The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were initially dunked on by everyone around the league when they signed Baker Mayfield to a one-year deal back in 2023. Mayfield looked to be a certified bust at that point but the Bucs brought him in and the former first overall pick showed that Jason Licht was right to sign him.
Mayfield signed a three-year extension following the season, tying him to Tampa through the end of the 2026 season. This means he'll be a free agent when this upcoming season concludes. Will he continue to be the starting quarterback of the Buccaneers by that point?
Dave Helman of The Athletic Football Show said that if he were Licht, he'd stick with Mayfield as the Bucs quarterback.
"I think Baker is probably the Buccaneers' best chance at a quarterback answer over the next three years," Helman said. "I'd rather have Baker under contract for three more seasons than try to venture out into the wilderness."
Buccaneers urged to stick with Baker Mayfield past 2026
Helman's take makes perfect sense. Say the Buccaneers opt not to re-sign Mayfield past 2026. That could end up working out for them, as they could either draft a promising young prospect to take over or sign a noteworthy free agent. On the flip side though, neither of those options are guaranteed to work out in Tampa's favor, especially with the franchise's history when it comes to drafting quarterbacks.
Mayfield might have regressed this past season but Buccaneers fans have watched him operate for three years now and it's been enough for the team to win big games. While they haven't advanced past the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs, that hasn't necessarily been on Mayfield.
Now if Mayfield is demanding top of the line quarterback money, that's another story. But considering he took a hometown discount the last time around, hopefully he will again this time around and he and the Buccaneers can continue to have a positive relationship with one another.
Buccaneers fans know what it's like to be in quarterback purgatory and it's not somewhere they want to end up again. That's why sticking with Mayfield for another few years makes all the sense in the world... for now, at least.
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