Baker Mayfield has been playing out of his mind this season. The former first-overall pick is playing at an MVP-level this season, guiding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 5-2 start this year. Mayfield's incredible play has naturally sparked conversations about his next contract with the team.
Earlier reports stated that the Buccaneers and Mayfield plan to discuss a contract extension when the offseason starts. That's the most logical move, of course, to avoid any distractions this season. For the most part, a contract extension seems to be guaranteed based on the relationship between the team and the player. However, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler highlighted a potential “wild card” that could change the equation.
“Both sides are happy with this arrangement (reworking his contract in 2026),”. Fowler wrote for ESPN. “Mayfield has proof of concept, which means his per-year average should probably have a “5” in front of it. The wild card is the Glazer family, which hasn't always spent big money on players. But Mayfield could look to add a tax on this deal, due to leverage and the below-market deal on which he's currently playing.”
Mayfield is currently on a three-year, $100 million contract with the Buccaneers that runs until 2026. The star quarterback has a humongous $52 million cap hit next year, though that can be cut down significantly once the offseason hits by a little reworking. After 2026, though, Mayfield will need a new contract to stay with the team.
While Mayfield will be 33 years old in the 2027 season, there's reason to believe that the star quarterback will still be effective by then. Most of Mayfield's success this season has been his tenacity in the pocket and his ability to process the field. Those elements won't change as his body starts to get older. The only thing that will be lost to time are the gutsy scrambles the Buccaneers quarterback does from time to time.
The Buccaneers are unfortunately coming off a brutal loss to the Detroit Lions. The vaunted Buccaneers offense finally struggled through against a tenacious Lions defense, scoring only nine points on the night.
