The Tampa Bay Buccaneers want wide receiver Chris Godwin back, and he almost certainly wants to be back — but it’s a business. Godwin is hitting free agency after a dislocated ankle derailed what was set to be a career year for him, and now, the two sides will look to get a deal done to keep Godwin from going to another team.

For many teams, a way to do this is with the franchise tag, an option a team can use once per offseason to ensure that a player does not hit free agency. Franchise tags are a one-year deal with guaranteed money worth the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years, or 120% of his previous salary — the bigger number of the two is what the tag is worth.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin looks on before a game against the Baltimore Ravens. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Chris Godwin has been franchise-tagged twice, once in 2021 and then again in 2022, but according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine, that won’t be happening again. ESPN released a franchise tag scenario for all 32 NFL teams, and for the Buccaneers, Laine assured that Godwin won’t be getting tagged a third time.

Here’s what Laine said about the possibility of Chris Godwin getting the tag for a third time:

“While sources told ESPN that the Bucs very much want receiver Chris Godwin back and they’ll do what it takes to make this happen, it won’t be on a franchise tag. They used the tag as a placeholder the last time Godwin was a free agent (in 2022), and they used it on him in 2021, so this would be his third time being tagged — therefore it would have to be a 144% raise, and I’m told there is “no chance” of that happening. They’ll do what it takes to re-sign him as a free agent.”

It makes a lot of sense that the Bucs wouldn’t want to go this route. The value of the franchise tag increases each time you use it, so Godwin’s three tags would accrue a 144% raise — that would be around $41 million dollars, which is what quarterbacks get paid. The Buccaneers love Godwin, but probably not that much.

As a result, the Buccaneers will continue to work with Godwin in hopes of finding a deal. Godwin will almost certainly command over $20 million a year, and the Bucs will have to decide just how badly they want him back given his injury history and his age.