Baker Mayfield is entering the final season of his contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2026. In three seasons as the starter in Tampa Bay, he has led the team to a 27-24 regular-season record, a 1-2 postseason record and two NFC South division titles.
In his first season with Tampa Bay in 2023, Mayfield had the best season of his career, throwing for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions while completing a career-high 64.3% of his passes. The team rewarded him with a three-year, $100 million contract extension.
In 2024, Mayfield outdid himself, turning in one of the best quarterback seasons in franchise history. His completion percentage ballooned to a career-high 71.4%, and Mayfield also set new career bests in touchdowns (41) and passing yards (4,500).
But in 2025, Mayfield regressed closer to the mean. He completed 63.2% of his passes while throwing for 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns — all the lowest marks of his Buccaneers tenure.
That’s not a dig at Mayfield — he was asked to carry a team on his shoulders in 2025 and was a straight-up superhero at times. He was without his No. 1 wide receiver, Mike Evans, for nine games. He didn’t play a single game with his entire starting offensive line intact as injuries ravaged the unit. He also dealt with several injuries of his own.
Despite all that, Mayfield led four fourth-quarter comebacks or game-winning drives during the season. He led the Buccaneers to a 6-2 record through eight games, tying for the best record through eight games in franchise history. So despite playing his weakest overall season as a Buccaneer, Mayfield still delivered plenty of positives and was an above-average quarterback.
But if he expects to earn another long-term contract extension – one that pays him at market value, which could reach $60 million per year – he’ll need to prove to the Buccaneers that he’s an elite franchise quarterback worth investing in.
Baker Mayfield is playing for a contract extension in 2026
After the impressive three years he’s had in Tampa Bay so far, the Buccaneers would love to keep Mayfield around as their long-term quarterback.
The real question is how much he’ll be paid on his next contract. His current deal, which pays him just over $33 million per season, ranks 19th among quarterbacks — an absolute bargain relative to his performance.
Mayfield has either outperformed or played at a similar level to higher-paid quarterbacks, including Kyler Murray ($46 million), Tua Tagovailoa ($53 million) and Trevor Lawrence ($55 million).
He’ll have a chance to cash in with a strong 2026, and if he plays close to the level he reached during his career year in 2024, that figure will undoubtedly surpass $50 million and place him among the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks.
But what if Mayfield doesn’t perform at an elite level in his contract year?
Tampa Bay could decide it needs to see more before committing to such a massive deal and opt to use the franchise tag instead. The 2026 franchise tag value for a quarterback is projected at around $47 million, so the number next offseason would likely be similar.
If Mayfield doesn’t erase lingering doubts in 2026, the Buccaneers could be wise to use the franchise tag rather than tying themselves to an expensive multiyear deal.
His performance in 2026 will significantly impact both his annual earnings and his long-term security.
What must Baker Mayfield do to cash in on his next contract?
Protect the Football
In 2025, Tampa Bay finished 7-1 in games when Mayfield didn’t throw an interception but went 1-8 when he did.
The Buccaneers are a good team, but they’re not good enough to overcome critical mistakes from their quarterback. Even during his best season in 2024, Mayfield threw 16 interceptions and tied for the league lead in turnovers.
Mayfield needs to play smart football and avoid hurting the team with poor decisions in his contract year. Cleaning up that aspect of his game would go a long way toward both individual and team success.
Lead the Buccaneers to Playoff Success
The Buccaneers are 1-2 in the playoffs with Mayfield at quarterback and have failed to advance past the divisional round. He needs to prove he can lead this team on a deep postseason run, as Tampa Bay has bigger aspirations than simply winning the weakest division in football.
It’s a team sport, and Mayfield can’t be expected to carry the Buccaneers in the playoffs the way he has at times during the regular season. Still, a successful postseason run would mean a great deal for his legacy in Tampa Bay and would make the organization even more comfortable investing in him long term.
Stay Healthy
Mayfield battled various injuries throughout the 2025 season, which comes with the territory of his physical, gritty play style.
That physicality is part of what makes Mayfield special, but it’s hard to win consistently when your starting quarterback is constantly limited by injuries. The Buccaneers would love to see him protect himself more and absorb fewer hits if they’re going to make a major long-term investment.
If Mayfield can stay healthy, protect the football and lead the Buccaneers on a deep playoff run, he’ll have checked all the boxes for the team to fully commit to him as the long-term quarterback and reward him with a massive payday next offseason.