A week ago it seemed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were bracing for the possibility that two of its most important free agents would hit the open market. Instead, less than a day before the legal tampering window opens the Bucs have secured all three of their top guys.
Mike Evans agreed to return to Tampa Bay on a two-year deal last Monday and the week ends with Baker Mayfield re-signing for $100 million. Both deals came on the heels of Antoine Winfield Jr getting franchise tagged with the intention of working out a long-term deal to keep him in Tampa Bay for the forseeable future.
All three players are key pieces of the team's core, and the Bucs managed to bring them all back before the free agency frenzy begins. Re-signing Baker was the last outstanding task the team needed to take care of, and the front office managed to do it in a way that keeps options open for improving other areas of the roster.
Baker Mayfield contract: Full details and breakdown of new deal with Buccaneers
Here's the full breakdown of Baker Mayfield's new three year, $100 million contract:
Year | Salary | Incentives | Guaranteed |
|---|---|---|---|
2024 | $30,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $30M |
2025 | $30,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $20M |
2026 | $40,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $0 |
Baker's guaranteed money is broken up over two seasons in three different ways. He'll get the bulk of it right away with $30 million getting paid out this year, while the remaining $20 million is split between a $10 million upon signing and another $10 million for injury that fully vests next year.
That means the Bucs will be on the hook for guarunteed money next season but nothing will be paid out in the final year of the deal. That's when the base salary kicks up to $40 million, though, which essentially acts as a bonus since it's $10 million more than what his AAV will be the first two years of the contract.
He also has incentives throughout the duration os hif contract with the Buccaneers. Baker can earn up to $5 million each season with performance triggers, much like how he earned some extra money on this year's deal. That puts the max value of this new contract at $115 million, which still feels like a steal considering the franchise tag value for quarterbacks this year was set at $38.3 million and is expected to go up over the next three seasons.
It's about as team-friendly a deal as we could have hoped for, and much more so than what experts predicted. Jason Licht cooked up a masterclass this offseason, as he managed to bring back his three key free agents -- and pieces of the core -- for less than $185 million.
Antoine Winfield Jr. still needs a long term contract which will raise that total, but it's a reminder of how well run the Buccaneers front office is, and why guys like Baker and Mike Evans are so willing to come back.