JUNE 26: In the course of the latest edition of his annual youth football camp in Norman, Oklahoma (video link), Mayfield spoke again concerning the status of his contract talks. He reiterated that a mutual desire exists for an extension to be worked out, adding the situation is right down to “a matter of finding that middle ground and what makes either side pleased.” Loads of time stays for a deal to be struck in time for training camp.
JUNE 17: Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is on course to play out the last season of his three-year, $100MM contract in 2026. Mayfield said on June 5 that he and the team were “not anywhere close” to an extension. Almost two weeks later, the perimeters haven’t made any progress.
“Just about the identical,” Mayfield said of his contract status on Tuesday (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).
Although Mayfield has never missed a game in his three-year tenure with the Buccaneers, Stroud reported last week that his health has been a priority in extension talks. Mayfield responded “defiantly” Tuesday, per ESPN’s Jenna Laine, saying: “I began every game last yr … the last three years. I don’t know if that ought to ever be an issue.”
While Mayfield is correct in pointing to his perfect attendance since he signed with Tampa Bay in 2023, the two-time Pro Bowler didn’t get through last season unscathed. Mayfield was within the MVP conversation through the Buccaneers’ 6-2 start, however the wheels got here off for the Bucs within the second half of the season. It didn’t help that Mayfield suffered a low-grade AC joint sprain in his left shoulder in a Week 12 loss to the Rams. The 31-year-old played through it, but he threw almost as many interceptions (eight) as touchdowns (nine) over the Buccaneers’ last seven games. They wound up with an 8-9 record that left them out of the postseason for the primary time since 2019.
As he and the team look to bounce back this yr, Mayfield has set a negotiating deadline for the beginning of coaching camp in July. That would change, but when Mayfield sticks to it, he and the Buccaneers have limited time to seek out common ground. Mayfield is averaging roughly $33.3MM on his current contract, which places him sixteenth at his position. Across the NFL, there are mixed opinions on how the previous Brown, Panther and Ram will fare on his next deal.
“He’ll be 32 (if he hits free agency), he’s been injured, this will likely be his fifth team, is it? If he can get a coupla more years at $30 (million a yr), he should take it,” one general manager told Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom:
Alternatively, Albert Breer of SI.com spoke with multiple agents who’re way more bullish on Mayfield’s earning power. Those agents pointed to Jared Goff, Tua Tagovailoa and Brock Purdy as comps. Goff is averaging $53MM every year on the four-year, $212MM extension he signed with the Lions in 2024. Tagovailoa signed for concerning the same as Goff that yr (4 years, $212.4MM), though the Dolphins pulled the plug on him this offseason and ate a record $99.2MM in dead money. Purdy can also be within the $53MM-per-season club, having inked a five-year, $265MM pact last spring. All of those passers were under the age of 30 after they signed, though perhaps the ever-rising cap will help Mayfield vault into that class or do even higher than them.
“If I’m Baker, I’m asking for 60 (per in recent money),” an agent said to Breer.
A good $60MM salary would tie Mayfield with the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott for the second-highest figure within the league. Prescott was 31, the identical age as Mayfield is now, when he reeled in a four-year, $240MM payday in September 2024. He was atop the mountain until three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes ($63.09MM per yr) landed a mega extension with the Chiefs last week.