The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have had their best draft in decades last April, but they still have one lingering question mark on the offensive side of the ball. His name is Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield is due for an extension, and that has been a talking point around the league. Now another internet publication is getting in on the act.
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox wrote a piece on each NFL team's one remaining move. For the Buccaneers, it's getting Mayfield under contract.
Baker Mayfield's contract continues to be a thorn for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It's hard not to like the Buccaneers' quarterback. He is gritty, a fighter, and he is relatable. Mayfield doesn't jump off the statistics page as an elite QB, which makes him feel more like one of us regular guys. Whereas Tom Brady is the untouchable glamour QB that clearly makes it known he is on another level, Mayfield is that guy you sit next to in a bar and never know it's him.
That is what the Bucs front office is dealing with as well. He is a good quarterback, but he isn't elite. Quarterbacks don't come cheap anymore; in fact, they are quite the opposite. Even an average-at-best QB gets paid like he's top-tier.
"While he isn't worth top-of-the-market money, Mayfield is perfect for the Bucs and deserving of a second-tier contract—likely in the range of the $44 million-per-year deal Daniel Jones just signed."Kristopher Knox
We couldn't agree more with Knox on this point. Pay him, but don't pay him so much that you regret it down the road.
Jason Licht has repeatedly said that getting Mayfield extended is a priority, but these things take time, and the cap ramifications have to be carefully planned out.
Buccaneers fans shouldn't worry too much about this, and eventually, there will be an announcement that Mayfield has been extended beyond this season. I'm just not sure this is the one remaining move they need to make, or the biggest, at least. Getting help at tight end or in the secondary might be a bit more important.
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