Another Baker Mayfield Contract
September 3rd, 2025
Consider that the Bucs just gave Luke Goedeke a massive contract extension long before it was necessary, and they gave badly injured Chris Godwin a long-term deal, and they just drafted a receiver in Round 1 after selecting a center in the first round a year ago.
Joe is confident the power players at One Buc Palace are going overboard to make sure Baker Mayfield wants to stay in Tampa at a discount rate. His contract runs through the 2026 season but the Bucs likely want to lock him down next year.
Team Glazer knows their business is about quarterbacks, quarterbacks and more quarterbacks. The team rightfully should be built around securing and preserving its quarterback. So Joe expects even more Mayfield-friendly moves next offseason, even if it comes at the expense of the Bucs defense.
Joe could totally envision the Bucs letting Cade Otton walk in free agency next year and drafting a beastly tight end in Round 1, for example,
Mayfield needs a contract extension, assuming he stays healthy. It’s got to be Priority 1 by a mile.
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:34 am
Lock him up by the bye if we go undefeated IMO
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:41 am
Time to play ball. Contract talk can wait.
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:46 am
That’s why Licht freed up cap money earlier and kept it that way. If they can lock these guys sooner than later that’ll help with 1 year guys, Evans may be one of those along with David
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:54 am
And this is why we didn’t make that trade. You can’t win if you don’t have a QB.
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:55 am
Mayfield is smart. Sneaky smart. He knows winning is worth the money. He knows his brand is only worth money if he’s winning. Having great teams costs money and he may have to take less to keep winning. And he will do that. Because losing ain’t worth no money. And our QB ain’t no dummy.
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:58 am
Any money spent on the defense is a waste as long as the current HC/DC half & half is conjuring genius disguises. Might as well load up on offense.
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:00 am
Why would he take a discount????
He just took a huge discount. I do not expect another one. He’s going to get $50-$55 mill or more per year. Yes, he is…and it is deserved. A “discount” could be 10 or 15 percent. It’s reasonable to think he might take $50 million if he could bag $58 million elsewhere. Joe didn’t say “inexpensive.”–Joe
Paying Godwin was dumb. $44 mill flushed down the toilet. Stupid.
Baker, get yourself paid buddy. Might be your last big one. You deserve it.
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:25 am
Bucs4ever:
$50-55mill per year in 2028 will be playing at a very significant discount. Think about it, Dak is counting $74million against the Cowboys cap this year. Dak. Prescott. In Licht and Baker I trust…
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:29 am
To think that Dak Prescott, of the going nowhere cowboys is making 60 million per season, and our quarterback is making nearly 50% less, we’ve still got the best bargain at QB in the NFL. When he gets his bump, I do believe he will take slightly less and he will end up in the lower half of top 10 highest paid QBs in the league.
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:33 am
It don’t make much sense to reward a QB, that tied for the lead in interceptions , with a new $50 million contract.
That’s just as dumb as making Trask, the 1st QB in history to get a 2nd contract .
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:38 am
I suppose you could also say it doesn’t make sense to reward a QB that was among the leaders in touchdown passes, yardage, and completion percentage while also having a winning record and a second playoff appearance. You could say that, but that would be silly.
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:39 am
We have to keep providing him with protection and weapons if he’s going to stick for another 5 plus years. This offseason was clear that the team understands that.
I want a good defense also but offense pays the bills and keeps you competitive. It should also be easier to build a top 10 defense with a top 5 offense.
If there was another Warren, Loveland or Bowers available next year, I’d swap otten out in a heart beat. And I like otten when he’s on the field.
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:44 am
when his dad ripped him off, he must have had the “it’s only money, F it” moment. might have changed him positively. priorities man.
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:48 am
His touchdown to interception ratio is slightly better than 2.5 to 1, I don’t think any coach in the league would scoff at that
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:53 am
Ya think?
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:57 am
“Paying Godwin was dumb. $44 mill flushed down the toilet. Stupid.”
Saying this, when Baker has targeted Chris 192 times for 132 receptions, 1,600 yards, 86 first downs, and 7 TDs in 24 games together is hilarious to me.
Baker needs Mike & Chris to be worth what a lot of you think he “deserves” and that is evidenced by the fact that Chris missed 10 games last year and still finished with:
3rd most targets on the team.
4th most receiving TDs and
2nd most receiving first downs.
Chris also finished with more yards than every other WR in the room not named Mike Evans, in just 7 games.
Any starting caliber QB in this league would benefit from having a Chris Godwin, Baker Mayfield included.
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:58 am
Pay this man his moneys (Teddy KGB voice)
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:04 am
Ok with letting Otton walk if he doesn’t sign cheap & drat a top TE.
I think our last two first round picks along with the long term contract with Goedeke & Godwin extension have shown Baker that we are surrounding him with good players.
He won’t come cheap…..but he will be reasonable.
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:06 am
godwin is close to returning hes the go to on 3rd down
baker just needs to stay healthy and not throw pics
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:16 am
He’s not going to want to stick around if we’re not winning, and the odds of winning go down if the defense sucks. So, I get wanting to get him more offensive weapons. But, not in the first round. We need more help on the D side, particularly at ILB and DE. If our D can get opponents off the field, Baker is more than capable of working with the offense that we currently have. He’ll be a happy camper.
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:20 am
We would be so screwed if we had not selected Embuka
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:25 am
Stupid to let Otten Walk. He won’t command a huge deal but a fair deal with what he’s produced. If he does, see if Durham/Culp combo works before drafting a huge salaried TE. If we are loading up on the Oline and need Bucky to gain 1000 yds every year for balance , Durhams blocking may be all we need him for. I think Baker would stay in Tampa for less money. Great team, nice pad down on Davis Island, playing for a winner. He’s already got multigenerational money now.
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:35 am
Haunting is right in the middle talent wise of tight ends in the league and it looks to me like he would command $800 or 9 million a year, I don’t think that’s too bad
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:39 am
With few exceptions, I’m convinced that QBs are only as good as the TEAM around them, to include coaches. Baker for instance had a pretty good TEAM around him in Cleveland in 2020, and he did quite well. He had a horrible TEAM around him in 2022 when he was traded to Carolina, and he did terrible.
Our Bucs’ offense has been steadily improving over the past 2 years, and should do reasonably well this year once our injured warriors get healed up. Baker is benefitting from having a quality running game (ranked #4), some quality receivers (passing game ranked #3), and an excellent OLine to protect him. But the real key is that Baker perfectly fits the system.
But ‘the system’ isn’t just offense. Without a defense, we’ll go no-place in the playoffs. So for those who say that Baker should get an extension ‘even if it comes at the expense of the Bucs defense’ I’d say might be a tad short-sighted.
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:39 am
Godwin had had two major injuries…this last one was really bad. Knees and ankles for a WR are a huge deal. I do not expect Godwin to live up to that contract at all. Waste of resources…taking emotion out of it
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:40 am
@Warrenbrooklynch – That’s the OLD Godwin…past tense my man…
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:42 am
Godwin is close to returning…
I remains to be seen whether he can return to his former form…
That is a MASSIVE whether!
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:49 am
Athlete salaries are ridiculous.
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:56 am
Man, you have to keep an eye on that voice to text
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:57 am
“”” also finished with more yards than every other WR in the room not named Mike Evans, in just 7 games”””
Key phrase: In just 7 games. So 10 games out last season. He’ll be at least 4 games out to start this year. Doesn’t bold well for your argument.
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:59 am
@Bucs4ever
OLD? That’s from the last 2 years lol
Bone breaks are a lot less arduous to recover from than soft tissue injuries, because the soft tissue injuries requires more rehab.
Still a comical take nonetheless.
September 3rd, 2025 at 12:04 pm
Beej, The second I read that post I knew you must have used voice to text!
September 3rd, 2025 at 12:07 pm
“Key phrase: In just 7 games. So 10 games out last season. He’ll be at least 4 games out to start this year. Doesn’t bold well for your argument.”
You’re missing the point, missing half the season and still finishing top 5 out of everybody who caught passes in the 10 games Chris Godwin didn’t play shows how valuable Godwin is to our offense. Ketchup big fella, read a little slower maybe?
September 3rd, 2025 at 12:42 pm
Pay the man more if he gets us to the Championship game. Playoffs not enough even Shaun King got us there. Post him more and trade some of these fanbois who are some of the most unreasonable people around
September 3rd, 2025 at 12:44 pm
Good GM’s don’t pay for past production they pay for what they expect in future production. Licht is good but signing Godwin to a big deal was beyond stupid. He let his emotions and Godwin past production get in the way of clear judgement. No way in hell is Godwin the same player than he was before the injury. I read an article from a doctor saying that his injury is career ending and that if he ever makes it back on the field it would be a miracle.
September 3rd, 2025 at 12:47 pm
I hated your disco era
September 3rd, 2025 at 12:49 pm
Godwin may be a step slower from that knee and ankle. No matter. He can read zones and is expert at finding holes in them. Great blocker and elite hands. We won’t be saying he’s overpaid these next 3 years. Wouldn’t be surprised if he is anong the league’s best receivers the next 3 years. Yeah. He’s that good.
September 3rd, 2025 at 12:50 pm
Well, actually, without the first string receivers Baker still ran the 3rd best offense in the league. Maybe that’s why he’s worth the money.
If you spent the energy it takes to know the actual interception “rate” you would find Bakie is down that list a little. It’s a funny thing, but the more passes a qb throws the more interceptions they have. For instance, Bakers is 2.8%, Mahomes is 4.0%. 🤔
September 3rd, 2025 at 1:00 pm
A long term Baker deal that is any less cap favorable will kill this team. There are other Bakers. Do not over invest in a QB.
September 3rd, 2025 at 1:15 pm
The complaining about Godwin is beyond laughable. Baker is no dummy. He knows who scooped him off the NFL trash heap. Licht and Bowles know what they’re going. Now, if only everyone can stay healthy instead of half the team being on IR this season. THAT would be a nice change!
September 3rd, 2025 at 1:19 pm
“Athlete salaries are ridiculous” …. lol…and tv contract and pro sports teams are not? Dallas Cowboys are worth $13 billion for 1 team, if thats no ridiculous I don’t know what is. I work for a company with over 500 employees and we are not worth more than $500 million.
September 3rd, 2025 at 1:24 pm
baker has to win more playoff games and avoid leading the league in INTs and Fumbles…
GO BUCS!!!!
September 3rd, 2025 at 1:25 pm
@Kenton
Apparently some cant see that Godwin out producing everybody in the WR room not named Mike Evans in 7 games, when they played more than Chris doesn’t highlight Chris’ value to the QB and our offense as a whole.
The money is an issue to fans, yet Chris signed for the same amount of (guaranteed) money as Davante Adams signed with the Rams, but we got Chris for an additional year than what Adam’s is getting for just 2 years. I’ll be surprised if Adams is even in LA next season.
September 3rd, 2025 at 1:36 pm
As long as we have a good team I don’t care what any of the players make.
September 3rd, 2025 at 1:42 pm
I’m wondering how likely it is to find a beastly tight end when you are pick #32 in the draft.
September 3rd, 2025 at 1:50 pm
If the Micah situation showed us anything, it’s that it’s better to sign them early than to sign them late.
September 3rd, 2025 at 1:59 pm
short of a collapse of some sort baker mayfield will get re-upped for 50+ per year if not more. the qb market went parabolic at the same time his stats have. he isnt perfect none of them are.
September 3rd, 2025 at 2:11 pm
I am huge on locking in your star players EARLY, but I’m in no hurry for Baker right now. I have to at least first, allow THIS season to play-out. He has to play a lot smarter, be a lot more consistent (lots of empty garbage time stats), cutting down on his turnovers, AND actually ‘WIN’ (while looking good) some BIG-Games, including The Playoffs. I just need to see more before handing HIM a max-level, longterm contract. And, you have PLENTY of time to evaluate that some more BEFORE arriving at a ‘definite’ decision. He did NOT look “great” for most of that first season under Canales… At. ALL. There are LOTS of “good” QB’s in this league, who would’ve LOVED to have had the Bucs Weapons (and Cohen) last season. It was A LOT of ‘dink and dunking’ BUT that is fine if that is the type of offense HE thrives in, being the ‘point guard’ (like basketball on turf). Then, that HAS TO BE the type of offense they need to run for HIM. Just gotta play more under control and smarter (especially getting ‘older’ – CAN’T take those kinds of HITS forever). Protect. The. Ball.
September 3rd, 2025 at 2:22 pm
They have to play FAST this year, and get Baker into a rhythm EARLY. Even better than what Cohen did last season, at times. Some of those first-half’s (THE “MIDDLE-8’s”) the offense became awfully lethargic. The “MIDDLE-8” is SO crucial for Bowles and THIS Team. They HAVE TO keep their ‘foot on the gas’ and be AGGRESSIVE… Especially, when they get inside to RedZone. Do NOT Slow DOWN. If anything… Speed UPPPP. Lots of times, they’d start ‘slowing down’ just as soon as they’d cross midfield, like they were 💯 good with taking the FG. NO. NO. NO. NO. GO FAST. You have a VETERAN TEAM. Let’s GO.
September 3rd, 2025 at 2:26 pm
Vea is going to need to take a big discount. I don’t see them paying TOP of the market $$$ for a north of 30 DT, who doesn’t play every down. It would not make any sense. That’s one reason why I wanted to take at least ONE of those Stud DT’s in this past draft. Someone like, Deone Walker. Of course, the BILLS friggin’ took him.
September 3rd, 2025 at 2:43 pm
And, HE absolutely, did NOT take any “discount” on his current contract, either. He got what HE could get and exactly what the MARKET dictated at that time. PERIOD. There absolutely, was NOT a bunch of teams ‘lined-up’ wanting to hand BAKER MAX$$ after just that first season in Tampa. FACTS. About the only teams that were even a possibility for him other than Tampa, who were seriously interested, were only like, Minnesota and ATL. And, Minnesota made THEIR Decision early, when they decided to ‘trade-up’ in order to get into the Top-10 of the draft (and ahead of Denver, since ‘their minds’ ALSO, were already made up) to take one of those top QB-prospects. THEN, the dominos began to fall, and ATL signed Cousins. Next, almost immediately, BAKER re-SIGNED with The Bucs. There was nowhere else for HIM to go. Period. End of Story. And, at that point, the Bucs were only ‘bidding’ against THEMSELVES.There was no other team. So, there was NO “Discount.” It just NOW ‘appears to be’ a nice deal, based on his last season of play. FACT. Baker got EVERY penny he could GET. Anything other than that, is just a BS ‘narrative’ by people who do not know the context, and etc.
September 3rd, 2025 at 3:09 pm
50+ mil per year. Minimum.
Should be higher than Trevor, Tua, Love etc etc but I don’t see Baker pushing the point…. I think he, like the rest of the players and coaches, is MOST concerned with playoffs and the SB.
September 3rd, 2025 at 3:34 pm
Lots of GMs on here buwahahahahahaha
WHomever posted there’s lots of bakers…please get off the crack…WTH???
SMDH. EMbarrassing AF
September 3rd, 2025 at 4:25 pm
Speaking of contracts, I’m reading the big write-up BSPN did on the Parsons deal, and it sounds like Parsons – in person with Jones – would agree to a terms, only to come back later and want more money, and it sounds like that happened a few times. If that is true (and the way it’s presented it sounds true – like the agent was trying to justify his cut and getting involved after the fact to squeeze more money), then the vilification of the Cowboys is really unwarranted, and it sounds like the agent should be getting a ton of heat for undermining his own client.
Of course it might not be true, but based on history, it sure sounds true. Agents don’t want their clients realizing they can make more money by not having an agent. On a $44m/year deal, if the agent is getting the standard 10%, that’s $4.4m/year. Jerry had apparently done a longer deal with more than $40m/year, so some simple math tells you, the agent cost Parsons money, he didn’t make him money. That’s what agents and unions do, they sponge off workers, provide very little of value, then try to cause unrest between clients and management to make themselves needed.
September 3rd, 2025 at 7:00 pm
Agents also provide a separator between talent and manage during hardball negotiations. A lot of big egos can get badly bruised when it’s done head to head.
September 3rd, 2025 at 8:42 pm
“About the only teams that were even a possibility for him other than Tampa, who were seriously interested, were only like, Minnesota and ATL.“
Baker signed with us for the same reasons as Brady, but it’s not like he was as hot a commodity as Brady was nor did he come with the same/comparable capabilities skill wise TB12. That’s alright, but he’s not even a top 5 offensive player on this team.
That’s the added hype most QBs get, fans confuse them with being the best player just because they play the most important position and the two are never one in the same, but they get paid like it. That’s why it’s so hard to find “points off turnover” stats posted w/o breaching a paywall, that type of data throws a lot of narratives out of whack
September 3rd, 2025 at 8:42 pm
About the bs Chris Godwin hater on here. What Warren Brooks Lynch said is correct!!!! Get outta here with hating on Chris Godwin. Idiot.
September 3rd, 2025 at 8:50 pm
Extend him 50 a year for 3 more years ,, that gives us a nice livable average over 5 years
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:24 pm
Let’s think about this. Before Baker…we were going to win 4 games. After Baker we won 10 games instead of 4 and went 2 deep into the playoffs. The HC has said numerous times that BAKER IS the reason we are even going to the playoffs. When you are ranked 6th as a quarterback in this league you are probably your teams best offensive player. Especially since the only thing keeping you out of the top 5 is your interceptions. Without Baker we would be a 4 to 8 win team and forget the playoffs. But to each his own.
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:27 pm
“The HC has said numerous times that BAKER IS the reason we are even going to the playoffs“
When Baker was getting passed around like a bong at a Grateful Dead cover band concert and lining up as an OLB for the Panthers, we were 3 years into a run he joined in on. Idk about him being why we went to the playoffs, but I can think of 2 games he’s ended with his erroneous behavior on offense.
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:12 pm
Geez, it’s tiring reading comments from a bunch of never was and never will be’s, about Heisman Trophy, #1 2018 overall draft pick, Baker Mayfield. Have endured it for 2 years. Will check back with you clowns after Baker takes the Bucs to the NFC Championship and is named league MVP. Meanwhile just continue with your usual inanities disguised as profundities.
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:27 pm
@rod – it is against the NFL bi-laws to negotiate with a player that has representation…Jones tried to circumvent the rules. Jones is a moron and a loser.
September 3rd, 2025 at 10:58 pm
WBL, you’ve blown your cover. You are a Baker Troll. You want him to fail. What kind of fan is that?
September 3rd, 2025 at 11:38 pm
After this season, I’m seeing a 3 year/$165M ($55M/season) extension coming for Baker. That will be considered a realistic discount. His remaining 4 years then will represent the full scope of the team’s SB window, and likely the last major contract of his career. $55M/season is going to look like a significant discount by the time he even hits year 1 of the extension when the top QBs are making $60M-$65M/season.
In total, he’ll have made almost $270M over 7 years, with a legit shot at the SB in each of those seasons, a city that will love him for the rest of his life, and possibly a spot in the ROH, especially if he gets the team SB #3. He can also realistically rewrite the franchise history stats.
Not bad for a guy who was tossed in the NFL trash just a couple of short seasons ago.
The guy is a former walk-on turned Heisman winner, and then #1 overall pick. He’s built for adversity and proving doubters wrong at every level. I wouldn’t bet against him completing his NFL story the same way. We’re lucky, very lucky, to have him, and he’s lucky to be here as well. It’s a perfect match.
September 4th, 2025 at 1:03 am
WBL, that’s because you unfortunately don’t know how the jet sweep was designed to be run. Plus, 3 “professional” football analysts on PFF all disagree with you and all said that it was McMillan that didn’t run the route properly. When a quarterback is “reaching” straight back from center on a jet sweep and can only reach the receivers obliques the receiver is too deep. The jet sweep is not designed for a quarterback to reach. He turns and the receiver is supposed to be in his hip pocket. McMillan wasn’t even close to that. But that’s all right WBL, if you were interested in the truth you would have went to YT and found examples of it. There are many videos of coaches showing how the sweep is meant to be executed.
And if the HC says Baker is why we are going to the playoffs I’m quite sure it’s a fact, it really doesn’t matter what you think on the matter. And when EVERYBODY says we would win 4 games in 2023 I’m sure that is the case also. We are lucky to have Baker Mayfield, interceptions and all. 2 years ago Onei used to laugh when Baker was compared to Dak Prescott, no one’s laughing now and the cream is still rising.
September 4th, 2025 at 1:05 am
BucYou tellin the truth on the matter
September 4th, 2025 at 2:49 am
Bucs4Ever Says:
“it is against the NFL bi-laws to negotiate with a player that has representation”
.
.
Well that sounds like a protection racket. Almost like the owners and agents are related somehow.
September 4th, 2025 at 4:27 am
“WBL, you’ve blown your cover. You are a Baker Troll. You want him to fail. What kind of fan is that?“
A fan that’s been a fan of this team longer than Baker Mayfield has walked on this planet. So we can critique the GM, HC, whomever the OC, talk about packaging Vita, call Dean a bum, talk vauge nonsense about X’s & O’s, question any other player on this rosters capability, but Baker is off limits? Sounds like a case for slight mental weakness to say the last.
My apologies to those who I’ve triggered by not worshipping the QB lol
September 4th, 2025 at 7:03 am
“The Baker’s Man” just needed the right scheme that fits his style of play.. He’s able to be HIM on the field!! And I bet that ANYONE who knows about BAKER, knows that he thrives off of being the UNDERDOG!! He thrives off of the NAYSAYERS!! He thrives off the one’s that says he’s NOT WORTH IT!! Trust me he’ll SHOWYA BETTER THAN HE CAN TELLYA!!
* Don’t HATE On BAKE *
~813•4•LIFE~