Buccaneers veterans will report to training camp on July 28, quarterback Baker Mayfield‘s self-imposed deadline for contract negotiations. If an extension does not come together by then, Mayfield could play out the last season of his current deal and head into 2027 as an impending free agent.
Both the Buccaneers and Mayfield have publicly expressed interest in a long-term agreement, but they have not bridged the gap in talks. While Mayfield’s exact asking price is unknown, something in the range of $50MM per annum “certainly seems like the benchmark” for the 31-year-old and his camp, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network said during Friday’s edition of “The Insiders.”
Mayfield was on the verge of reaching the open market in March 2024, but he accepted the Buccaneers’ three-year, $100MM offer with $50MM in guarantees. At the time, he became the NFL’s 15th-highest paid signal-caller by guarantees and 16th in terms of annual value. Mayfield remains 16th at his position in AAV ($33.3MM), but there are now a dozen QBs raking in $50MM or more per year. The Browns’ Deshaun Watson ($46MM) and the Colts’ Daniel Jones ($44MM) are next in line. Watson has been a disaster in Cleveland, where he replaced Mayfield in 2022, while Jones has arguably gone through more downs than ups during his seven-year career.
Mayfield has easily outproduced Watson and Jones in recent years, which at least gives him an argument to approach $50MM per season on his next contract. Since reviving his career as Tom Brady‘s successor in Tampa Bay in 2023, Mayfield has thrown for 4,000 yards twice, tossed 95 touchdowns against 37 interceptions, logged a 97.3 passer rating and earned a pair of Pro Bowl selections. He also led the Buccaneers to the playoffs in his first two seasons as their starter, but he and the team took steps backward during an 8-9, injury-plagued year in 2025. While Mayfield was badly banged up for almost the entire season, he still managed to start all 17 games.
Mayfield has never missed a game as a Buccaneer, yet the club has shown concern over his health during the negotiating process. That is seemingly among the reasons Tampa Bay has not met Mayfield’s demands, but perhaps they will find common ground in the next 10 days. Otherwise, if Mayfield doesn’t budge on his negotiating deadline, he will not reengage with the Bucs until next year (if at all).
This content was brought to you by: Pro Football Rumors
