Not only do the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the luxury of one of the best quarterbacks in the NFC in Baker Mayfield, but they also can take solace in the fact that they are getting elite production out of someone who was signing one-year prove-it deals just a few seasons ago.
Mayfield's three-year, $100 million contract looks like a steal at a time when some of the top earners at his position are asking for almost double his average annual value. Mayfield's contract has helped the Bucs build a winner in the post-Tom Brady era and eliminated many of the QB-related anxiety most teams face.
ESPN's Dan Graziano listed the biggest quarterback-related questions for all 32 teams, and Tampa Bay's quandary was "is Baker Mayfield underpaid?" The short answer to that question is "Yes," and it's time for Mayfield to show everyone just how underpaid he is.
ESPN asks if Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield is underpaid
As quarterback contracts continue to escalate in value to the point where even quarterbacks like Brock Purdy and Tua Tagovailoa are earning well over $50 million per season, Mayfield's signing a three-year contract worth just over $100 million has proven to be one of the best bargains at any position in the league.
Despite once again shuffling through offensive coordinators, which has sadly become a theme of Mayfield's career in the pros, the former No. 1 overall pick managed to join an exclusive club of players who have thrown 40 touchdowns in a single season. There's no reason to expect much of a decline in 2024.
Chris Godwin was retained in free agency, and new draftee Emeka Egbuka figures to be a big part of the offense in 2025. New offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard comes from the same system as new Jaguars head coach Liam Coen, which could lead many to believe that he will run a very similar style of offense.
Mayfield's contract has given the Bucs the financial flexibility needed to take home consecutive NFC South titles, and they are positioned quite nicely to take home a third-straight division championship in 2025. Who would have thought the No. 1 pick with a rocket arm could succeed in the right system?
Mayfield may force his way into a contract that pays him top-end money after another strong season in 2025, but for at least the rest of this campaign, the Bucs will have a fringe Top 10 quarterback making relative peanuts compared to other top performers.