Baker Mayfield Sends Warning to Buccaneers: Contract Talks Not Close to What I Was Expecting
Baker Mayfield is not happy with how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are handling his contract situation, and he did very little to hide it on Friday.
Mayfield, who is entering the final year of a three-year, $100 million deal with the Bucs, told reporters that the initial contract talks with Tampa Bay have not gone the way he hoped. His words carried the unmistakable sound of a quarterback who feels underappreciated.
“Not anywhere close to what we were thinking,” Mayfield said, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “Would love to be here long term but as of right now that’s not exactly the case. But I’m under contract for 2026.”
That is a guarded statement loaded with subtext. Mayfield says he wants to stay. He also wants to be paid like a quarterback who has played at a high level for three straight years.
The frustration is justified. Mayfield’s current deal averages roughly $33 million per year. That puts him behind Trevor Lawrence and Daniel Jones in average annual value, even though Mayfield has been more productive than both of them since signing in Tampa.
Last season, Mayfield threw for 3,693 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He kept the Bucs competitive in the NFC South and flashed real MVP-caliber stretches throughout the year. Quarterbacks with those numbers are getting $50 million per year now, and Mayfield knows it.
The Bucs are in a tough spot. They have other contract priorities, including young defensive talent and a wide receiver room that needs to be retained. Paying Mayfield top-of-market money would limit what they can do elsewhere. But letting him walk would mean restarting the most important position on the roster.
This is also a Mayfield career arc story. He has been written off so many times that getting one more major payday would be a real triumph. After Cleveland gave up on him, after Carolina did not work out, after he had to compete for a job in Tampa, he turned himself into one of the more reliable starting quarterbacks in football.
Mayfield plays best when he feels disrespected. The Buccaneers might actually benefit on the field if these contract talks drag into the season, because a chip-on-the-shoulder Mayfield is a dangerous quarterback. The problem is that approach also creates risk of him walking after the year.
If Tampa Bay does not get a deal done by training camp, expect this to become the dominant story of their season. Mayfield will get asked about it weekly. The locker room will hear about it. And every other quarterback contract that gets signed in the meantime will push his number higher.
The NFL’s quarterback market keeps resetting. Mayfield has waited his turn and put up the production to demand a real number. The Bucs need to decide if they value continuity at the position enough to pay it.
For now, Mayfield is sending the message publicly that the conversation needs to change. The Bucs would be smart to listen before he stops asking nicely.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
