Jason Licht Declares Baker Mayfield A Franchise Quarterback
August 6th, 2026
Bucs GM Jason Licht
Baker Mayfield is “the man” at One Buc Palace — even if he is annoyed the Bucs don’t want to make him “the man” for the 2029 season.
At least not yet.
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht was asked today whether Mayfield is a franchise quarterback. Licht has referred to Mayfield that way previously — and no apparent love has been lost.
“I’m not going to get into specifics about the contract and all that stuff, but yeah, we do think he is [a franchise quarterback,” Licht said of Mayfield. “And we love Baker. Our feelings for Baker haven’t changed.”
Now the question is whether Mayfield’s feelings have changed. Is he willing to accept the Bucs are not yet ready to give him a guaranteed contract for 2029?
“Baker is in a great place,” Licht said. “I’ve had discussions with him. He’s focused on winning. I’ve never seen him this focused.”
August 6th, 2026 at 11:17 am
“Baker Mayfield A Franchise Quarterback”
So what?
So is Sam Darnold… Who won a SB in Seattle.
What is a “franchise QB”?
Can someone define that term for me?
August 6th, 2026 at 11:18 am
any chance the bucs are using the contract as a carrot to get the best out of Baker this year given he likes playing the role of undervalued?
August 6th, 2026 at 11:19 am
@Marine Buc
Simple web searches, Teuffel… Simple web searches…
August 6th, 2026 at 11:22 am
Ah, the ultimate loaded question.
What’s he gonna say, “No”?
Even if it were true, there’s not a GM out there who would speak negatively about his current QB.
August 6th, 2026 at 11:23 am
Dumb fans have to remember to remember one thing. You’re not signing Baker, or NOT signing Baker. You have to replace Baker. So what does that mean?
1️⃣Is the replacement on the roster already? I’m going to say NO.
2️⃣Are you going to draft a replacement? The Bucs are good for 7-9 wins this year. That means they’re going to pick in the middle of the first round. That means you’re in Josh Freeman territory. Jason Licht will NEVER trade up to get a top 10 pick. He loves draft capital too much. So, you’re going to get a second-tier rookie QB. That means at least two seasons of growing pains, a bunch of losses, and a rebuild. So you’re signing up for 3-5 seasons of misery.
3️⃣Trade for a QB equivalent (or better)? Again, that means giving up picks and Licht hates that.
4️⃣Free agency? anyone worth their salt is under contract. Good QBs don’t hit free agency. You’re either going to get an injury prone cast-off, a journeyman, or a long-shot reclamation project.
You might as well just keep Baker. He costs zero draft picks. Has ties to the community. Plays hard. And he won’t cost you the farm. Keep him and draft a replacement. Or pick up a JJ McCarthy type who will learn the system, but not push to start.
⚠️ Keep this in mind. Baker is not getting a long-term deal because of Todd Bowles. Licht won’t sign Baker to a deal NOW because he knows Bowles is on thin ice. A long-term deal for Baker means the NEXT coach is anchored to a contract and a player that a new coach may not want. Good coaches that are available may want their OWN QB, not leftovers from the previous administration. THAT’S why Baker got offered a non-guaranteed deal. The Bucs want to be able to cut him with minimal cap damage after Bowles gets fired and in comes Mike Tomlin or Sean McDermott.
August 6th, 2026 at 11:24 am
miracle Says:
August 6th, 2026 at 11:18 am
any chance the bucs are using the contract as a carrot to get the best out of Baker this year given he likes playing the role of undervalued?
__________________
That’s the most popular theory. Might backfire if Baker gets pissed enough to leave because if the Bucs decide to tag him at the end of the season, his dead cap money gets brought current and the Bucs are immediately $30 million in the hole for next year. If he walks, the dead cap money hits and they’re $30 million in the hole next year. If they sign him, they kick the can down the road a little farther and might… maybe… find a “rookie-deal” QB to turn the team over to who would be able to justify eating the debt with his comparatively cheap salary.
August 6th, 2026 at 11:25 am
(I dodn’t link the article like I thought…)
@Marine Buc
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/227222-what-is-a-franchise-quarterback-exactly
August 6th, 2026 at 11:25 am
“What is a “franchise QB”?
Can someone define that term for me?”
I’d say it’s someone you would give at least a 3 year contract to
August 6th, 2026 at 11:26 am
Blah, blah, blah.
The Bucs GM and HC are experts at saying absolutely nothing. But to be fair what more needs to be said. Bring on the regular season games so we can get this over with.
August 6th, 2026 at 11:31 am
The Traskie twins will be all over this one.
August 6th, 2026 at 11:32 am
Licht is a moron. If he thinks “this contract dispute will make him play better,” then he’s also stupid.
He’s all but guaranteed the Bucs will (1) lose him next season and take the cap hit; (2) keep him, but at a significant cap hit if tagged; or (3) pay more than market and for longer to take the sting out of the cap hit.
August 6th, 2026 at 11:45 am
Feels like Licht did this presser to let everyone know how he feels about what we’ve all been talking about the last few weeks. Almost like he needed to say something publicly for himself, not just the people willing to listen because he didn’t say anything “new”/”different”.
August 6th, 2026 at 11:51 am
Franchise QB – (n) quarterback of a franchise team in the National Football league
August 6th, 2026 at 11:55 am
@ beeej
“I’d say it’s someone you would give at least a 3 year contract”
I agree with this…
A “FRANCHISE QB” is someone you would give a 3 year contract.
If Baker wants @ $60M AAV – fully guaranteed – are you guys OK with signing off on that deal?
August 6th, 2026 at 11:56 am
Since there are so many jackals constantly jawing that Baker is not a franchise quarterback the occasional lion must roar the contrary as a reminder of the true state of things. In our present environment, repetition is considered an argument and each repetition a new argument, so sage silence is not a weapon in a war of words.
August 6th, 2026 at 11:59 am
Marine Buc Says:
“Baker Mayfield A Franchise Quarterback”
So what?
What is a “franchise QB”?
Can someone define that term for me?
****************************
Marine Buc,
That’s a great question and I think a lot of people have different answers. To me it’s simply a QB who elevates the players around him and finds ways to win games that otherwise would be coin flips. He’s a guy who puts the thumb on the scales of a team’s odds and makes them better than other comparable teams. Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Burrow and Rodgers in his prime etc.
However based on massive contracts handed to a large spectrum of QB’s there’s a lot of NFL executives who think glorified game managers that have occasional great performances are also franchise QB’s. Tua, Lawrence, Purdy etc. There’s a lot of wishing and hoping that goes into the salary cap bonfires that players like that generate.
August 6th, 2026 at 12:09 pm
They are not ready to give him a guaranteed contract for 2029 nor are they ready to guarantee the money for 2028! They offered him a two year contract worth at least 100 million but how much was guaranteed has not been discussed that I’ve heard anyway. If the majority of the money for 2028 was guaranteed in the offer, they would have given him a 3 year offer, with the 3rd year as a team option. But they obviously did not. That tells me that in their offer they have an out after 2027! That would make Baker’s disenchantment more understandable.
August 6th, 2026 at 12:09 pm
@ Louis
I agree and you have provided a more thorough definition of the term “franchise QB”…
My questions for you:
– Is Baker a “franchise QB”?
– If so – should the Bucs pay him @ $60M AAV over a three year deal?
August 6th, 2026 at 12:12 pm
Marine hits it right on the head.
That’s the question.
August 6th, 2026 at 12:15 pm
Everyone talks like Mayfield is Troy Aikman, he had great stats because of the other talent on the team, he falls on his face or gets his little body injured, how many of you going to be worried he might leave, the next coach probably wouldn’t want him anyways, I hope he throws 50 TDs and we win the Super Bowl, not holding my breath
August 6th, 2026 at 12:17 pm
Its a ploy teams can pull to keep guys from bolting to free agency. Other than that there’s no consistency in how Quarterbacks are treated or achieve. By contract Deshaun Watson is a contract quarterback but by achievement he should have been cut like Kyle Trask. Everybody worships Herbert but he has achieved less than Baker in te playoffs.
August 6th, 2026 at 12:19 pm
@ BucMarty
Thanks bud.
Much appreciated. I have seen those other resources.
I really wanted to ask other Buc fans this question.
JBF is the best place in order to accomplish my original task here.
Asking true Buc fans…
What is a “franchise QB?”
Was Dilfer a “franchise” QB?
Was Winston?
Was Brad Johnson?
Was Tom Brady?
I am trying to figure out what this term means from actual Buc fans…
Has this franchise ever had a “franchise QB” during it’s entire existence?
If so – Who?
August 6th, 2026 at 12:20 pm
@ Adam, I agree 100%. I’ve been making the same argument for about a month.
There is no plan B or alternative and that’s on Jason Light… Doesn’t matter if you like Baker or not. He’s the best available option for the next 3 years, period. All the Baker haters can’t offer a real world option, just get rid of Baker. His stats say he’s been a top 5-10 QB over the last 3 seasons. He played for pennies the first year. Winning playoff games requires a good HC, can’t just blame one player. And yes, JL will NEVER trade up for a QB.
August 6th, 2026 at 12:21 pm
They offered him a 2-YEAR EXTENSION, thus ‘committing’ to HIM (a beaten and banged up, undersized QB) for 3-MORE FULL-SEASONS, at 31-33 YEARS OLD. How is that NOT a “Franchise-QB” in ANY world, for ANY team!?
August 6th, 2026 at 12:22 pm
Marine Buc … ‘I agree with this… A “FRANCHISE QB” is someone you would give a 3 year contract.’
Remember when Cleveland gave QB Deshaun Watson a 5-year contract worth $230 mil back in 2022? That made him the highest paid QB at the time at $46 mil/yr average, but looks paltry by today’s standards. Since that time, Watson has played a grand total of 19 games for the Browns, and has a 9-10 record.
You can see the question looming on the horizon I’m sure … ‘Would you consider Deshaun Watson to be a Franchise QB just because he has over a 3-year contract?’
And just for grins, Cleveland traded a massive package of draft picks to the Houston Texans and signed QB Watson to that record-setting contract in exchange for Watson & a 2024 6th Rnd pick. They gave up THREE 1st-Rnd picks (2022, 2023, 2024), ONE 3rd-Rnd pick (2023), and TWO 4th-Rnd picks (2022, 2024). The Texans leveraged those picks to draft multiple starters, including DE Will Anderson, CB Kamari Lassiter, TE Cade Stover & others. Forrest Gump’s mama was right … Stupid is as stupid does.
August 6th, 2026 at 12:29 pm
@ DR
Thank you.
I agree that this “definition” of “franchise QB” needs refining beyond that one and only attribute…
Perhaps you can assist with the rest of this process.
YES?
Come on DR!
Lay it on us.
What is your definition of (or examples of) “franchise QBs”?
Here are a few of mine:
– Joe Montana
– John Elway
– P. Manning
– T. Brady (New England)
– J. Allen
– L. Jackson
You get my drift?
August 6th, 2026 at 12:30 pm
The theory that the don’t want to extend Baker b/c a new coach might not come b/c he will want his QB is a steaming pile of crap! If the new coach (Please!) wants his own QB he can simply trade Baker, get compensation and bring in his own QB. I contend that is a better scenario than enticing a new coach with no decent QB in camp.
If they play cutie with Baker they risk scenario #2.
August 6th, 2026 at 12:30 pm
Oooops.
Forgot – P. Mahomes.
August 6th, 2026 at 12:33 pm
Marine Buc Says:
August 6th, 2026 at 12:09 pm
@ Louis
My questions for you:
– Is Baker a “franchise QB”?
– If so – should the Bucs pay him @ $60M AAV over a three year deal?
************************************
If we accept that definition of a franchise QB and look at the bottom line of every Baker game since he’s joined the Bucs – IMO the answer is probably not. The games where Baker played hurt and it went poorly count as much as when he’s healthy and excelled. Put them all together and he’s better than break even but not at the level of a ‘franchise QB’.
I don’t accept that his toughness counts as an intangible for more wins when the overall W/L record is near the league average because that toughness is leaving him injured more often.
August 6th, 2026 at 12:33 pm
“Is he willing to accept the Bucs are not yet ready to give him a guaranteed contract for 2029?”
I’m going to keep beating this drum. The implication this this statement from the post is the the Bucs offered him a fully guaranteed contract through 2028. Where has anyone from either side said that was the case. Baker was clear that the offer didn’t meet what he wanted in guarantees and the Bucs have NEVER said the offer on the 2 year extension was fully guaranteed.
August 6th, 2026 at 12:43 pm
@ Louis
Again we agree.
I believe that Baker Mayfield’s previous employers discovered the same conclusions.
Wow.
See how easy that was.
When you utilize logic over emotions you can build the pyramids…
August 6th, 2026 at 12:50 pm
Marine –
A guy who can put his team on his back and wins games for you.
Mayfield did exactly that the first 1/3 of the season last year, but not the rest of the year.
That list you provided are guys that have done that and won mvps and some super bowls because of their talents. Mayfield is too inconsistent to fit that definition. Some want to blame injuries…but his style of play lends itself to him being injured consistently.
For those reasons I would not label him as “franchise”.
If it doesn’t ruin our cap and financial situation I don’t care what they pay him as long as we can get out of it after a couple of seasons.
August 6th, 2026 at 12:55 pm
@ Marine Buc – very good list. I might have included Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers (before his hang on in his old age years) and even Dan Marino.
But what is interesting is two on your list have not only never won a SB, have never been in one. Marino only went to one and lost to the 9ers over his 17 years. I only mention this because some think you can’t be a franchise QB unless you win a SB.
I have been watching a the NFL for 50 years. Winning a SB is HARD and requites a good TEAM, with good coaches and sometimes even a bit of luck. I love the Bucs but I don’t look at this roster, or any of the rosters that included Baker, and say, up and down the roster this is a SB talented TEAM. And when I look at the HC, I don’t think the Bucs will EVER win a SB with him at the helm.
August 6th, 2026 at 12:59 pm
The more licht and bowles talk the less i have faith in them
cant wait for week1
GO BUCS!!!
August 6th, 2026 at 1:05 pm
Guzzie, Nobody talks like Baker is Troy Aikman and Aikman had a a great offensive line too as well as Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith, the all time rushing leader in NFL history!
August 6th, 2026 at 1:10 pm
Problem with “franchise QB” is that it’s more of a football PR buzz phrase that can mean different things depending on who’s saying it. It’s almost paralleled by politicians spamming the phrase “common sense”(which doesn’t exist in the way you think it does) as a prelude to a direct/indirect speaking point as part of their campaign.
Some players have enough talent you don’t have to question their value to the team they’re on, but with other QBs who’s intangibles aren’t as easily defined/relied upon you can feel the push from some franchises to make that guy a franchise QB.
Most of it’s got to do with how and who acquired you, how well you’ve played over a duration of time whilst making continuous impact for the time, and even more on the business has to do with the space between your individual floor as a and your respective ceiling as a QB.
Guys start talking about Love and/or Lawrence, but also seem to leave out those guys are with the teams that drafted them and are at least 4 years younger than Mayfield, which is a difference in the willingness to compensate him like those guys. So you could argue, producing on your rookie deal effects how you’re viewed in the “franchise” QB scope.
Caleb Williams improves on his year from last year, he’ll be seen as a franchise QB. Patriots probably already looking at Drake Maye as a franchise QB. Meanwhile, Jacoby Brissett or even a better example like Malik Willis are 2 guys on teams who are actually re-tooling and neither of them is being referred to as franchise guys.
Whole bunch of factors go into a moniker that can be taken away just as easily as it can be proved to be a valid title.
August 6th, 2026 at 1:19 pm
Since “they” offered him $50 million + that means “they” consider Baker a franchise quarterback along with an elite talent. And since “they” are the only ones that matter he IS in that “elite” tier. And once “they” build a defense that is equal to the offense we will be in a serious hunt for a superbowl. But as with any quarterback, Brady included, you have to have a defense to go along with the offense. As soon as that happens we will be good to go.