Davante Adams and Chris Godwin might be the two best NFL players who are not under contract for the 2022 NFL season. However, if the two wide receivers don’t sign long-term deals before the start of free agency, they remain unlikely to hit the open market.

The Green Bay Packers are expected to use the franchise tag on Adams if no deal is reached by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. EST deadline. The same goes for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Godwin, who are reportedly negotiating a potential contract.

The franchise tag would give Adams a guaranteed one-year salary of $20.1 million. Having already been franchised last year, Godwin’s 2022 salary on the tag would be $19.1 million. Both players would have until July 15 to work out a long-term contract.

Green Bay probably won’t let Adams hit free agency because it could end their chances of keeping Aaron Rodgers. The quarterback has yet to decide if he wants to seek a trade for next season. Rodgers has made it clear that Adams’ status will play a role in whether or not he wants to stay with the team.

According to ESPN’s Dianna Russini, Tampa Bay will tag Godwin if a new contract isn’t agreed upon before the deadline. The Bucs won’t be allowed to tag Godwin for a third straight year in 2023.

Adams is viewed by many as a top-three receiver in the NFL. After leading the league with 18 touchdowns in 2020, Adams set career-highs with 123 receptions for 1,553 yards in 2021.

Godwin is even more important to the Bucs than he was a year ago when Tampa Bay franchised him. Antonio Brown is no longer on the roster, and Rob Gronkowski could retire again now that Tom Brady has stepped away from the NFL.

Both the Packers and Bucs suffered upsets in the divisional round of the 2022 playoffs.

Davante Adams Packers 49ers
Davante Adams #17 of the Green Bay Packers runs after making a reception during the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on Jan. 19, 2020, in Santa Clara, California. Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images
RELATED STORIES