It’s been highly-debated where Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield ranks among his peers. It’s a debate that matters too, with Mayfield entering a contract year and looking to be paid among the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks.
A panel of 50 FanSided experts weighed in to rank every quarterback in the NFL.
Mayfield’s placement on the list helps make his case for a lucrative contract extension next offseason.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield ranked as NFL’s 14th-best quarterback
Mayfield came in at No. 14 on the list, and in the “Strong QB1” tier. He comes in just behind quarterbacks like Jordan Love (10th), Trevor Lawrence (11th) and Jared Goff (13th). He comes in ahead of Brock Purdy (15th) and Jalen Hurts (17th).
Why are those quarterbacks important? All of them are on a contract that pays them at least $50 million annually. It’s not just the annual value that stands out either, it’s the length of the contract.
Lawrence, Purdy and Hurts were all signed to five-year deals by their respective teams, while Love and Goff signed four-year deals.
One of Mayfield’s biggest gripes with the Buccaneers’ contract offer this offseason was that they reportedly refused to commit to him for more than two years. It’s hard to blame Mayfield. Looking around the landscape of the league, teams are willing to commit to their franchise quarterbacks on long-term extensions, but Tampa Bay seemingly didn’t have that trust in Mayfield.
He voiced that frustration himself during his first press conference of training camp.
“I can sit here and look at other quarterbacks and peers and evaluate myself based on that and put myself in certain categories, and I deserve to be compensated for that. I think I’m a franchise quarterback. I’ve been told I’m a franchise quarterback. It’s been said publicly from ownership down here, so to not have a deal done is very disappointing,” Mayfield said.
The Bucs quarterback made it clear that he felt disappointed and disrespected by Tampa Bay’s offer, and he should. Mayfield has led the Buccaneers to two division titles and a playoff victory in his three seasons with the team. He’s been one of the NFL’s most productive quarterbacks in that span, ranking second in passing touchdowns and third in passing yards since 2023.
Now, the organization has put a chip on the shoulder of their quarterback who’s already one of the most motivated players in the league. He’s on a mission to prove the front office wrong for not committing to him earlier.
If Mayfield goes out in 2026 and performs at an elite level, the asking price will only go up, and the Buccaneers will be kicking themselves for not getting this deal done (Boomer) sooner.
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