Jason Licht: Bucs Have Had Many Good Contract Talks With Baker Mayfield Camp
March 30th, 2026
There is confidence at One Buc Palace that the Bucs will have the resolution they’re seeking when it comes to the future of Baker Mayfield in Tampa.
Sitting in a hotel lobby in Phoenix this afternoon at the NFL owners meetings, Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht fielded a question from Joe after Licht noted how the team loves Mayfield and feels good about how things will go when it comes to extending his contract.
Mayfield’s three-year, $100 million ends after the 2026 season. Licht confirmed he’s in regular talks with the Mayfield camp.
JoeBucsFan.com: [In 2024,] Tristan Wirfs sat out a practice because his contract extension wasn’t finished. Does it concern you that the quarterback position could reach a situation like that? And is it different when it’s a quarterback? And is that something you want to avoid?
Buccaneers GM Jason Licht: We have constant, we’ve had a lot of good conversations with Baker’s representives. Like I said, that is always on our mind. Baker is a true professional. He’s a leader of this team. I have confidence we’re going to be ok.
It sure felt today like a Mayfield contract extension is more of a “when” than an “if.”
March 30th, 2026 at 4:08 pm
š
Good ?
Enough?
Baker is holding the pen and in the driverās seat
If Jason believes his own hype about how good the team is heād get Baker to sign a new contract now.
Jason and Bowels benefit of the doubt
Done run OUT!
March 30th, 2026 at 4:10 pm
can we trade Baker for Deshaun Watson ? they both have one year left on their contracts – maybe we give Watson a new three-year contract like Bowles & Licht – draft a new PK and P and weāre all set
March 30th, 2026 at 4:12 pm
Sounds exactly like the ME13 negotiations. How’d that one turn out again???
Not that I want Mayfield resigned. Quite the contrary. Let him walk after 2026.
The only way I would keep him is if we got a couple wins in the playoffs.
Make the NFC title game and play to win, then he could be retained.
But that simply will not happen. Bowles as the HC\DC is not capable of such things.
March 30th, 2026 at 4:16 pm
One of the Joeās has been saying this since the beginning of the offseason
March 30th, 2026 at 4:35 pm
They will give Baker 4 years $224 Million
Get ready for it Bucs fans
March 30th, 2026 at 4:36 pm
LynchMob50 Says:
March 30th, 2026 at 4:12 pm
You would be a terrible GM.
March 30th, 2026 at 4:37 pm
If he plays hurt again expect 2026 to
RINSE AND REPEAT season. SMH
March 30th, 2026 at 4:37 pm
Bingo!
Lakeland
March 30th, 2026 at 4:37 pm
let him walk after this season…..Playoffs with Baker …your crazy 8 wins max no playoffs!
March 30th, 2026 at 4:40 pm
Todd is afraid of benching Baker when he is hurt. SMH
March 30th, 2026 at 4:44 pm
Lakeland, you wanna pay Baker 56M a year for 4 years? That would be insane!
March 30th, 2026 at 4:47 pm
Scissors
Market prices
It is what it is
March 30th, 2026 at 4:48 pm
Baking with Robinson: I don’t think Baker was playing hurt during that final stretch so much as playing scared. Not of getting hit or hurt – he’s as tough as they come, but of taking sacks, getting stripped, needing more points to win than the team could get. He needs a better oline and needs more calm under pressure. Not more guts, more calm…two different things.
March 30th, 2026 at 4:49 pm
If Baker doesn’t get an extension that means rebuild.
March 30th, 2026 at 4:59 pm
yep extend Baker for 224M – Mayfield and Godwin will be on IR by November –
March 30th, 2026 at 5:01 pm
Keeping Baker is a commitment to losing because that’s all hes ever done. Healthy or “injured” the Bucs lose under his “leadership”. It makes no sense to give an oft-injured player ad guaranteed multi-year deal after missing the playoffs. But the Bucs kept Bowles so not much makes sense with the team addicted to mediocrity.
March 30th, 2026 at 5:07 pm
Extension Done
3 Years 150 Million
6 Million in incentives
33 million signing bonus.
March 30th, 2026 at 5:16 pm
We should extend Baker, hopefully $48-$53 a yr. With ME not talking to $25+ they have some money to spend. Iām a fan since 1976 and ME best offensive player period! But he canāt stay healthy unfortunately. Nothing but positivity for ME unless we meet! Baker didnāt have a good season bc his OC sucked. Letās give Robinson a chance. GO BUCSš
March 30th, 2026 at 5:17 pm
4 years, $180,000,000
March 30th, 2026 at 5:44 pm
If Baker resigns prior to the start of the season, it will be team friendly with incentives! Four years, 140 million with 60 million in incentives over the four years!
March 30th, 2026 at 5:47 pm
No more than $40mil + incentives/ year
March 30th, 2026 at 5:59 pm
i tried to tell everyone baker is your qb for now and the future, you donāt have to like it, you just have to live with it. or just donāt watch buc games this season
March 30th, 2026 at 6:03 pm
This has Jerry Jones/Dak Prescott/Dallas Cowboys feel to it.
March 30th, 2026 at 6:03 pm
Let him test free agency. Let’s see what his market value is.
I have no interest in his “moxy” value or the value his fanbois assign to him.
I want to see an accurate QB that understands the fact that he is the most important player on the field. I want to see him make decisions that don’t result in constant whining from guys on this here corner of the internet like “bu, bu, but HE WAS HURT!”
And I’m suck to death of the constant drone of “he had a different OC since he was 7 yers old”.
So what. Learn the system. Protect the ball and don’t be a dumbarse.
Or go somewhere else.
March 30th, 2026 at 6:04 pm
I’m inclined to go along the lines of what Okiejim and DavidBigBucsFan99 are saying.
$40M a year with incentives on a multi-year deal.
Baker had a good first season with us, and and 2024 showed what he can do with a solid o-line and offensive weapons. Don’t forget, Chris and Mike were both out for part of 2024.
He’s got some things to work on, especially in the 4th quarter of tight games. But, the organization can help by giving him a decent defense so he doesn’t feel pressured to carry the team on his shoulders every game.
I only hope Jason doesn’t get blindsided a la Mike.
March 30th, 2026 at 6:11 pm
Bright Licht wants this deal doneā¦as it would speak to his inexplicable job security. Iām more of the AC/DC loving Joe vs the Ring of Honor/Fire one ( assuming they arenāt the same Joe).
March 30th, 2026 at 6:18 pm
This will be the Biggest Mistake in Buccaneers History!!!!
March 30th, 2026 at 6:33 pm
Baker is going to be re-signed. Get over it Trask fans.
March 30th, 2026 at 6:40 pm
Whatever the owners and coaches think he’s worth since they are the only ones that matter and really know what goes on behind the scenes. But we are getting ready to find out what they think about him.
March 30th, 2026 at 6:43 pm
Yeah HeavyE, you have been right so many times beforešµāš«
March 30th, 2026 at 6:47 pm
We make the playoffs if the team stays healthy, not if Mayfield plays well. He could play really well and we donāt make it because other position groups are out or not playing well. You donāt fire a quarterback if the team doesnāt have success if itās not his fault! What complete nonsense is on here. The truth is, we have a bunch of fans from other teams on here trying to get Mayfield for themselves. Anyone that cannot see Mayfield is an incredible talent is delusional or has an agenda. Re-sign him as soon as humanly possible. Donāt risk having to franchise tag him and make him angry. Work with him to pay him reasonably and not hurt our chances with making the rest of the team better!
March 30th, 2026 at 7:16 pm
Watched an old call-in show outta Cleveland yesterday when Baker was their QB and Odell Beckham was going insane due to Bakerās inability to hit him downfield.
The callers sounded like a rerun of what we have here.
His fans said he played with an inferior line so he never had time.
His detractors, of which there were many, said Baker had moments of greatness followed by too many moments of him failing to hit wide open receivers downfield, and plenty sided with Beckham. They also complained of him playing hurt to the detriment of his team. All this sound familiar?
Trying to be objective, Iām leery of locking him up long term. When they resigned Bowles I began to lose faith in Jason Licht. Was he watching the games?
But my concern is this. Both Arizona and Miami locked up Murray and Tagovailoa respectively and are now paying a hefty price for the blunder.
When there is division among the fan base, something is up.
Some here, quite insanely I might add, think Baker is a god. And some want him gone. This is not good.
As I said yesterday, do you think half the fan base wanted Brady gone from NE at 30, or Mahomes in KC today? No! No division. All are in!
Personally, I think Licht should wait. If Baker plays this coming year like he finished his last, Licht will look like a fool and this team will again be in cap hell for years to come ā¦
March 30th, 2026 at 7:25 pm
Head coach is not Licht’s call. Nor was it Mark Dominik’s. Or Bruce Almighty. Or Richie McKay. Nor will it be whoever succeeds Licht.
March 30th, 2026 at 7:25 pm
@ JustOneGame Says: āRemember Baker was āinjuredā. yet there have been zero articles on the procedures he had to āfixā his āinjuriesā during the offseasonā¦ā
This is nothing but a total Clown Show, from top to bottom. Beginning with THIS Ownership Group. Totally, CLUELESS. They donāt know WHAT to do. Itās all just BS narratives, and a bunch of āSmoke & Mirrorsā playing in this NFC South Division. YOU are ādelusionalā if YOU are buying ANY of it.
These āquestionsā should be asked. And, if Baker is going to hide and not address them HIMSELF, then they should be asked at nauseam to EVERYONE ELSE (all Bucs Coaches and FO members), until there are āspecificā ANSWERS. It should be DEMANDED. I mean, it should be EXPECTED. Since, given that was what we were TOLD.
March 30th, 2026 at 7:35 pm
MJS, when a team is aware that a player is injured and they play that injured player any way the league frowns on that tact, particularly when itās a quarterback.
March 30th, 2026 at 7:58 pm
@ JA, Great Pointsā¦ā¦
March 30th, 2026 at 8:15 pm
Don’t overpay. Too many fumbles no deep ball too many balls get tipped at the line. What is he proven. Love his moxie but a gunslinger is a gunslinger
March 30th, 2026 at 8:23 pm
Division among the fan base just means thereās a lot of not-so-intelligent fans. With both our guards out, Baker had no time for anything late last year. Before that, there was MVP buzz! Super short memories or lack of knowledge or not even watching the games, thatās what this is- or some kind of agendas.
March 30th, 2026 at 8:31 pm
Stpetematt — Every day, the same worn-out record, same skips, same errors.
March 30th, 2026 at 8:35 pm
Itās pretty simple. Licht and the Glazer family have the decision to make. Baker is under contract for another year and heāll play the same whether heās a lame duck or signed to a long term contract. Wonāt matter. Sounds like the Bucs would like to keep him- they could say āweāll see how he does this yearā. They arenāt saying that. Wages for QBs, like salary caps, are going up. Tough decisions, and I donāt think Baker is in any kind of mood to be in a hurry. Waiting on his new little boy is probably taking up most of his energy right now. The Bucs have been fair to him from the jump, and Iāll be shocked if he isnāt the Bucs QB for a long time. It was a great match for both parties then and now.
March 30th, 2026 at 8:40 pm
The Bucs will offer an extension prior to the new season for cap management advantages.
March 30th, 2026 at 8:47 pm
ā Head coach is not Lichtās call. Nor was it Mark Dominikās. Or Bruce Almightyā
Sure seems to me that BA is THE reason we got stuck with Bowles.
March 30th, 2026 at 8:49 pm
No question. When Arians negotiated his contract with the Glazers, it was a package deal. Bowles got to succeed him. The Glazer Family agreed.
Am confident there were stipulations (such as no winning record, no Bowles or Leftwich) but when you win a Super Bowl, you get leverage. See: Chucky, Richie McKay, Bruce Almighty.
March 30th, 2026 at 9:08 pm
With all the success the Patriots and Chiefs have had, why would there be any division among the fans over Brady or Mahomes. Those fan bases had plenty of reason to be satisfied. Naturally Bucs fans are divided over Mayfield. The team has only had middling success over these last 3 years. The problem most fans have is that they have been brainwashed to think that an ELITE quarterback can lead a team to a Super Bowl victory regardless of the coaching or the other 52 players on the roster or any other circumstance that might stand in the way. It satisfies their childish need for hero worship I think. Probably watched too many superhero cartoons as children.
March 30th, 2026 at 9:28 pm
I believe Baker’s fate in Cleveland was sealed when they let his rookie contract play our rather than negotiate a new one before it expired. People here seem to be contemplating a similar scenario. They seem to regard him as a sack of potatoes that’s up for auction, rather than a human being who is able to influence the negotiations. You took Evans to the brink with short contracts and he jumped over it. Taking the attitude that Baker has to prove himself while you have nothing to prove to him is inane. The unstated assumption is that if Baker doesn’t take the crumbs from your table, he will starve in the gutter is, shall we say, unrealistic. The more time and reason you give him to look elsewhere, the more likely he is to find a soft landing. Meanwhile, I have read of no Plan B for quarterback without him.
March 30th, 2026 at 9:34 pm
Melvin, I donāt think Lamar Jackson had any off season procedures to address his hamstring or back injuries that caused him to miss multiple games. At least not that Iāve heard of. If thatās the case then as far as youāre concerned, an injury is only an injury if it requires a procedure to fix it.
March 30th, 2026 at 10:32 pm
Using moron Browns fans whining as justification to dump Baker is something else. Those same people cheered for Deshaun Watson and look what they got him.
I can assure you that every sensible Browns fan misses Baker. Iām one of them.
March 30th, 2026 at 10:34 pm
Thereās a million soft tissue injuries that donāt require procedures to heal. So thatās a straw man argument. I watched the games and I know what I saw. What I saw was a QB under siege late in the season due to lack of guards.
Simple as that.
March 30th, 2026 at 10:38 pm
In 2024 the Cowboys extended Dak Prescott at $60 million/year. Prescott has never played in an NFC Championship game and the year he got extended, the Cowboys started 3-5 before he became injured and out for the season.
The Cowboys didnāt make the playoffs last year either and are in cap hell now and had to trade Micah Parsons last year because of their cap situation .
Extending Mayfield now is very risky for the Bucs – Mayfield is an exciting QB at times and has a strong arm and he has moxie but he hasnāt shown heās a championship QB in clutch situations- not all his fault but partially yes.
March 30th, 2026 at 10:39 pm
Hoping that when Mayfield signs his $255Mill, 4 year fully guaranteed deal, Munch and the rest of the girls who whine about Mayfield do the honorable thing and we never here from them again.
March 30th, 2026 at 10:58 pm
hear
March 30th, 2026 at 11:40 pm
Echo Gipper. Reading some of the comments you would think Mayfield’s entire career was the last seven or eight games of last year, when he was running for his life and the defense was in total collapse. If the defense could stop anybody they still would have won three or four of those games. Here are Mayfield’s playoff stats: 105.9 rating, 12 TDs, 3 Ints. in five games. Admit it, he’s damn good and it would be a huge gaffe to let him go. If you have a personal issue with him maybe you need to find a team with a perfect QB who never makes mistakes.
March 30th, 2026 at 11:51 pm
Well Joe
In this case thatās just enough leverage to plunge us into another lost decade.
March 31st, 2026 at 12:49 am
Pay 50/year now or 60/year a year from now, and risk losing him for no compensation. They’re signing him soon. Baker will be team friendly with the terms I’m sure. Signing him is the least risky option, barring catastrophic injury.
March 31st, 2026 at 1:09 am
Todd and Baker. Partners in losing.
March 31st, 2026 at 1:44 am
Week 6 MVP!
2-11 in prime-time and playoff games!
Lock him up to a $1-billion lifetime contract like the LA Express!
March 31st, 2026 at 4:24 am
Not bad for a journeyman middling midget who canāt throw the ball over 10 yards, huh Munchalot?
March 31st, 2026 at 6:45 am
“”2-11 in prime-time and playoff games!””
That’s damning not only for BM but for the entire Buc organization.
Pathetic doesn’t even begin to describe that stat.
March 31st, 2026 at 9:22 am
Agreed Heavy F We need to make a play for Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders. They will win a Super bowl for sure.
March 31st, 2026 at 11:34 am
In fairness to Baker, the only reason the Bucs are on prime-time games is Mayfield. He’s Box Office and has been since his first Thursday Night game when he came off the bench to lead the Browns to an upset, come-from-behind win against Sam Darnold and the Jets. The Bucs lose many of these contests because the opposition is usually picked from a top team, a Goliath, to be opposed by Baker’s David. I suspect his two wins do not include his Browns debut or his Rams debut because he came off the bench in both instances. Speaking of box office, don’t think that won’t make him very attractive to some owners, not to mention the merch people.
March 31st, 2026 at 11:55 am
Baker canāt sit-out. LoL he is not in the same boat as someone like Tristen Wirfs, or even anywhere close. He decides to sit-out on the FINAL year of his deal, then the Bucs says screw you, and he doesnāt get PAID!? Then WHAT for the next offseason!? Heās forced to have to take a 2-year/$65-MIL Deal, with $30-MIL Guaranteed, IF heās lucky!? He might not end up getting much more than that anyway, unless he has a GREAT season THIS YEAR. And, he is NOT missing-out on the $$$$ owed to him for THIS season, either.
March 31st, 2026 at 12:04 pm
Badbucs Says: āPay 50/year now or 60/year a year from now, and risk losing him for no compensation. Theyāre signing him soon. Baker will be team friendly with the terms Iām sure. Signing him is the least risky option, barring catastrophic injury.ā
That is jut fine. THIS is always the mistake that BAD teams make. So, YESā¦ Allow for someone ELSE to pay THAT, then. A bad team is NOT getting any better by PAYING $50-$60-MIL per year for ANY QB. Much less, an aging, banged up, slightly above average starter in the league, with very little upside. He already is who HE is. And, we already know WHO that is.
March 31st, 2026 at 12:16 pm
WisconsinBucsFan Says:
March 30th, 2026 at 4:37 pm
let him walk after this seasonā¦..Playoffs with Baker ā¦your crazy 8 wins max no playoffs!
BINGO!!!!!
WHAT HAS HE WON?
GO BUCS!!!!!
March 31st, 2026 at 12:31 pm
If Iām the owner, I have enough SENSE to realize and KNOW that this team is NOT a Super Bowl Contender, and wonāt be any time soon either, while under this same current regime. If m the owner, I have the balls to trade him now, and TANK for the 2027-Draft. And, Iām already making āmy movesā on hiring the ārightā GM and HC for my rebuild.
Iām making a move on Jeremiah Love in this draft, and rebuilding my overall team DEPTH. And, Iām putting myself in position to draft Jeremiah Smith in the next draft in 2027, to pair alongside of JMac and EE (and Love). Iām clearing as much available cap space as humanly possible, and stocking PICKS (and TALENT). Iām signing a solid āBridge-QBā on a mid-level deal, as Iām rebuilding the Roster and TRENCHES on each side of the ball. All while ākeeping an eye-outā and calculating my next move by DRAFTING my future Franchise-QB on a ārookieā deal (prob around 2029 or so, depending on what happens with my current veteran, with how heās gelled and lookin) with an already STACKED ROSTER. Iām tearing it ALL down, and starting entirely FRESH. Will already be LEGIT Contenders for MANY years to come going into the 2029 Season. As long as they continue to stick with THIS current status quo of Lickt, Bowles, & Baker, then we will be STUCK and with no end in sight. With ZERO Chance. The longer they wait, the longer weāll all be MISERABLE.
Will have to find another team, because itāll be too frustrating and SICK to even watch. I mean, Iāll be goodā¦ I love ALL sports and THE NFL is not even MY #1. College Football IS. Just everything about it waaaay better. The Fans, the bands, the cheerleaders, the hot girls in the stands, the stadiums, the Gameday atmosphere, the conference rivalries, the recruiting battles, the innovation of all the many different types of offenses, all the traditions, fight-songs, just ALL OF IT. And, I know Iām missing and leaving out a BUNCH. And, we all have COEN in JAX LOL.
March 31st, 2026 at 12:40 pm
@ Jmarkbuc Says:
Well Joe
In this case thatās just enough leverage to plunge us into another lost decade.
THIS RIGHT HERE. You got-it, JMarkā¦ Just in A LOT fewer words than myself, LoL.
March 31st, 2026 at 12:44 pm
@ Gipper Says: āHoping that when Mayfield signs his $255Mill, 4 year fully guaranteed deal, Munch and the rest of the girls who whine about Mayfield do the honorable thing and we never here from them again.ā
Just like weāll never have to hear from YOU again, once heās GONE. šÆ You are not even a true Bucs Fan. ONLY a Baker Fan.
March 31st, 2026 at 12:50 pm
@ Joe Says: āHead coach is not Lichtās call. Nor was it Mark Dominikās. Or Bruce Almighty. Or Richie McKay. Nor will it be whoever succeeds Licht.ā
Well, it is at almost any place else, outside of just a few outliers. So, this mus tell you ALL you need to know about LICKT, then. He is WEAK AF and is not even a REAL GM. Cause, ANY Strong GM would not stand for that. At most places the GM gets to hire āTHEIR GUY.ā And, if the Glazers donāt have enough faith or trust in THEIR OWN GM, then they should just SELL THE TEAM.
March 31st, 2026 at 1:01 pm
And, this Joe can continue deflecting and defending JL all he wants, BUT Lickt is absolutely āresponsibleā for LOSING Coen. Plus, I have heard that Coen never wouldāve taken the Bucs Job to begin with, BECAUSE OF JL.
If JL does not even possess the power to HIRE/FIRE his own Head Coaches, OR sign and draft his own players (itās been stated numerous times, that TODD makes those decisions), then we donāt even HAVE A GM. I mean, SERIOUSLYā¦ What the hell does HE DO THEN!? I mean, HEās never responsible, or held accountable FOR ANYTHING, EVER!? Definitely, NOT from this local media. And, when literally, EVERY freaking decision should be traced back TO HIM. 93-104. šÆ
March 31st, 2026 at 2:16 pm
Melvin and Rod are crazy delusional lol
Baker played thru 5 injuries last year after starting 6-2
March 31st, 2026 at 2:19 pm
Melvin is delusional
HOW do you THINK always CAPPING things helps YOU sound SMART.
STUPIDITY
March 31st, 2026 at 2:21 pm
@Gipper
They are the laughing stock among bucs fans. They are delusional