The last time Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield spoke to reporters, he said contact talks are “not anywhere close” to being where they need to be. He met with reporters on Tuesday, and he was asked where things currently stand.
“Pretty much the same,” Mayfield said, via Rick Stround of the Tampa Bay Times. “But for me, like I told you guys, it’s not gonna affect how I approach this. Things will happen when they should, but for now I’m worried about getting better each day, finishing minicamp, and this offseason program the right way, and going into training camp. So, just handle it one day at a time.”
Mayfield is on the books for $27 million this year. While some have suggested he’ll be making $40 million in 2027, $13 million was carried over from 2025.
The key number, for 2027, is his cap number in 2026. It’s $39.975 million. By rule, that means his franchise tender would be $47.97 million.
The standard quarterback franchise tender for 2026 was $43.895 million.
After finishing a one-year deal in 2023, Mayfield signed a three-year, $100 million contract to remain with the Buccaneers.
As veteran starting quarterbacks go, a broad range has been established. The low end is in the neighborhood of $20 million. The top of the market, given the new Patrick Mahomes contract, exceeds $63 million.
Some think the Buccaneers believe that, at the end of the day, they’ll offer more to keep Mayfield than another team would offer to sign him in free agency. The more immediate question is whether Mayfield will take the best offer the team makes before the start of training camp, if Mayfield intends (as he has said) to halt talks once camp opens.
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