This morning, Buccaneers’ fans from all over breathed a long sigh of relief when news broke that free agent quarterback Baker Mayfield would be staying with Tampa Bay. The veteran & Bucs’ management agreed to terms that would keep him in Tampa Bay through 2026. The new deal has yet to be finalized, but formalities aside, Mayfield will be set to make $100,000,000 over three years, with $50 million fully guaranteed. The contract has a maximum value of $115,000,000 with guarantees, per Ian Rapaport. The news comes just a day before the NFL’s “legal tampering” period begins on Monday, a day that would have surely seen Mayfield approached by several teams. That door is closed, now, and Baker will stay in the Bay.
From @NFLTotalAccess: Baker Mayfield stays in Tampa. 💰 💰 💰 pic.twitter.com/aLagsX9vVl
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2024
Mayfield pushed all his chips to the middle of the table, betting on his own performance, when he signed a one-year “prove it” deal entering the 2023 season as the Bucs’ QB1. Following Tom Brady is a gigantic set of shoes to fill, but Baker knew he was the man for the job, and he was right. The team exceeded everyone’s expectations, bringing home their third straight division title and handily beating the defending NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles in the Wildcard round of the 2023 Playoffs.
The Buccaneers have been crushing it with their reacquisition of key free agents. In a single week, they have managed to retain All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr., wide receiver Mike Evans, and quarterback Baker Mayfield. These three moves alone relieve a ton of pressure on the front office, who can now focus on next month’s NFL Draft as well as signing potential free agents that hit the open market.
For now, Tampa Bay faithful can rejoice that their firebrand Quarterback will remain under center through 2026. The possibility of drafting a mid-round prospect to sit behind Mayfield and learn now seems feasible, but with restructures of key players’ contracts and setting up Evans’ & Mayfield’s deals to be team friendly, Tampa Bay will now be able to spend more money to bolster positions lacking depth. The 2024 season’s ceiling for the Bucs just got alot higher.
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