Future Of The Bucs In Baker Mayfield’s Hands?
July 12th, 2026
“You’re my guy, ‘Bake.'”
While the two Joes agree Baker Mayfield will very likely be the Bucs’ quarterback in 2027, both continue to throw empty beer cans at each other at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters.
The Joe typing this here postwants to see how Mayfield handles a potential bounceback year this season before inking him to a massive deal.
(The other Joe has been stomping his feet for the Bucs to extend Mayfield for months.)
Does Mayfield shake off the stench of last year’s collapse and lead the Bucs back to the playoffs, or does he have yet another season where he struggles to make it to the finish line due to undisclosed injuries? He had injuries last year and in 2023, he couldn’t throw in a win-or-go-home game at Carolina to end the regular season?
Gilberto Manzano of SI.com seems to think how Mayfield plays this fall could determine the future of the Bucs.
However, what the Buccaneers decide to do with Mayfield’s contract dilemma this summer will be a telling sign of how highly GM Jason Licht views this familiar core group for the long run. If Mayfield doesn’t get his extension, this could be a make-or-break season for many in Tampa Bay, including Bowles.
While Joe knows full well the Bucs have offered Mayfield a contract, the cautious Joe thinks rushing to extend Mayfield could doom both Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht and Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
If Mayfield has a repeat of last year, where he wills himself back onto the field when maybe he should take off a game or two, and struggles as a result, why would Licht and Bowles want to hitch their careers to a quarterback over 30 who can’t stay healthy enough to be effective down the stretch when wins are critical?
On the surface, that doesn’t seem to be very savvy.
July 12th, 2026 at 11:12 am
Unfair take on the Bake. Every single QB in the league would be playing hurt with the O-line Baker had last season. Lousy O-line, no running game, OC was a total failure game planning outside of scripted plays. WRs didn’t get open. Baker had no time for plays to develop, he was getting killed by defenses. Yet he never gave up.
July 12th, 2026 at 11:15 am
You know “Somewhere on a beach”…New young toys, healthy !The Diva jumped ship with hamstrings his tantrums and age! His defense has been recharged, with some new parts! A nasty chip! He’ll be locked and loaded, Looking forward to watching him! Just sayn…Go Bucs!
July 12th, 2026 at 11:18 am
If our future is in his hands, we’re certainly doomed to mediocrity.
QBs that get hurt and are ineffective don’t get better over time.
Best bet is to trade him now and get max value in return.
Then you can let Browning take over this year. He could probably keep us in the hunt.
After the season fire Bowels and Licht. Bring on capable people with brains.
Mike knows.
July 12th, 2026 at 11:39 am
Anyone referring to the best offensive player in Bucs history, a sure hall of famer, and a stellar contributor to the community a “diva” immediately shows its ignorance and surely resides on the shortest bus.
Moving on — Tom Brady couldn’t win with Tdod as head coach. Tdod could have Mahomes, Allen, Stafford, Burrow, Unitas, Baugh. Wouldn’t matter. They would all turn to suckage. While Baker has proven to gag repeatedly in the critical moments, he gets a bit of a reprieve considering the disaster he works for.
Since this is Todd’s last season, don’t commit to a QB who likely would not be favored by the next head coach.
July 12th, 2026 at 11:45 am
How about a HC or GM that says ” Hey Bake you are too dinged up to play so you are sitting out the next one”. Period and end of story.
July 12th, 2026 at 11:57 am
🚨
@LynchMob50
Your take is downright sinister.
Trade a proven starting quarterback… for what exactly? A rookie? Hand the keys to a journeyman backup because he “could probably” be better? That’s exactly how franchises spend the next decade searching for another quarterback.
Nobody is saying Baker is perfect. Every quarterback has flaws. But his production, leadership, and durability make the risk of moving on far greater than the reward of gambling on an unproven replacement.
So I’ll ask again…
Could you kindly provide Jake Browning’s résumé? What has he accomplished that makes you believe he’d outperform Baker Mayfield?
And while you’re at it, who are these “capable people” you’d trust to run our beloved franchise? We’re all ears, sir.
At this point, I’m starting to wonder if you’re rooting for the Bucs… or for the quarterback carousel to come back.
🔥 LFG!
🧌❌
July 12th, 2026 at 12:05 pm
Need training camp. This offseason of negativity has been brutal.
July 12th, 2026 at 12:11 pm
If Mayfield was a FA in 2027 – where is he going to sign besides the Bucs?
NFC teams:
Not Rams, Seahawks or 49ers
Not Cowboys, Eagles or Commanders
Not Lions, Bears or Packers
Maybe Saints, Cardinals, Vikings or Giants
AFC teams:
Not Bills, Dolphins or Patriots
Not Chiefs, Raiders, Broncos or Chargers
Not Bengals, Ravens or Browns
Not Jaguars, Titans or Colts
Maybe Texans or Jets
If Mayfield were to replace one of the starters on the maybe teams, Bucs would have option of signing/trading for CJ Stroud, Jacoby Brissett, Kyler Murray, maybe even Aaron Rodgers which would be entertaining.
Mayfield will probably re-sign with Bucs at a cap friendly reasonable rate.
Maybe Jets or Steelers
July 12th, 2026 at 12:17 pm
” Mike Knows” …how to pull hamstrings,cry on TV (Diva)..And he knows how to ruin a locker room! Cya!….Steve V knows and says….Go Bucs!…without evans…
July 12th, 2026 at 12:26 pm
Yeah “Bake” sit this one out “Terible Teddy” is ready…UGH!
July 12th, 2026 at 12:34 pm
All that last season proved was:
1. No team can win with an OC as bad as Grizz
2. No team or QB can win without a strong and deep O-line. Bucs reserves at Guard and Tackle were dangerously awful.
3. No team can win without a strong backup QB. If the Bucs had that last season, Mayfield might could have missed a few games to heal.
4. No team can win when placed in the perfect storm of injuries and really, really bad coaching.
July 12th, 2026 at 12:37 pm
If Baker is really pushing to have a new contract by training camp, he’ll have to compromise quite a bit, I don’t believe the Bucs will want to commit so much of the team’s salary cap at the moment for a QB that plays with reckless abandon (a 30+ year old) and risk the team’s immediate future. Either way, I hope both sides can come to some sort of compromise.
July 12th, 2026 at 12:44 pm
Since he’s one of the top 5-9 most talented QB’s in the NFL, I think signing him now is an incredibly savvy idea. The guy could play for 8-10 more years at a pro bowl level. It’s almost automatic and inevitable we end up with a way worse QB if we don’t.
July 12th, 2026 at 12:52 pm
Hes holding on to see what Lamar does,Lamar got hurt and his Dline was in shambles! which led to the defensive backfield struggles, which feeds throughout the whole TEAM.Then the weight of it all depends on a rookie kicker/ special teams.. The coach is so important maybe Harbaugh should have made the attempt!! Sh!+ happens! Coulda shoulda woulda…
July 12th, 2026 at 12:52 pm
And for the millionth time tom Brady was not focused at all on his past season of football. He was getting a divorce. Stop bringing up he couldn’t win with Bowles. Nobody could have won with Tom Brady in his last season and I don’t really blame him. Things happen. Just like the injuries last year. Very little you can do about it other than make sure everyone is training and stretching properly.
July 12th, 2026 at 12:53 pm
Last not past
July 12th, 2026 at 1:21 pm
Guess I will stay in moderation forever, what a joke.
July 12th, 2026 at 1:30 pm
Sam Darnold is not better than Baker Mayfield. And he just won the Super Bowl.
Baker can beat Mahomes in the Super Bowl. He beat him at Oklahoma.
Baker can win a Suoer Bowl.
If. And these are big IF’s.
1. He slides more in the first half of the season. He must preserve his body for the 2nd half of the season.
2. Our offensive line actually gets some push and opens lanes for Bucky, Gainwell and Tucker.
3. Our defense plays violently and gets after the QB like the Seahawks.
4. Zion and Morrison have the best seasons of their careers. And stay healthy. We have UDFA’s and Practice squad corners as our 3 backups. Hayes is our 7th CB.
5. Vea stays healthy.
6. Trotter and Anzalone mesh and cover the middle of the field.
7. If we call plays like Coen did. And Godwin stays healthy. I love his screen plays. He’s like a RB. He gets yards!
8. Tykee and Winfield stay healthy. Ànd JJ Roberts, Rashad Wisdom and Scott play GREAT special teams.
9. Kancey doesn’t get hurt.
10. Bain and Yaya combine for 18 sacks.
11. Ànd we have depth at guard. Guards are the key to a running game. If we can’t run the ball again, we can’t win a Super Bowl.
July 12th, 2026 at 1:52 pm
Floormatt stop with your nonsense.
Mayfield is maybe the top 11-20th most talented qb. He’s only better than NFC South and
some teams with scrub qbs and NOWHERE near the talent of an injured LAMAR JACKSON
He’s 32 and now going to be injured from now on so what makes you think he’s going to play at a Prowl Bowl level for the next 8-10 years when he plays like a snow bowler when injured???
Brady had to deal with HC/DC Bowles AND LeftoveSandwhich as his OC to go along with his mental state that year but still could’ve won with Liam Coen in 2022.