NFL Network: Bucs, Baker Mayfield Not Close To A Deal; Vita Vea Unlikely To Get New Deal Before Camp
July 7th, 2026
“The Bucs are in no rush.”
While things could change in the immediate days before the Bucs open training camp in a little over three weeks, don’t be shocked if both Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield and Bucs defensive tackle Vita Vea do not have new contracts.
That’s the word from Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. He explained last night in an episode of “The Insiders,” seen weeknights on NFL Network.
Garafolo said he knows what Mayfield’s camp wants and what the Bucs have already offered Mayfield is not close. As for Vea, who is in a contract year and was a hold-in at minicamp, Garafolo doesn’t see the Bucs inking him on a new contract before training camp, either.
Of course, Garafolo said things could change.
“Look, I know what Baker’s doing,” Garafolo said. “I mean, sometimes you got to put a little bit of pressure on the team, even if it is a situation where you know he is going to be the guy and they know he’s going to be the guy, at least for the short term.
“They are not close yet. I know that now. I’m confident in that one. I can tell you that there’s a lot of work that needs to be done on this one.”
As for Vea, Garafolo seemed to lean more toward a deal being struck — if one is struck — after training camp opens.
“The Bucs are in no rush on either one of these [players] around the start of training camp,” Garafolo said. “That’s where some pressure could be applied [by Vea] to say we want to get this done and not have this be a storyline as we get ourselves into camp.
“But I can tell you right now where Baker and his camp, where they have in their mind where the numbers should be, where the Bucs have offered to this point — yeah, they’re not close.
“And it’s about finding that middle ground. They’re not close to that just yet.”
If this news makes you squirm at work, fear not. Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has a history of coming to terms with players in training camp.
Yeah, yeah, Mayfield has said he has zero interest in talking turkey until the season is over once training camp strts. Joe firmly believes if the Bucs/Licht offer Mayfield’s camp what they are seeking, Mayfield will break out the pen whether it’s August, September or November.
Vea is a little different. He’s 31 and that’s old man status in the NFL for big defensive tackles. Joe doesn’t see Licht throwing a vault of Team Glazer loot at Vea on a long-term deal.
That doesn’t mean Licht couldn’t/wouldn’t rip up Vea’s 2026 contract and sign him to a two-year deal that covers 2026 and 2027 as well.
July 7th, 2026 at 4:02 am
We all should know by now that Licht doesn’t negotiate through the media, and Bake has already said football comes first. ‘Not close’ today doesn’t mean ‘no deal’ tomorrow, it means neither side is dumb enough to blink first.”
Personally, I still think Baker gets extended before the 2027 offseason. The bigger question isn’t if he gets paid, it’s whether the final number lands closer to $52 million per year or pushes into the $55–57 million range depending on how the quarterback market moves. Wake me up when either side walks away from the table 🛌.
If I’m Jason Licht, I’m not giving Vita Vea a four-year blockbuster at age 31. I’d structure something like this:
* 2 years, $44–46 million
* $22–23 million per year
* $28–30 million guaranteed
* Front-load the guarantees so Tampa has flexibility after 2027.
That gives Vea a significant raise from his current $17.75 million average annual salary while recognizing that he’s still one of the NFL’s premier run-stopping defensive tackles. Would you say thats fair for the big fella??
🔥LFG
💍 ME
💰 Bake & human Mountain Vea
July 7th, 2026 at 5:04 am
Nothing wrong with this logic.
Neither one of them is winning a SB this year so the team has all the leverage.
Not throwing an absurd amount to these guys right now is the correct move.
Next year is a different story after we have some veteran CBs and LBs.
Embarrassing to be talking about loafing anyway. That doesn’t jive with winning in Peewee Football much less the NFL. They should all have clauses that void contracts for proven loafers and there is proof. We pay way too much money now to watch players blow up like Aiyuk is doing now. At least we have never dealt with that before. Oh wait. Actually the same coach was here. Bowles must have a short memory.
July 7th, 2026 at 6:43 am
Billybucco, this is light years away from being an Aiyuk situation. Nobody is going ballistic. Nobody is going to. Vita is smart enough not to hold you, but he might hold in. He doesn’t exactly have a whole lot of years left in him so he might settle for a decent raise and a two year contract. Maybe even a raise and a one year contract. He won’t sit out of actual games. He will grudgingly play. Baker has already said he will play this year contract or no. Will he accept a 4 year contract for a reasonable 50-55 million? Will he simply play out his $40 million this year and hit free agency next year? I can’t know what he is asking for sure, but I keep hearing it’s $65 million. Patrick Mahomes is making $64 million. Baker is very good, but he is nowhere near as good as Mahomes.
July 7th, 2026 at 6:53 am
As I said when Bowles was retained that this team was going to tank. I said they wouldn’t spend big money in FA or on any extension due to poor play by this roster and bad coaching. And that has played out. The Bucs have all the leverage. No extensions will happen for Baker or Vea, they’ll have to play it out.
Funny how the Glazers wanted to overpay Mike, who was injured, but Baker and Vea get “low” or no offers. Shows you who this team values. Baker wants Jackson and Burrow money without playing at that level. Bakers last big contract will be his last big contract.
17 games to go with these coaches and some of the players on this roster. Its time to build a new foundation to achieve different results.
July 7th, 2026 at 6:58 am
So let me get this straight, bored Zyon McCollum gets a new contract a year early but Baker and Vita are left to twist in the wind. What are we doing here Licht??
July 7th, 2026 at 7:09 am
Both will get done. Nothing to see here. Absurd that anyone believes the Mayfield brain trust is sitting around thinking “Golly! Only one team in the league gave me a chance, has a good O-line, and solid WRs for me to throw to. Maybe I should sign elsewhere”. Vita’s age is working against him, but he’s still one of the Top 5 DTs in the league. We aren’t letting that go.
July 7th, 2026 at 7:23 am
Hard to know who’s wrong, or right without the numbers. Don’t know what Baker wants, don’t know what the Bucs offered. Bottom line, he’s under contract this season, and can be franchised next. I worry more about Vea. Baker won’t hold out, Vea might. Two years 44 million seems fair. As mentioned, Licht gave Zyon a deal he didn’t have to. Vea deserves one.
July 7th, 2026 at 7:32 am
Manchester turn…
July 7th, 2026 at 7:35 am
How about we trade fat boy while he still has some value.
July 7th, 2026 at 7:44 am
Vea will get signed because he has proven to be a consistently good player. Baker has has some great moments but apparently not enough to make the team offer him top dollar for his talents. Garafolo said, “They are not close…”. To me, that means that if Baker is looking for $55M the team is probably offerong $42-$46M. For a 28-26 QB thats very fair, if not generous.
I’m glad that our GM is not swayed by what other teams pay their QB’s.
July 7th, 2026 at 7:47 am
The deal is right there, on the table.
July 7th, 2026 at 7:57 am
Bee, we are not tanking this year. We aren’t exactly making a Super Bowl run, but we are not tanking. This team can and probably will win the South. I don’t see us with a top 10 pick in 2027. I think we are going to evaluate who stays and who goes. That happens every year, but especially this year. And, no. We are not trading Via or anybody crucial unless it appears all is lost by the trade deadline
July 7th, 2026 at 8:06 am
I agree with Henry. There will never be a better time to trade the part time aging over rated DT who is showing signs of unwillingness to honor his contract than right now.
July 7th, 2026 at 8:09 am
ATLBuc, I think 50 to 55 million is very fair. That’s just the going price for a good QB. The 2nd highest QB is Dal Prescott. He makes $60 mil. 4 others make $55. You have to go all the way to #13 to ding a QB who makes less than 50. Baker is well worth 50-55.
July 7th, 2026 at 8:11 am
Fred, the Bucs weren’t tanking last year, but there was massive loafing and players quitting on the team. Pretty fine line I would say. We have the same HC / DC this year. Expect any different?
July 7th, 2026 at 8:16 am
Vita will get his extension…
Baker will have to play it out and prove himself….
i think both winfield and zyon restructure their deals to make things work…or at least they should
GO BUCS!!!!
July 7th, 2026 at 8:38 am
Fred McNeil. Almost always good takes. Almost. Of course we are making a Super Bowl run. That’s exactly what we are doing. Everything else is good takes.
July 7th, 2026 at 8:38 am
Jason needs to quit screwing around give baker his 52 million a year for 4 years quit being a dumbass and get it done vea is gone next year
July 7th, 2026 at 9:00 am
Evans always had to play out his contract.
David always had to play out his contract.
Not Godeke,
Not Wirfs,
Not Zyon,
Vea only plays 60-70% of defensive snaps and he’s 31.
Treated him like David and Evans – he’s not that special.
July 7th, 2026 at 9:05 am
50 million is flat out insane!
Only ONE QB has won a Super Bowl when eating that much of the cap.
ONE! Count em’. ONE!
Baker couldn’t get us there when eating 10% of the cap. How is he supposed to take us there by demanding 16.6%?
You don’t build a winning team by paying that much money to one guy.
The high priced players of today, all quarterbacks, have one thing in common.
They don’t win Super Bowls! Unless you’re Patrick Mahomes. But his time is now over, the greedy b———.
Granted, these teams might be entertaining by brandishing their superstar every week. Makes for good Sports Center’s watching these magic arms at work. But it also makes for underpaid defenses giving up boatloads of points because the team can’t afford better players.
Don’t believe me. Click on your search engine and do a query on what winning Super Bowl QB’s have been paid.
You arm chair GM’s might wanna try some research before you begin throwing your arm chair dollars around and see what makes a championship team.
July 7th, 2026 at 9:08 am
At some point you have to realize that paying big contracts without big results is untenable. That’s where we sit in 2026.
Vita is a little long in the tooth to give him a huge contract that he’ll never earn.
Faker Suckfield spewed chunks down the stretch for a 2-7 record.
And he’s collectively 2-11 in prime time and playoff games. Not clutch.
If you give a QB like that $52+ mil a year, the SB is just a fantasy to never be reached again.
July 7th, 2026 at 9:21 am
Vea is being wasted playing for Todd. Bucs can go 3-14 without him. Trade him to a contender so he can win, and get some real coaching to help him play to his potential.
July 7th, 2026 at 9:24 am
@813bucboi
LFG!!
Blue Chew Baker will lead the way!! We all need some football fellas.
38 days until the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ first preseason game graces our televisions..
🔥 LFG!!
July 7th, 2026 at 9:33 am
BoriMex 813
Cant wait!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
July 7th, 2026 at 10:42 am
As we get closer to training camp pressure will mount to get contracts done for Via and Mayfield. Don’t take sports analysts comments seriously because they don’t know much more than the average Bucs fan.
It’s filling the void until we get closer to the start of the Season in September..
July 7th, 2026 at 10:56 am
Graziano said he expects an adjustment to the contract rather than a long term extension.
Other than new money being added to the deal I’m not sure what an adjustment means. BM is looking for not only a bump but longer term stability.
Now if we added a couple more years to the current deal and got him a bump maybe that works. It would certainly mitigate the obvious risk in giving this sort of player a long commitment.
July 7th, 2026 at 11:02 am
Baker Mayfield is an incredibly talented QB. The team had way too many injuries to possibly compete last year. That’s not Baker’s fault. Lack of pass protection trashed the team and turned our offense into a game of hot potato.
Pay that man his money. He earned it and will continue to do so for many years to come. Then continue to build a team around him. The salary cap goes up 20-35 million every single year. What feels expensive now will be cheap soon.
July 7th, 2026 at 11:23 am
Trade Vea now or let him walk after this year. He’s a part-time player, injury prone amd isnt worth a gig money extension.
Mayfield is in a proven it year with a franchise tag being possible in 27. No rush to commit to him long term
July 7th, 2026 at 11:50 am
Show Baker the money,get it done!
July 7th, 2026 at 12:31 pm
That is exactly what I have been saying on Vea, all along. Go ahead and (eventually, but no rush) fully-guarantee THIS season’s contract, and then up to maybe $5-$6 MILLION of next season’s contract somewhere in the $22-$24 MIL range, & call-it a day! Now, if HE doesn’t agree to THAT… Then, he’d just have to be on HIS OWN, at that point. And, he’s NOT ‘missing-out’ on THAT CASH. He’s just NOT. Even if he does, it DOESN’T just go away and disappear after sitting-out. The BUCS STILL own his rights, & etc. That’s a good fair deal for Vea. More than fair.
July 7th, 2026 at 12:34 pm
I mean, WHAT’s he going to do… RETIRE!? Nope. NOT HAPPENIN. He’s not just walking away from $17-$18 MILLION. 💯
July 7th, 2026 at 12:41 pm
Regardless, whatever it is… They can’t go longterm, because they have to keep him attractive to other teams, for just in case you have to move him before the trade-deadline. You extend him 3-years at top of the market, and HE becomes immovable. And, then WE’RE STUCK.
July 7th, 2026 at 12:51 pm
@ birdie Says: “Show Baker the money,get it done!”
Ummmm, they already have. HE has refused to SIGN-IT. I don’t understand what people are missing here!? If it were ANY other player, Mike Evans, or whomever… They would be screaming for THEM to sign the damn DEAL. Calling them greedy, & etc. But, with BAKER tho… It’s DEMANDING the Bucs to “PAY THE MAN, WHATEVER HE WANTS, or WHATEVER IT TAKES.” And, for an aging, beaten up and banged up, slightly above average, miserably inconsistent, undersized QUARTERBACK (after a 2-7 finish and missing the playoffs). It’s all very VERY weird. It’s all just FANTASY. Again, VERY WEIRD. Then, TELL HIM TO SIGN-IT… If YOU want Baker to be here. It makes NO SENSE whatsoever, that YOU would want the BUCS to PAY MORE. It’s Ridiculous. WHERE IS THE “DISCOUNT!?” Doesn’t sound like a “BUCS FAN” to me. ONLY a BAKER FAN.
July 7th, 2026 at 2:04 pm
At some point you have to realize, that bowles and mayfield are here thru this season,and if they win probably again season after next! At some point you have to realize that throwing little baby tantrums aren’t working…Go Bucs!
July 7th, 2026 at 2:07 pm
Not Licht’s first rodeo.
Remember, he’s the ONLY GM IN HISTORY to have every started from the Super Bowl return. Licht knows what he’s doing.
As fans, we should be supporting Licht. You want the team to do what’s right for the team. The more you spend on a player, the less talent you can afford.
July 7th, 2026 at 5:25 pm
Why are Baker and Vea being talked about like either won a title without Tom Brady? Mediocreness.