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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off a disappointing 8-9 season that saw them miss out on the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
They then saw six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans, Super Bowl champion cornerback Jamel Dean, and veteran All-Pro linebacker Lavonte David all walk out the door.
There's a lot of uncertainty in Tampa, and they play in arguably the most unpredictable division in the NFL, the NFC South. For a while, the only reliable piece to the puzzle felt like it was Baker Mayfield, who's experienced a career resurgence with the Bucs. But now, even his future is uncertain.
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Mayfield is entering the final year of his three-year, $100 million deal he signed in 2024, making him an unrestricted free agent after this season. Right now, his $33.3 million average annual salary ranks 16th among starting NFL quarterbacks, behind names like Daniel Jones ($44 million), Deshaun Watson ($46 million), and Jared Goff ($53 million). And his projected market value currently sits at around $53.6 million, well above all of those figures.
According to ESPN's Jenna Laine, negotiations with Mayfield and Tampa Bay haven't gone anywhere since he first revealed on June 5 that the two sides were "not anywhere close" to getting a deal done.
Mayfield added that if a deal isn't reached before training camp kicks off on July 27 at Advent Health Training Center in Tampa, talks are off the table until after the 2026 season.
Both GM Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles have insisted they want Mayfield to remain the Bucs quarterback, but after how he's performed the last few years, he's clearly owed a lot more.
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Mayfield has piled up 12,237 yards and 95 touchdowns across three seasons (51 games) with Tampa Bay, completing 66.3% of his passes.
He's earned two Pro Bowls in three years, including a 2024 season when he finished with a career-high 4,500 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns, and 16 interceptions, while completing 71.4% of his passes. He became just the fourth player in league history to have at least 4,000 yards, 40 TDs, and a 70% completion rate, and led Tampa to the playoffs.
The problem is quarterbacks now are paid out at around $60 million annually, nearly $30 million more than what he's owed in 2026. Which is a lot of money to put into a quarterback who just turned 31 and is 2-3 in the postseason.
The Bucs reportedly believe Mayfield will accept their best offer before camp starts. But, if he doesn't and this drags into the season, Tampa is staring at a franchise tag in 2027 or potentially life without their best player.
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