The franchise and transition tags for an NFL team are the ultimate chip for a team to retain its talent from year to year. The Bucs have had success in the past with it when they placed it on Chris Godwin in 2022 before signing him to an extension.
In 2025, are there any players on whom it would make sense to place the tag when the time is right?
Your first thought may be “yes,” but there are numbers attached to each position. The second thought would be, “Who deserves to have it placed on them?” Notable free agents for the Bucs include Chris Godwin and Lavonte David; outside of them, there may not be a player in consideration for it.
Since the team placed the tag on Godwin in 2022, he would not only see the value of the tag but an additional 20%. That would mean placing it on Godwin would be for a whopping $30.8 million so that route would make no sense. For linebacker Lavonte David, his franchise tag price would be $27 million, another large number for a team with tight cap space.
What this tells me is the answer to the question of “Will the Bucs use the franchise tag?” is a simple no. There is no sense to be had in using it, in fact, it makes sense for Jason Licht and his staff to work with them for regular extensions.