Contract extensions have been a key storyline for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield and defensive tackle Vita Vea are both in search of new extensions prior to entering contract years in 2026.
Outside linebacker Yaya Diaby and right guard Cody Mauch are also key players entering the final year of their rookie deals.
All four are key starters for Tampa Bay, but the NFL is a business after all, and it might prove to be impossible for the Bucs to keep all four players.
We asked Bucs fans which impending free agent should be the biggest priority for the front office to sign to a contract extension, and they sent a resounding message to the organization.
Bucs fans are practically begging Jason Licht to sign Baker Mayfield to a contract extension
250 Bucs fans responded to a poll conducted by The Pewter Plank, and the results weren’t particularly close.
Which 2027 Bucs free agent should be the team’s biggest priority to re-sign?
— The Pewter Plank (@ThePewterPlank) June 22, 2026
Will Jason Licht find a way to keep all 4, or are they destined to lose one of these key players?
74% of respondents chose Baker Mayfield as the biggest priority for a contract extension.
Vita Vea came in second with 14% of the vote.
Yaya Diaby came in third at 8%, and Cody Mauch finished last with only 4%.
Perhaps it’s not much of a surprise. Quarterback is the most important position for a football team. If you don’t have a quarterback, you’re not going anywhere. Bucs fans feel the team has found its franchise quarterback in Mayfield, and they don’t want to risk losing him in free agency next year.
But it’s difficult to imagine the Bucs losing any of these players. Mayfield is the heart and soul of the team.
Vea is the anchor of the defense, and is the man responsible for Tampa Bay boasting one of the NFL’s most dominant run defenses year-after-year.
Diaby has led the team in sacks in two of his three seasons, and is on the verge of taking the next step and reaching elite status.
Mauch has been rock-solid as the team’s starting right guard, and could be a cornerstone for the future as the team looks to continue their recent history of dominant offensive line play.
Jason Licht has shown a willingness to reward his homegrown talent and keep them in Tampa Bay. The front office can certainly make it work from a cap perspective. The real question now is of ownership is willing to open up the checkbook to keep this core together.
Much of that will depend on how the team performs in 2026. If the Bucs prove they can be Super Bowl contenders with these players, it makes it much more justifiable to pay the hefty price tag to extend them.
If the Bucs have another disappointing season and miss the playoffs, ownership could explore pressing the reset button and going the younger and cheaper route rather than investing heavily in a mediocre team.
The ball is in the players’ courts. Go out and win a ton of games in 2026, and you’ll have a real chance to earn a long-term extension to stay home in Tampa Bay.
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