When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers saw former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield get his career back on track after leading the squad to another NFC South title and beating the Eagles in the playoffs, Jason Licht rewarded him with a three-year, $100 million contract shortly thereafter.
The contract may have rewarded Mayfield handsomely for his breakout campaign, but it also gave the Buccaneers some wiggle room in the event he regressed to the mean. Instead of regressing, Mayfield and new OC Liam Coen have risen to new heights.
Mayfield lit the Carolina Panthers on fire in a must-win Week 17 duel, finishing the afternoon with 359 passing yards and five touchdowns. Mayfield, who set a career-high in touchdown passes last year with 28, is now up 39 with one game to go. He is tied with Lamar Jackson for the second-best mark in the league, trailing only Joe Burrow.
Given how well he has performed relative to what he is being paid, Mayfield has now proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he has the best quarterback contract, from an organizational point of view, in the entire NFL.
Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield has the best contract in the NFL
Mayfield has not had the most advantageous circumstances this season. With both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin missing time due to injuries and the need to get the offense synced up on yet another new coordinator's scheme, Mayfield has needed to play the best ball of his career.
It's a shame that Tampa's injuries have put them in a position to possibly miss out on a division title. As a result, the Buccaneers will need some help from their division rivals to get into pole position in the NFC South. The Atlanta Falcons could block Mayfield from making it to the postseason again.
No matter what happens, Tampa Bay is in one of the more advantageous positions in the NFC. Their quarterback is playing well above what his contract says he should be doing, they have the flexibility needed to add players at positions of need, and the division remains one of the weaker ones.
The Buccaneers moved off Tom Brady in the best way possible, setting themselves up for the future with Mayfield. Throwing for almost 40 touchdowns is an obscene stat, and it shows that Mayfield's resurgence with Tampa was not a one-year fever dream that dissipates upon waking.