As quarterback Baker Mayfield accomplished his third season because the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback on the second 12 months of a three-year deal, it became clear that there have been zero intentions on either side for the veteran to play on a contract 12 months for the upcoming season. Tampa Bay’s most up-to-date ideas for a long-term deal seemed to be far under what Mayfield had been expecting, and based on Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, it seems health is a important factor why.
Over the course of the 2025 season, it became clear that, if an extension was going to get done, it wouldn’t come until the offseason. Ownership and the front office were all on board, and head coach Todd Bowles added his approval to the chorus yesterday.
When asked abut the progress of a brand new deal just over every week ago, though, Mayfield told reporters that he and the team were “not anywhere close” to an agreement. This comment got here after some initial talks had taken place, and it seemed clear that the 2 sides will just must proceed working towards progress with no holdout likely on the table.
On its face, people might wonder how health might be considered an element dragging down value for a quarterback who has began 51 of a possible 51 regular season games behind center since joining the Buccaneers. While that’s true, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Mayfield has been the image of health. The truth is, just last 12 months, he suffered a shoulder sprain in his non-throwing should that limited him but didn’t hold him out. Following the injury, the team would go on to lose 4 of its last six games to simply barely miss the playoffs. The 12 months before saw Mayfield play through an Achilles injury suffered in a Week 13 matchup.
The team has Super Bowl aspirations, but that ultimate goal shall be extremely difficult to realize if the driving force of their offense continues to blow tires down crucial stretches of the season. The Buccaneers see it as a side of the sport that Mayfield tends to neglect. His aggressive, sometimes ill-advised scrambles over time will proceed to have greater and greater effects on his health as he gets older each season. Bowles told the media that, while Mayfield “makes some great scrambles…understanding learn how to get down and putting himself out of harm’s way” shall be crucial to the team’s success moving forward.
The 2 sides may have to proceed to be open about these conversations in an effort to get their next ideas for an extension closer together. Per Stroud, Mayfield has reportedly set a deadline of the beginning of coaching camp to succeed in a brand new deal. In the event that they can’t get it done by then, he doesn’t intend to barter into the season. General manager Jason Licht isn’t apprehensive about what that may mean for Mayfield’s in-season effort for the team, though. Mayfield has been within the position of getting one 12 months to earn his price prior to now, and it already led to an extension of his time in Tampa once before.