to keep both players, but it is looking more likely by the day that Tampa could lose another key contributor before the start of next season.

Davis and Godwin would both be able to find better situations and better money on the open market. The Bucs should’ve made it a priority to keep this from happening by acting faster, and now we have to deal with an added level of uncertainty during a difficult offseason.

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