Buccaneers need to re-sign Baker Mayfield before it’s too late

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield have been a match made in football heaven since they joined forces in 2023.

Through three seasons, Mayfield has led Tampa Bay to a 27-24 record, two division titles, and one playoff win. Mayfield is second among all quarterbacks in touchdown passes in that span. 

The Buccaneers have got an absolute bargain out of Mayfield to this point. He played his first season on a one-year, $4 million prove-it deal.

The team then extended him to a three-year, $100 million deal, which expires after the upcoming season. He’s the 16th-highest-paid quarterback entering 2026, which is a steal relative to the level he’s played at. 

Mayfield is ready to cash in on his next contract, securing a deal that reflects his value as a franchise quarterback. He hopes to sign an extension before the 2026 season and avoid playing out the final year of his contract.

But he and the Buccaneers have been locked in a months-long stalemate, with little progress being made toward a deal. 

Mayfield gave the team a deadline of training camp to reach an agreement before he ends negotiations until next offseason. With that deadline quickly approaching at the end of the month, time is ticking on Mayfield and the Bucs. 

Tampa Bay needs to find a way to get a deal done, and avoid letting this ongoing contract situation become the defining storyline of their 2026 season. 

Baker Mayfield has earned a massive contract extension from the Buccaneers 

Currently, as Baker Mayfield finishes off his $33 million per year contract, there are 12 quarterbacks making at least $50 million per season.

Some of the players in that group include Trevor Lawrence, Brock Purdy, Jalen Hurts, and Jared Goff. Mayfield can make a legitimate case that he’s on the same tier as, if not better than, some of these quarterbacks. 

Some will point to Mayfield’s 1-2 postseason record with Tampa Bay, while Hurts has reached two Super Bowls and won one, and Purdy has also led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance. But that isn’t necessarily a fair comparison. 

Football is the ultimate team sport, and the Eagles and 49ers, and even the Lions for that matter, have frankly surrounded their quarterbacks with stronger supporting casts. 

From an individual statistical perspective, Mayfield is third among the group in completion percentage, second in touchdowns per game, and third in passing yards per game. 

If Tampa Bay allows him to reach free agency, he’ll likely be the top quarterback on the market. If they’re forced to franchise tag him, OverTheCap projects next year’s tag to cost $50 million, so the negotiations start there. 

The reality is that Mayfield is going to command at least $50 million annually on his next contract. And while that might feel like a hefty price tag, it actually isn’t outrageous compared to the market. 

With 12 already earning at least $50 million annually, another wave of extensions in the coming years will push the market even higher. 

Lamar Jackson and Sam Darnold will be due for raises in 2028. While Jackson already earns $51 annually, it’s fair to assume his next contract could pay him closer to $60 million. 

Young quarterbacks like Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix will be due for extensions in just a few years. In due time, at least half of the NFL’s starting quarterbacks will make over $50 million per year. 

There’s no slowing down the inflation of the quarterback market, and the Bucs can’t afford to lose their franchise quarterback over a few million dollars per year. Unless Mayfield’s asking price is downright unreasonable, Tampa Bay should get this deal done sooner rather than later.

A three-or-four-year contract worth between $50 million and $55 million annually feels like the sweet spot that can satisfy both sides and finally bring this contract saga to an end.

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