The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing a dangerous game with Baker Mayfield, who put the organization on blast this week after receiving lowball offers even below the bare minimum of $50 million per season that is basically the going rate for any decent NFL quarterback these days.
Jason Licht and the Buccaneers organization told the entire world that they believe in Baker as their franchise QB, but their offers to the swashbuckling signal caller sent an entirely different message to him.
But all is not lost. The NFL's premier insider Adam Schefter recently stated on ESPN's NFL Live, via Sleeper Bucs, that there is "a lot left" in the relationship between the Bucs and their star quarterback, “Baker is worth more than what the Bucs offered. ... There's still a lot left in this relationship, whether Baker likes it or not.”
The Buccaneers are gambling with Baker Mayfield's future
On the one hand, Schefter is admitting what Mayfield said is true and that the Buccaneers lowballed their most important player. But on the other hand, Schefter's comments are a reminder that Mayfield has not walked yet, and even after the season ends, he will still be under contract with the Bucs up until March when the new league year begins, giving the Bucs a buffer zone.
Jason Licht is not one to cave into media pressure or even Baker Mayfield's pressure on him. Because as much as Bucs fans love Mayfield and as readily as everyone is taking his side, there is an unsaid truth that the media has been planting this offseason: Baker still has to prove himself.
Mayfield couldn't get the job done against Jayden Daniels in the 2025 playoffs. And last season, he was as responsible as anyone else on offense for the collapse, and while the defense was the bigger problem and the injuries held him back, the truly great ones find a way.
Licht and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have just put a boulder on Mayfield's shoulder, and Licht is no fool. He understands the psychology of his players. Yeah, it's a risk and the Bucs will have to pay a lot more per season if Mayfield goes on and blows up, playing like an MVP for 16 games instead of 6, but if he does, then it's worth it.
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