Inside Bucs QB Mayfield’s talks for a new contract
Baker Mayfield has bet on himself before.
And won.
That’s why the Bucs aren’t panicking even after their quarterback revealed on June 5 that the team’s initial contract extension offer was “not close to what we were thinking” and not worth a counteroffer.
Mayfield has set a deadline of the start of training camp to reach a new deal or vows that talks will stop.
For a franchise that has spent the past three years rebuilding its identity around him, it’s fair to ask how an impasse would affect him on the field.
Then again, the Bucs and Mayfield have already been in this situation.
Remember, Mayfield signed a one-year, $4 million prove-it deal in 2023, then responded with what was then a career-best 4,044 yards passing with 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
That performance led to a three-year, $100 million deal, which he has managed to outperform.
Regardless of how contract talks go, the Bucs believe they will get the best version of Mayfield this year.
“Baker’s business, he’s all about business. The contract stuff takes care of itself,” coach Todd Bowles said. “That’s the business side of it that you don’t see that everybody has to deal with, and I’m sure he’ll take care of it. But it doesn’t affect his play.
“I know we’re going to get the best Baker out of Baker. He can separate the two. A lot of guys can that have been in the league awhile. He’s been around the block. He understands how to separate the two, and when he’s out on the field he’s all-ball. In meetings he’s all-ball, and everything else and the contact part will take care of itself.”
General manager Jason Licht said he has spoken to Mayfield and doesn’t believe negotiations will impact him on the field.
“I have no concerns about that,” Licht said. “I’ve talked to him about that. He’s in a very good place right now. He just wants to win. He’s a pro’s pro. We have all the respect in the world. I do, personally. I know everybody here does.
“He’s going to ball. He’s going to ball no matter. We’ll continue to have discussions and try to get to a closure. But one thing I know, personally, I can lay down at night and know he’s going to play his ass off this year.”
It’s important to understand this won’t be an easy negotiation. Mayfield’s average salary of $33.3 million ranks 16th among NFL quarterbacks. Until Tua Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray and Kirk Cousins were released by their former teams, he was ranked 19th.
Another way to look at it is in terms of how much of the salary cap should be spent on a franchise quarterback.
According to The Athletic, with the cap ballooning to $301.2 million for 2026, a “contract worth $50 million annually in 2026 would consume 16.6 percent of the cap. That would have been the 12th highest among QBs in 2025, and 15th in both 2023 and 2024.”
In 2026, 18% of the salary cap - the average percentage typically spent on a franchise quarterback - works out to $54 million annually. Currently, only Dak Prescott earns more at $60 million per year. The new deal just signed by the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes features an average annual value of $64 million for the “new money” portion of the deal that begins in 2027.
Spotrac estimates Mayfield’s value at $53.6 million per year. If he moves on, his contract will still carry a dead salary-cap hit of $22.35 million.
At 31, Mayfield certainly has a number of good years remaining. Since joining the Bucs, he ranks second in touchdown passes with 95 (behind only the Lions’ Jared Goff) and third in passing yards with 12,237 (behind only Matthew Stafford and Goff).
However, the Bucs are concerned about one element of his game he continues to neglect: his health.
While Mayfield hasn’t missed any games since joining the Bucs, he’s been slowed by injuries.
Last season, some of that can be chalked up to injuries on the offensive line. But Mayfeld went from a top MVP candidate after leading the Bucs to a 6-2 start to losing seven of the final nine games and missing the playoffs.
“The thing that will get us to the Super Bowl with him - obviously everybody has got to stay healthy - but the main thing is not turning the ball over and sometimes checking it down and understanding when he gets out of the pocket - he makes some great scrambles - but understanding how to get down and putting himself out of harm’s way,” Bowles said.
“No, he’s not going to miss any games, but he can take a little bit better care of himself in certain situations. I understand when he’s a yard and a half or 2 from a first down, but not when it’s 10 yards or 8 yards from the first down when he can get up and live another day. Unless it’s fourth and 10 in Houston and the game is on the line, and I understand why he’s doing those types of things. But if we can take care of that, we’ll be fine.”
Is that something Mayfield is capable of at this stage of his career?
“It’s doable, because you get older every year, and he sees it and he understands some things and, obviously, the turnovers is for everybody on offense. But getting down, he can do a little bit better job,” Bowles said. “I’m not saying all of them, but there are two or three where he’d like to have back where he can get down and not hurt himself.”
• • •
Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.
Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports.
Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.