Godwin hopes to stay with Bucs long term: 'But I want to get paid, too'

Chris Godwin wants to stay with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he's aiming to land a long-term deal.

"I want to be here," Godwin, who's scheduled to become a free agent in March, said on "The Pat McAfee Show" Tuesday. "I love the guys on the team, I think we have something special. But at the same time, you got to consider all the possibilities and doing what's best for you and your family."

The 24-year-old receiver is a franchise-tag candidate, but he's hoping that can be avoided.

An extension would be ideal. I want to be in Tampa, but I want to get paid, too," he added, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

While Godwin desires to be paid in line with his value, he isn't planning on prioritizing money over winning.

"The goal obviously is to get paid right, but I'm not stupid. I'm not going to put myself in a situation where I'm going to be miserable for some years to come just for a couple extra dollars," he noted.

Godwin has been a vital part of Tampa Bay's offense in recent years, recording 3,540 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns since becoming a third-round selection in 2017.

The Buccaneers will need to deal with a handful of other key free agents, including Shaquil Barrett, Rob Gronkowski, Lavonte David, and Ndamukong Suh.

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