QUESTION: Is the Baker Mayfield contract extension a priority? I think about if he and Zac Robinson hit it off they are going to convey again each in any respect prices and at that time Mayfield may have confirmed he’s value it.
ANSWER: I’m not involved in regards to the contract extension talks between the Bucs and quarterback Baker Mayfield in any respect for a number of causes. First, Mayfield desires to proceed to play in Tampa Bay and the Bucs need him to proceed to be their quarterback. Second, Mayfield and the Bucs have already efficiently negotiated two earlier contracts – his preliminary, one-year, prove-it deal value $4 million in 2023 and his three-year, $100 million extension in 2024.
And third, and maybe most essential, Mayfield has seen the likes of Professional Bowl star gamers like Antoine Winfield Jr. and Mike Evans need to play out their contract years earlier than and wind up being rewarded handsomely. Evans signed a two-year extension value $41 million, which was honest market worth on the age of 30, and the Bucs even provided him greater than the 49ers did to re-sign with the workforce this offseason.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and GM Jason Licht – Photograph by: Scott Reynolds/PR
After Winfield delivered an All-Professional season in 2023, Tampa Bay made him the highest-paid defensive again within the NFL for a quick second with a four-year, $84.1 million extension. Mayfield has seen firsthand that the Glazers, basic supervisor Jason Licht and assistant G.M. Mike Greenberg are ready to open the checkbook for the precise gamers on the proper time, so he shouldn’t have any considerations about being handled pretty.
I don’t have any inside data on the place issues stand when it comes to Mayfield’s contract calls for and the place the workforce is in providing him a brand new wage value way over his present $33.3 million annual common. I did hear previous to the beginning of the 2025 season that the workforce believed Mayfield might fetch $50 million on the open market.
Now, this was coming off a 4,500-yard season in 2024 when he threw 41 touchdowns – each profession highs – and accomplished a franchise-record 71.4% of his passes whereas main Tampa Bay to 10 wins and one other NFC South title. Mayfield’s numbers dipped significantly final 12 months on account of accidents and Josh Grizzard’s ineffectiveness as a first-year play-caller, and groups normally need to pay a participant for what he’s achieved in his most up-to-date season. Mayfield threw for 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns whereas finishing simply 63.2% of his passes in 2025.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
These numbers have been extra akin to what Mayfield produced underneath offensive coordinator Dave Canales in 2023 when he threw for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns whereas finishing 64.3% of his passes. So the Bucs need to know which QB they’ll get – the 26-28 landing man in 2023 and 2025 underneath Canales and Grizzard or the 41-TD man who had a profession 12 months underneath Liam Coen? That’s seemingly the distinction between making $50 million or $55 million per 12 months.
The hope is that new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who coached with Coen in Los Angeles and is a part of the Sean McVay-Rams teaching tree, can get Mayfield’s manufacturing again to 2024 ranges. Robinson was the Rams QBs coach in 2022 when Mayfield spent the final 5 weeks of the season because the starter in L.A. when Matthew Stafford was injured. I’ve a sense Robinson and Mayfield will each achieve success in 2026 – and each will probably be in Tampa Bay for fairly a while consequently.
QUESTION: With Baker Mayfield sad with contract talks, do you assume he holds out of coaching camp?
ANSWER: I critically doubt it. Baker Mayfield loves soccer and his teammates an excessive amount of to carry out for a brand new contract. If something, the time to execute a holdout is throughout the offseason, similar to Jacoby Brissett is doing in Arizona by holding out of OTAs in a contract dispute.
Mayfield set the deadline for an extension to get achieved this 12 months previous to the beginning of coaching camp in late July. If a brand new contract isn’t in place by then, Mayfield has stated he seems to be ahead to having a great season and we’ve to take him at his phrase. Mayfield might have simply held out previous to the 2025 season after his massive 12 months in 2024 in an try for a pay increase, as he’s simply the Sixteenth-highest paid quarterback within the league, however he’s actually a prime 12 expertise. But he didn’t.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
The workforce primarily thanked him for not including more cash to his wage cap hit by totally guaranteeing his 2026 base wage, which will probably be $40 million this season. When Mayfield signed his extension in 2024, he was nonetheless the third highest paid QB within the division at $33.3 million behind Atlanta’s Kirk Cousins, who was averaging $45 million per 12 months, and New Orleans’ Derek Carr, who was averaging $37.5 million per 12 months. But Mayfield was the perfect QB within the division in 2024, and technically in 2025 regardless of a dip in his manufacturing on account of accidents.
This isn’t the primary time Mayfield has performed in a contract 12 months. He got here to Tampa Bay on a one-year deal value $4 million in 2023 with much more on the road. So he’s handled the strain of taking part in in a contract 12 months earlier than and dealt with it extraordinarily effectively.
Had Mayfield not been a profitable starter for the Bucs in 2023, he seemingly would have had the identical destiny as Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota – former first-round picks who failed as starters and have been relegated to being profession backups. As we all know, Mayfield rose to the event, resurrected his profession and took the workforce to the NFC Divisional playoffs after a 9-8 season and a house Wild Card win over Philadelphia.
Until the Bucs and Mayfield make substantial progress this summer season in contract talks, this might not be resolved into the times main as much as free company subsequent 12 months. And remember that Tampa Bay can at all times place the franchise tag on Mayfield to maintain him round for the 2027, too.
#Bucs QB Baker Mayfield on a possible contract extension with Tampa Bay:
“The contract stuff – it’s taking place it’s beginning. Not anyplace near what we have been pondering. Would like to be right here long run, however as of proper now that’s not precisely the case.
“I’m underneath contract for… pic.twitter.com/uFHXkfK2DF
QUESTION: How a lot is Baker Mayfield value? Is he even value $50 million per season?
ANSWER: Sure, Baker Mayfield is value $50 million per 12 months. He’s presently underpaid because the league’s Sixteenth highest paid quarterback at $33.3 million as he enters the ultimate 12 months of his three-year, $100 million contract. However the place does Mayfield rank amongst all beginning NFL QBs? Properly, that’s subjective, however I believe at worst he’s within the prime 12 – possibly as No. 12. And if Mayfield has one other season like he did in 2024 when he handed for a career-high 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns, he’s a prime 10 quarterback – someplace between No. 8 and No. 10, relying in your opinion of Mayfield.
The very best paid quarterback within the league is presently Dallas’ Dak Prescott, who makes $60 million per 12 months. There’s a tie for second place as Los Angeles’ Matthew Stafford, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, Buffalo’s Josh Allen, Inexperienced Bay’s Jordan Love and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow every make $55 million per 12 months. There are a complete of 11 quarterbacks who make at the very least $50 million, and the remainder of the checklist consists of Detroit’s Jared Goff ($53 million), San Francisco’s Brock Purdy ($53 million), Los Angeles’ Justin Herbert ($52.5 million), Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson ($52 million) and Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts ($51 million).
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence – Photograph by: USA As we speak
If Mayfield’s subsequent deal paid him $50 million per 12 months, he could be the twelfth highest paid QB. However Mayfield could make a critical argument that he’s nearly as good or higher than Lawrence, Love, Purdy, Herbert and Hurts. Lawrence makes probably the most of this bunch at $55 million, whereas Hurts makes the least at $51 million. Mayfield may even argue that he’s nearly as good or higher than Prescott, who’s simply 2-5 within the postseason with the Cowboys.
The guess right here is that the Bucs have began contract negotiations at $50 million per 12 months and Mayfield is asking for Prescott cash at $60 million. That is very typical in the case of contract talks – the participant begins excessive and the workforce begins low they usually normally meet someplace within the center. However on the outset, a $10 million discrepancy is a canyon – not a crease.
I believe if Mayfield winds up taking part in near or higher than his 2024 efficiency the Bucs will really feel a lot better paying him round $55 million per 12 months, particularly if the season ends with double-digit wins and one other NFC South title and residential playoff recreation. In the long run I believe that’s what he’ll wind up getting. Pewter Report’s Josh Queipo initiatives Mayfield’s subsequent contract as a four-year deal value $216 million, averaging $54 million per 12 months.
QUESTION: What vibes are you sensing from the Bucs today?
ANSWER: The vibes are excessive at One Buccaneer Place today – like sky excessive. There isn’t any moping over the truth that the Bucs completed with a disappointing 8-9 document, shedding the NFC South title to the Panthers within the course of. The gamers aren’t sulking, and nobody is even lacking Mike Evans or Lavonte David proper now. These ships have sailed and their days in purple and pewter are within the rear view mirror.
As an alternative, there may be an unbelievable quantity of resolve, which is nice to see. There seems to be an intense give attention to righting the Bucs ship and setting sail for the NFC South title as soon as once more. I believe the truth that the Bucs don’t play a divisional opponent till Week 7 after they host the Panthers on Monday Evening Soccer helps. There will probably be some rigidity constructing via the primary two months of the season earlier than Tampa Bay can extract some revenge on Carolina.
Bucs ILB Alex Anzalone – Photograph by: Brian Collera/PR
All the Buccaneers’ newcomers – free brokers and rookies – have rapidly assimilated into the workforce and have been welcomed with open arms. Everyone seems to be rowing in the identical path and workforce chemistry is being emphasised and cast proper now. All the new assistant coaches, in addition to offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and particular groups coordinator Danny Smith, have drawn rave opinions from the gamers and head coach Todd Bowles.
Attendance throughout the voluntary OTAs and offseason program is at an all-time excessive with practically 100% participation. In my 31 years of masking this workforce, I’ve by no means seen OTAs the place possibly only one or two gamers aren’t in attendance. It’s fairly one thing.
Who is aware of how all of it will translate this season when it comes to manifesting wins? However I don’t assume Bowles and basic supervisor Jason Licht might have requested for something extra from the gamers this offseason when it comes to attendance and angle.
QUESTION: Who stood out in Wednesday and Thursday OTA practices? Did the offense rebound after protection gained the day on Tuesday?
ANSWER: The quick reply is sure, as Pewter Report had Bucs cornerback Jacob Parrish on the Pewter Report Podcast on Thursday after the ultimate OTA apply of the week and he did say that the Wednesday and Thursday practices have been extra even after the protection dominated on Tuesday. The offense apparently picked it up on Wednesday and Thursday. Right here’s that Pewter Report Podcast episode if you wish to test it out.
In terms of who stood out throughout the second week of OTAs, take a look at my newest Pewter Pulse video from Saturday the place I chronicle the names of a number of Bucs gamers who shined in all three practices.
