The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield are working to reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension ahead of the 2026 season.
Mayfield went on the record earlier this offseason to reveal that he and the team were far apart in negotiations, and talks have remained quiet since.
But as Mayfield’s self-imposed training camp deadline quickly approaches, credible insiders around the league are growing increasingly confident that a deal will get done.
Adam Schefter projects Baker Mayfield’s next contract at $50 million per year
NFL insider Adam Schefter appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and expressed confidence that the Buccaneers and Mayfield will get a deal done — and he even has a price tag in mind.
"The Buccaneers have been a team that typically has gotten deals done once camp is underway..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 21, 2026
I think they figure out a way to get a deal done with Baker Mayfield..
My projection would be it's around $50M a year"@AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/ZXquPvMlBB
"I think that they figure out a way to get it done because both sides want to make it happen. It shouldn’t be a difficult deal to do. I think about $50 million a year. That’s my projection for where a potential Baker Mayfield deal could come in."Adam Schefter
Schefter is the second prominent NFL insider this week to project a deal in that range.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated similarly predicted that Mayfield and the Bucs will strike a deal before the start of the season, and that $50–55 million APY is the number to watch.
The number floating around makes sense, and it didn't come out of nowhere. There are currently 12 quarterbacks making at least $50 million per season, and Mayfield’s production suggests he belongs in that tier. Franchise quarterbacks don’t come cheap, and the market reflects the premium placed on the position.
To further build Mayfield’s case, the projected cost to franchise tag a quarterback next offseason is roughly $50 million. If the Buccaneers can’t reach a long-term deal with Mayfield but still wish to keep him as their starter for 2027, they’ll have to pay that price anyway. Mayfield is heading toward a massive payday, one way or another.
Both Mayfield and the organization have been adamant that they want to reach an agreement. They’ll have to meet in the middle and find a deal that makes both sides happy, but all signs are pointing to a lucrative long-term extension on the horizon to keep Mayfield in Tampa Bay.
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