Baker Mayfield made some headline-grabbing feedback this previous week whereas internet hosting his youth sports activities camp. When requested about how contract negotiations between he and the Bucs had been progressing, Mayfield answered that the Buccaneers “are not anywhere close to what we were thinking,” earlier than saying that his facet was imposing coaching camp because the deadline for getting a deal finished earlier than halting negotiations till after the season.
Whereas Tampa Bay common supervisor Jason Licht has constantly maintained there’s loads of time for a deal to return to fruition, from Mayfield’s perspective time is ticking and the 2 sides appear to calculate his worth fairly in another way.
Tampa Bay Occasions reporter Rick Stroud supplied some additional gentle on how concerned negotiations are over the weekend. Responding to a remark that mentioned Mayfield’s facet was in search of $65 million a yr, Stroud mentioned, “Neither Baker Mayfield nor his agent has asked for $65 million per year. In fact, after the Buccaneers initial proposal, they haven’t made a counter offer. That might tell you something.”
Neither Baker Mayfield nor his agent has requested for $65 million per yr. In reality, after the Bucs preliminary proposal, they haven’t made a counter provide. That may let you know one thing. https://t.co/xHZHqS4AsK
None of This Must be Shocking
Now I hardly ever intention to be the primary tackle some of these issues. However I do intention to be the very best take.
And I, and by extension you, noticed this coming.
The timeliness of all of this shouldn’t be misplaced on anybody. It was lower than two weeks in the past that the Pewter Report Podcast reviewed potential 2026 extensions for the Bucs and we began with Mayfield. Our evaluation forecast prompt the negotiations would begin far aside.
With NFL negotiations paralleling actual property by way of either side buying and selling “comps”, the reality is that the quarterback market proper now could be in flux and open to loads of interpretation. And the Buccaneers and Mayfield are going to interpret his worth very in another way with their opening salvos.
The Bucs’ Probably Opening Supply
Baker Mayfield’s 2023-2025 manufacturing has two comps the Buccaneers are most likely anchoring him to. The primary is Geno Smith’s 2022-2024 run that led to him signing a two-year, $75 million take care of the Raiders. The second is Derek Carr’s run from 2020 to 2022, that predated his 2023 take care of the Saints for 4 years and $150 million.
Baker Mayfield (2023-2025) – 1,949 dropbacks, 66.5% completion price, 97-37 TD-INT, 12,423 yards, 7.32 yds/att, 75-77 BTT-TWPGeno Smith (2022-2024) – 1,857 dropbacks, 68.5% completion price, 71-35 TD-INT, 12,226 yards, 7.41 yds/att, 94-69 BTT-TWPDerek Carr (2020-2022) – 1,796 dropbacks, 65.7% completion price, 74-37 TD-INT, 12,429 yards, 7.56 yds/att, 97-62 BTT-TWP
Each of these offers had been for $37.5 million per yr. However cap changes are required to stability for the $301.2 million wage cap in 2026. The common of Carr and Smith’s APY’s, adjusted for 2026’s wage cap, is about $45 million per yr. That might be a 35% improve over the APY of Mayfield’s final deal and a 12.5% premium on his $40 million wage this yr.
Bucs co-chairman Bryan Glazer – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
What Baker Mayfield Might Be Wanting For
Baker Mayfield’s camp will discover their very own comps to construct a unique worth case. Based mostly on his remark that his facet was nowhere near the provide the Buccaneers introduced, I wouldn’t be stunned if these had been the gamers they supplied.
Josh Allen (2022-2024) – 1,886 dropbacks, 64.7% completion price, 94-38 TD-INT, 12,592 yards, 7.61 yds/att, 120-65 BTT-TWPTrevor Lawrence (2021-2023) – 1,950 dropbacks, 63.8% completion price, 58-39 TD-INT, 11,771 yards, 6.73 yds/att, 85-72 BTT-TWP
The cap adjusted common of those two offers involves a bit over $60 million, which is what I imagine his opening ask could be. As of two days in the past that might have tied him with Dak Prescott for the very best paid quarterback within the league. Now with Patrick Mahomes’ extension, a $60 million APY (common per yr) ask is $4 million per yr beneath the excessive water mark for the market.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: IMAGN Pictures – Nathan Ray Seebeck
The Diamond Rio of it All
Two sides. Two valuations of the identical participant primarily based on equally profiled quarterbacks.
The Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield are at the moment far aside on how they see his subsequent contract. That’s okay.
It’s anticipated.
However as they commerce presents every will begin strolling within the route of the opposite. And so they’ll meet within the center.
When that occurs is the larger query.
Mayfield desires to get issues finished earlier than coaching camp or wait till after the season.
I feel the latter is the extra probably state of affairs, however we’ll see.
