Adam Schein: Contenders Don’t Run Off Good Quarterbacks; Bucs Must Re-Sign Baker Mayfield
January 24th, 2024
Don’t let Baker Mayfield walk.
The task for Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is simple: Job No. 1 this offseason is to re-sign quarterback Baker Mayfield.
That’s the word from popular sports TV and radio personality Adam Schein.
Typing for NFL.com, Schein added that if the Bucs hope to be a winner next year if not make another run to the Super Bowl, they have to re-sign Mayfield. Otherwise, it’s back to the dregs of the NFL once again for the Bucs franchise.
I voted for Baker Mayfield to win Comeback Player of the Year, but there’s something else I think he should receive in the near future: a new contract with the Buccaneers.
A year ago at this time, the Bucs were staring at an uncertain post-Tom Brady reality, with no immediate answer at QB. It’s easy to imagine how they could have slid into rebuilding mode in 2023. Instead, they signed Mayfield to a one-year, prove-it deal, and the former No. 1 overall pick helped them win their third straight NFC South title. After a bumpy exit from Cleveland and an even bumpier 2022 (split between the Panthers and Rams), Mayfield put up the 10th-best TD-to-INT ratio (28:10) in the NFL, logging the best completion rate (64.3 percent) and second-best passer rating (94.6) of his career.
Don’t be distracted by the interception that sealed Tampa Bay’s loss to Detroit in the Divisional Round. Mayfield’s skills, moxie and leadership were on full display in the Bucs’ inspired run, as he helped push a team that carried a 4-7 record at one point in the season incredibly close to the NFC title game. Tampa should sign the 28-year-old Mayfield to a three- or four-year extension and let him rock.
Here is what getting within a timeout of playing in the NFC championship has done for the Bucs: Mayfield has the Bucs by the nads.
What are the Bucs to do without Mayfield? Thanks to getting to the divisional round, the cost was the Bucs will pick No. 26 in April’s draft. That’s way too far back to trade up to get a game-changing quarterback.
The Bucs would then have to hope and pray that Bo Nix or Michael Penix somehow slips to the mid-teens and then maybe Licht can go get his next quarterback.
If Licht can’t do that, then what’s he to do, overpay for Kirk Cousins? Trade for Justin Fields? Coax Matt Ryan or Alex Smith out of retirement? Sign Russell Wilson?
And if Mayfield does walk, Joe doesn’t like the odds of Mike Evans returning.
So Mayfield holds all the cards in this high-limit round of poker. But the Bucs do hold the franchise tag.
January 24th, 2024 at 7:48 am
Re-sign him.
January 24th, 2024 at 7:52 am
Why? For the chance at another @.500 season and a short playoff run? Really?
January 24th, 2024 at 7:53 am
Welp…now we know Baker has at least one vote for comeback player of the year. And yes – of course resign him.
January 24th, 2024 at 7:59 am
You mean the same guy that contributed to that 4-7 record? That’s an important part to gloss over. It was Baker’s best season, but that doesn’t mean he’s ascended to elite status. At his best, he’s still in a group of mid QBs. Anybody in that group could produce what we got this season. Don’t overpay for mid. Especially when you have more important concerns (Evans, Winfield, McLaughlin, Wirfs, C, EDGE, ILB, CB). Be smart, Licht.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:02 am
True contenders don’t run off good QBs. However, contenders have to be careful not to break the bank on 1 player especially a QB just see Watson and Wilson, and neglect other parts of the team. QBs are tops front a winning team but what about the OL. What about the defense. You can score 50 points a game but if the other team scores 60 you’re still a losing team. I hope they resign Mayfield but I think what’s more important here is not to break the bank, go out and draft or sign a young QB with good upside and potential just in case Shaq Barrett is one example. Still a good player but, did he live up to the dollars he’s getting. Again I am not a GM and all of this is just my opinion
January 24th, 2024 at 8:11 am
We should resign him but hopefully we won’t have to break the bank.
We’ve got players making good money that are not producing…..Shaq, White…..we have injured players eating up cap……Jensen, Gage
Sign Evans, Mayfield & Winfield and go with the draft picks….we won’t have much for FA.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:20 am
He is not going anywhere. Franchise Tag is the guarantee of that. We are lucky to have had him fall in our lap.
J. Dean rework
C. Davis rework
D. White buh bye
Shaq buh bye
Slash Godwins salary
Extend Wirfs
Long term deal w/ Winfield
Team Friendly deal with Evans
January 24th, 2024 at 8:20 am
resign baker…….keep trask warm and get a HC that plays to win.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:22 am
Let Baker Go. Licht needs to consult with Rod Munch, David and the Hate Brigade to find out why.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:24 am
Ryan Jensen
Russell Gage
Both been stealing Big Money now for 2 years. Buh Bye to both will help too.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:33 am
I’d rather have the 3rd round comp pick after he signs a big contract with another team. Let someone else worry that they invested wisely.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:36 am
It would be one of the biggest f*ck ups in team history to let him walk.
Regular season: 64% 4044 yards, 7.1 YPA, 28 TD, 10 INT
Post season: 62% 686 yards, 8.9 YPA 6 TD, 2 INT
With the worst rush offense and a new first time coordinator.
Pay him now lol
January 24th, 2024 at 8:38 am
Baker said he was willing to sacrifice to keep this same group together, all the other players need to sacrifice as well. Bucs have a chance to give baker something that he has never had before, 2 straight years in the same system, either the same teammates. They could do very well next year by filling the biggest needs of the team, center or interior offensive line, edge rusher and db help, if ones available a good receiver. This Bucs team can improve and I believe have a 11 win season and at least make a championship game if not get to the Super Bowl
January 24th, 2024 at 8:42 am
You’re a loser fan. The Bucs were two plays and a botched time management decision away from the NFC Championship Game. Had they succeeded but lost to the 49ers you’d still complain.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:46 am
If he wanted that continuity, he could have signed with McVay and the Rams. They wanted him back. It would have been “2 straight years in the same system.” A good offensive system, with good surrounding talent. Then again, that division is very hard. He came here to be a starter in an easy division. A place where 9-8 is celebrated like the SB.
January 24th, 2024 at 8:49 am
Gipper Says: “Let Baker Go. Licht needs to consult with Rod Munch, David and the Hate Brigade to find out why.”
The real question is why resign a career sub-.500 inconsistent journeyman who might barely get you into the playoffs but can’t beat good teams? In other words, why resign a guy whose ceiling is an NFC South Champions tee-shirt? Is that all you want?
January 24th, 2024 at 9:01 am
Leave Baker….. Tampa Bay needs another crap qb that they can tear down, don’t waste your time with this fan base of losers, complainers and whiners.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:09 am
Those blasting Baker need to open their eyes and look back at many of the losses.A good amount were due to predictible play calling and a weak defense.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:13 am
I was hard on Baker this season. I still dont think he’s a good QB but im ok with him coming back. However, I would sure like to see what he could do under a more competent coach.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:19 am
Imagine being a Bakerfan.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:22 am
Mayfield was a cheap gamble that paid off for the Bucs. Now the Bucs have to decide if he’s worth a significant investment. The stats and team results say he is.
If the Bucs had Detroit’s OLine, and Detroit had the Bucs’ OLine -the Bucs would be in the NFC Championship game.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:24 am
yeah, pull another Hugh Culverhouse, let him leave. Idiots.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:25 am
We had 1min 50sec to score a TD and did not , but we were going to score a TD with 9sec left and down by 8 or 10 pts …this stuff is hilarious .
January 24th, 2024 at 9:34 am
Joe, Can’t get a QB picking 26th? Weren’t Lamar Jackson, and Rodgers picked in the 20s? Think Lamar was taken with the last pick in the 1st.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:36 am
Anybody who says let Mayfield leave clearly hasn’t watched the bucs over the last 30 years. Tampa has bever had a QB this good, besides brady. He is in his prime of his career and a very clutch qb who thrives under pressure. Yea he threw a pic to end the game, but damn the oline didn’t help him one bit on that play. Sign him to a 3/4year deal with an out at the end. He’s only gonna get better. Add another rb and upgrade oline as well.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:51 am
Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Sam Darnold, Trevor Lawrence, Trey Lance, CJ Stroud, Mitchell Trubiski.
All those guys are top 10 draft picks, some of them have several draft picks in them. Out of that lot. You could call CJ Stroud the only true success. For the bucs to draft another quarterback, they’re going to have to use a two or three in addition to their one to trade up. That eliminates our chance of getting the top tier center or edge rusher next year. Our remaining options are signing a top tier free agent quarterback (The only one is Kirk cousins, who is 38 years old ) or gambling next year’s 250 million payroll by going with Trask
The safest option is signing Mayfield for 30ish
January 24th, 2024 at 9:55 am
It is real simple…. How much? He’s not a top 10 guy. Top 15-20, sure. If this contract reflects that reality, fine, sign him. If an Atlanta wants to overpay, let them.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:02 am
Sure, bring him back. But know what you are getting. BM6 is a good NFL quarterback. He is not elite. Pay him $20-25M/year on a 4-year deal. If somebody else wants to overpay him the way Seattle overpaid Geno Smith, let them. Don ‘t even think of the franchise tag, use it on Evans or Winfield if you must. This team is at least two years away from a Super Bowl run, don’t get bedazzled by one good two-month stretch.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:07 am
Why would baker go back to the rams to be Matt Statfords backup. He wants a starting gig. Give baker multiple years in the same system and players and the team as a whole will only get better. I’m just saying bring baker back and resign your own free agents and fill the other needs and the Bucs will make a lot of noise next season. People act like there isn’t a market for baker when in fact he will be getting looked at by at least 4 to 6 teams. If you don’t want baker back you’re just a hater. Theres no rookie qb that is gonna give you anything more or better than baker. You can’t afford the likes of Kirk or Russel and you’re not gonna trade for Justin fields. People act like the Bucs are just great at drafting qbs when in reality they aren’t. Baker is the future and if he ain’t let him go to the falcons and ruin your chances at winning the division.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:16 am
😂😂😂
Name one free agent *starting* QB over the past 5 years that signed a contract where they are making “$20-25M/year on a 4 year deal.” Geno Smith signed a 3 year deal worth $75M last year. Baker has exceeded anything Geno Smith has done with the Seahawks. You’re out of your mind if you think Baker or his agent is going to ask for less.
Wake up bro.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:28 am
30 and up is the going rate. This sounds like an argument I have with my wife at Lowe’s, we will look at a washer and she will announce that ” it’s too much. I am not paying that much.” Well, this isn’t the flea market. The price is the price they aren’t going to negotiate. Of course she refuses to hear it
January 24th, 2024 at 10:47 am
They coulda been a contendah.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:53 am
Re-sign Baker. We should have a few good years with him while we prospect through the draft for a QB of the future. Baker is 28 and might have 4 or 5 good years left. Whether trying to make another run for the champion or rebuilding for the future, Baker would be the right guy to lead the Bucs. With the 26th pick, we are not going to get a serviceable QB – we already have Kyle Trask for that. Oh, by the way, what are we doing with him? We need to get a fresh corp of receivers since ours are aging out. We are also going to replace and refortify both are offensive line and our defensive line. Bowles needs to go. We need a new coach. Go Bucs.
January 24th, 2024 at 11:02 am
Good/great qb’s can be FOUND at middle rounds, just isn’t very common. Have to kiss a lot of toads, over the span of years.
(WHICH, a 5 year contract with Baker would make possible)
January 24th, 2024 at 11:14 am
I believe we have two competent QBs to back-up Baker. I also agree that he has been our best QB in a long time (besides Brady). IMO QB is the last player that we should look for in the draft if we want to improve our team.
January 24th, 2024 at 11:20 am
They’re going to pay to keep him. Anyone with an iq above a mouth breather saw this 2 months ago. Some have let their anti baker zeal cloud their judgement.
January 24th, 2024 at 11:28 am
Bring back Baker.
January 24th, 2024 at 11:32 am
I respect everyone here has an opinion and I like the passion of the fans on here. When it comes to Baker I get why he is controversial. The thing is our opinion doesn’t matter. The last few years Baker has played injured, under bad teams and multiple coaches which explains to me at least 50% and upwards of 70% of why he has been inconsistent. Baker has had a rough few years and he still believed in himself. He was on his last chance with the Bucs and he rose up. As a former army officer, having a leader who inspires you is incredibly important. Baker is beloved by the team because he inspired them through the year and during that slide of losses because he lived through rough times and still believed. Saying Baker is why we lost all those games is BS. People on here were calling out or defense, Oline, Canales and Bowles. It’s a team sport and quite often our losses were a combination of failures and not just Baker.
The bottom line: Mike Evans and other teammates want him back. The coaches want him back. If they want him better next season then fix the Oline, continue to improve the offense system was inconsistent in its first year, and work on catching which partially comes from being in sync through practice (which baker had to split with Trask in pre season).
Tell me a better alternative? Also I agree Baker can’t break the bank that costs us other key players and hinders the ability to improve the team in FA. I agree it should be short contract for now with 3 years with a 4th option max.
After losing Brady, ALL of us dreaded this season and it far exceeded expectations. I hope ALL of us are more excited about next season even if that means Bowles again.
January 24th, 2024 at 11:36 am
R-O
Again you totally betray your name. As I’ve pointed out before you need to replace “optmisitic” with “pessimistic” so we could at least respect you for accuracy. Well that and perhaps some accurate posts.
“You mean the same guy that contributed to that 4-7 record? That’s an important part to gloss over. It was Baker’s best season,”
The first part is just your pessimistic desperation to find fault…The Lions had some slumps..as did other teams. Last time I checked NFL teams reach the playoffs based on their FINAL record not some intermediate mark in the season.
So that’s just your negative observation/opinion. But Baker’s best season.
That’s either ignorance or simply the desire to try and dump some false information on us. You should run for President!
Baker Mayfield went 11-5 with the sorry Cleveland Browns…won first round game on the road against the Browns fiercist rivals in Pittsburgh and went toe to toe with Mahomes in the next playoff game…actually coming closer to whipping the eventual SB Champs than he did Detroit (potential SB champs) both games on the road!
People here like to post without perspective or context. The Cleveland Browns went 1-31 the two years prior to drafting Baker #1. He almost earned rookie of the year losing to Saquan Barkley…no shame there…again for a team that basically went WINLESS for two straight years!
By year 3 he had what as actually been his best season yet.
The Browns SUCK as franchise…Clevelanders loathe the Haslem family.
Contrast that to the Bucs. Now 3 consecutive Division titles…a recent SB and a great management structure in the Glazers and Licht. IF BAker gets another year there is no reason for pessimism.
January 24th, 2024 at 11:50 am
BTW Not sure what it takes to qualify as a “bakerbois” LOL but time for a reality check.
NO I do not wish to give Baker a blank check. It will be a stretch for BOTH sides to produce a deal that is fair relative to the market yet keeps the Bucs out of cap hell with a mortgaged future. IF the Buc’s can’t afford him OK I get that.
IF they can’t afford him though the talk of going to the draft for a 1st round pick is simply dumb IMHO. NONE of these QB’s has a snap of NFL experience. Many will turn out to be busts.
Per Warren Sharp…”There have been 38 quarterbacks drafted in the first round since 2011, “These 38 first-round quarterbacks have made a total of 1,909 starts. Their record? 1034-1035-7. Almost exactly break-even.”
I’ve disagreed with the Traskers about who should start this season. But I did it based on Baker’s experience and yes accomplishments. I honestly do not know how Trask would fare. I gotta believe though that Trask gives us at minimum a 50-50 shot at continued winning and I believe it would actually be an even better chance.
THE Bucs are not desperate at QB! Only DESPERATE teams need to go to the first round unless they have a luxury pick tucked away.
Green Bay owned by the fans and not some wealthy billionaire who thinks his $$$ make him an expert at everything have been the only team I can recall that not only took a QB high when they already had one, they did it TWICE with Superstar Favre and Rodgers at the helm
January 24th, 2024 at 11:52 am
Bucs have a chance to give baker something that he has never had before, 2 straight years in the same system
If he wanted that continuity, he could have signed with McVay and the Rams. They wanted him back. It would have been “2 straight years in the same system.” A good offensive system, with good surrounding talent. Then again, that division is very hard. He came here to be a starter in an easy division. A place where 9-8 is celebrated like the SB.
Bullcrap… McVay said he deserved a starting job and Stafford still has another year left so you’re saying baker should have sat on the LA bench vs parlaying himself into a $100 million contract
January 24th, 2024 at 11:56 am
Posters think Mike Evans wants a rookie throwing him the ball?
BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Bunch of spoiled brats on here lately.
January 24th, 2024 at 12:05 pm
Everyone wants an “Elite” QB that can win SuperBowls just like Jalen Hurts. Oh, that’s right, he hasn’t won any SB’s. I meant to say Josh Allen, ooops, he hasn’t won any either! Never mind, I meant to say Tua. I mean, I meant to say Lamar Jackson, or Dak, or … get where I’m going? If not, I can continue.
So much for how many “Elite” QB’s there are in the league, lol!
Baker HAS NEVER PLAYED FOR A STABLE ORGANIZATION in his entire career. The guys above (and a ton of others) have.
Everyone talks as though Baker has never put up the numbers he had this year. That’s a lie. Check out what he did in 2018 in just 13.5 games. Or what he accomplished in 2020.
Baker Haters just can’t get over the fact that he was successful this year. And it’s driving them crazy thinking that he might be more successful next year and for years to come. The man wants to play for the the Bucs. So, work the deal out.
January 24th, 2024 at 12:06 pm
Milton Says:
January 24th, 2024 at 8:49 am
Gipper Says: “Let Baker Go. Licht needs to consult with Rod Munch, David and the Hate Brigade to find out why.”
The real question is why resign a career sub-.500 inconsistent journeyman who might barely get you into the playoffs but can’t beat good teams? In other words, why resign a guy whose cei
ling is an NFC South Champions tee-shirt? Is that all you want?
__________
Well here’s why your excellency. Matthew Stafford played for a dysfunctional Detroit Lions team for about 10 years and collectively he was not even a .500 QB based on your W-L “important metric.” Stafford had nothing to do with poor management, poor coaching and many other problems that plagued Detroit. Some real smart people in LA looked beyond your nonsensical view that only judges QB on W-L record. Gee, the first year being with good organization Stafford becomes a Super Bowl champion. Gee, do you think it may have had something to do with an overall better supporting cast in LA? Teams win championships not individuals. You would know that if your had ever played on a team. No, high school band isn’t the same as a team. What instrument did you play?
January 24th, 2024 at 12:28 pm
Gipper
Great post. How many remember Jack Webb and Dragnet…he always said…”Just the facts…”
January 24th, 2024 at 1:19 pm
Re-signing Mayfield is a no-brainer. Anyone against it has no brains. Lol
I think it was “Jeff” on another post right after the loss to Detroit who said something like “Tom Brady would have led the team down for a score, not get picked like Baker did” or words to that effect.
I love Brady. GOAT of GOATS but his last pass as a NE Patriot was in this exact same situation (almost). Playoff game AT HOME, so no crowd noise in a dome, trailing by one score with less than 2 minutes remaining. Not only was his last pass an interception, but it was a pick-6.
The reason those last-minute do-or-die drives are so exciting is because getting it done is so rare. No time and one time out remaining? Yeah, everyone knows you’re going to throw it.
I wasn’t a fan of Bowles not calling the final timeout. Missed or blocked kick gives us around 30 seconds, good field position but zero timeouts. Their kicker is pretty good and he most likely makes the kick, but we’ll never know.
What we DO know is that we have a team on the rise and a QB who will fight his arse off. How many sacks did Baker avoid Sunday? He was harassed all day and Canales made no adjustments to extra protection or hot reads. Goff was under some pressure but they schemed hot receivers in the middle of the field because we were abandoning it all day. The Lions had answers, we did not.
I’m proud of the Bucs. They gave the No 2 seed all they could handle in a very loud and hostile environment. It was a winnable game but for some “what ifs?”. The Lions dominated the trenches (not as much as Baltimore did to Houston….that was classic trench warfare 101).
Get Baker, Evans, David, Winfield signed. Get a few pieces to bolster our “trenches” and we’ll be good to go next season. 10+ wins. Book it
January 24th, 2024 at 1:39 pm
Bakers # r not top 15 or 20 what games & stats were u watching this year he was in top 10 for the season plus he makes this team fun as f”””
January 24th, 2024 at 2:36 pm
“And if Mayfield does walk, Joe doesn’t like the odds of Mike Evans returning.”
This cuts both ways. They’re a package deal in terms of priorities. Any one without the other, the remaining priority drops some.
January 24th, 2024 at 5:11 pm
Ah, how soon we forget… how many times did this team make the playoffs before 1997? How about between 2009 – 2019?
Ya’ll acting like getting to the divisional round and being 1 score away from the NFC Conference Championship is lousy. Perhaps you’d prefer more of those 4-12 or 6-10 seasons that we used to have year in and year out instead?
January 24th, 2024 at 8:27 pm
With all of these experts on here, it’s amazing there aren’t 100 professional football teams! LOL while I SMH.
January 24th, 2024 at 9:15 pm
Keep him because there are very few good QBs at the NFL, but his price should be the same or less as Geno’s. Stat line that earned Geno his contract for reference for all the fake NFL fans who like to spew nonsense on here:
Geno Smith: 30TD 11INT 69.8Comp% 4282Passyards and 366 rushing.
So $25million/year tops, they are way more important players on this team that need to be resigned. How can any of you going to justify Baker making more money than Tom Brady. We’ll find out how much of a team player Baker really is. Everyone who thinks he’ll be better next year is delusional. He decides who he’s throwing to before the play start, way too many plays of receivers on the other side of the field from where he’s throwing open. Teams now have a full season of tape on how he plays in this system, and they know he can’t throw the deep ball. I expect a similar decline in production like Geno.
January 25th, 2024 at 8:05 am
If Baker really wants to stay, he’ll do the 25 mil a year that Brady does. Helps with salary cap, and keeps his protection etc.