The Tag-And-Trade Option
August 1st, 2026
Joe has fielded this question and will answer it here, especially after the chatter coming from an interesting source regarding a potential Bucs-Jets trade involving Baker Mayfield.
Could the Bucs slap the franchise tag on Mayfield after this season and then trade him quickly?
First, Joe doesn’t want to trade Mayfield. He’s a good quarterback with a chance to be great. It’s reasonable to think he will revert back to his stunning 2024 form.
But Mayfield is very unhappy with the contract extension offer he recently received and he chose to publicly pout. That’s triggered many fans to ponder life without Mayfield, and perhaps the Bucs have, too.
Yes, the Bucs could tag Mayfield and trade him while he’s on the tag. That would make sure the team gets compensation if Mayfield wants to leave town. However, a tagged player can be traded only after signing the tender tied to the tag. Players with unsigned tenders are not officially under contract.
Once upon a time, Jason Pierre-Paul was franchise tagged by the Giants and didn’t sign his tender because he was mad about it. Then he blew up his hand in a fireworks accident and the Giants rescinded the franchise tag contract. JPP lost millions.
The tag-and-trade option isn’t crazy rare. That happened to Dee Ford, Jadeveon Clowney and Yannick Ngakoue, among other stud players. The Patriots moved QB Matt Cassell after tagging following the 2008 season.
As Adam Schefter made clear on ESPN this week, the Bucs won’t just let Mayfield walked out of One Buc Palace and into free agency, if it came to that.
August 1st, 2026 at 9:17 pm
I always thought keeping Bowles was a way to sabotage/avoid paying Baker.
If Licht wanted to rebuild next year, he’s doing a pretty good job. Both of these guys have peak trade value right now. Vita and Baker are dope I would like to be friends with them but like… we can get another fat guy and Baker isn’t that much different from Jameis.
August 1st, 2026 at 9:30 pm
Vita has never requested a trade and isn’t even holding out. Bowles says he’s helping other players. Why are you guys putting him in the same category as Baker the traitor Mayfield?
August 1st, 2026 at 9:31 pm
Mayfield is under contact as the 16th highest paid QB in the league which is dead center of 32 teams. That is exactly where he belongs, he completely floundered down the stretch last year, all this injury talk I’m not buying. He was able to suit up and play. Baker Mayfield seems to think he is better than he is, he really needs to show it on the field of play. He’s not a franchise quarterback, he’s middle of the road as he’s paid.
Listening to him throwing a temper tantrum and throwing the Bucs front office under the bus was classless and immature on his part. This Buccaneer organization gave Baker an opportunity when nobody else would. He should be kissing the Bucs organizations ass for his opportunity to play football and make huge money doing so.
August 1st, 2026 at 9:33 pm
Domingo Says:
August 1st, 2026 at 9:17 pm
I always thought keeping Bowles was a way to sabotage/avoid paying Baker.
If Licht wanted to rebuild next year, he’s doing a pretty good job. Both of these guys have peak trade value right now. Vita and Baker are dope I would like to be friends with them but like… we can get another fat guy and Baker isn’t that much different from Jameis.
_______________________________________________________________
Good point! Jameis won 28 games. Baker has won 28 games.
August 1st, 2026 at 9:36 pm
We have two different players attempting two different approaches to getting money. That’s really all this is and I certainly don’t blame them for their attempts. I wouldn’t have done it either way but then again, I don’t have their talents and their relatively short window to earn generational wealth.
The old adage is that there is no such thing as bad publicity. This is all good for the Bucs, the players, Joe and certainly the fans…. If you like interesting training camp fodder. Bring it on.
August 1st, 2026 at 9:38 pm
Being unfamiliar with “stud” Dee Ford, I had to Google to find out that, as a tagged player, he was traded for one second-round choice. Is that the kind of return the Bucs are looking for?
August 1st, 2026 at 9:57 pm
“Could the Bucs slap the franchise tag on Mayfield after this season and then trade him quickly?“
No, that’d be us paying to rid ourselves of his services and basically paying for draft capital. Guys are skipping a whole bunch of steps jumping to the assumption the franchise tag is even going to be in-play, but it is going to be a season long topic of discussion. Which is going to put every throw, how he reacts in situational ball, how he operates the team, and when attrition hits if/how he rallies the team under a microscope.
August 1st, 2026 at 10:07 pm
Baker is going to ball out this year. Once again he’s forced to put it all out there as he did when he first got picked up by the Bucs. He’s a stud of a QB, he’s 6′ 4″ stuck in a 6′ body, so he plays All out. This year MORE SO than past years, as his next contract either with the Bucs or another team is going to be almost a 1/4 billion dollar contract.
The Bucs are going to have a strong year, if they fail to win 2 playoff games; Bowles is gone and Tomlin will decide if he goes with Baker or another route. Either way Baker is getting paid next year.
August 1st, 2026 at 10:21 pm
PAY HIM !!!! 4 year deal!!!!
OLine, WRs, RBs, and Baker are healthy. A better OC!!
He is going to be awesome this year.
Baker v Mahomes last 2 yrs:
Pass yds:
8544 to 8111
TDs:
69 to 53
Completion %:
67.9 to 67.3
Passer rating:
100.7 to 93
INTs:
26 to 25
PAY HIM!!!!
August 1st, 2026 at 10:34 pm
He gets traded so will the Moisty boyyz New York fans will eat them alive a win win for all of us. If Mayfield had played consistently at least close to his 2024 form I’d be completely down with paying him $250mil for 4 years and be a fan but I’ve only watched him for 3 years and that’s the only year I was overly impressed by him. I’ve seen to much consistently inconsistent from him and his career has been the same. Too much disappearing in the first half and being forced to take more chances in the 2nd. The Bucs proved that Warren Sapp wasn’t above the team and he was instrumental in winning us our first Super Bowl, Mayfield hasn’t and won’t come close so he definitely isn’t either.
August 1st, 2026 at 10:37 pm
If the Bucs intend to keep Baker this year, they need to do something to make him happy for the team’s sake, whether he deserves it or not. If not an extension, then a one-time bonus, or a charity in his name, or +something+. You cannot have your team’s undisputed leader alienated from management for a full year without taking long-term damage.
August 1st, 2026 at 10:39 pm
Tomlin is not going to be the HC to this clown show. When Bowles leaves one way or another no competent coach is taking the job.
August 1st, 2026 at 10:40 pm
Depending on Kancy to stay healthy through a whole season is like depending on Donald Rump to tell the truth. Not going to happen.
August 1st, 2026 at 10:44 pm
At least Kancy would presumably prefer to be healthy.
August 1st, 2026 at 10:46 pm
Vea is not practicing. He’s avoiding fines just showing up with his so called injury. So he is disgruntled too. Nobody needs to make a fake excuse to absolve him either.
August 1st, 2026 at 10:49 pm
Pout? He scanning his ground and not asking for top money but is looking for something over 50 a year. At some point any competitive team is going to have to be paying their quarterback in that range if they haven’t recently drafted one.
I’m not a fan of selling off pieces now to grab a unproven quarterback in 2027. We have the Off to do this NOW! The D has been the problem.
Cut Bowles now and let Robinson run the show before we lose him like canales and the snake.
August 1st, 2026 at 10:49 pm
Pout? He’s standing his ground and not asking for top money but is looking for something over 50 a year. At some point any competitive team is going to have to be paying their quarterback in that range if they haven’t recently drafted one.
I’m not a fan of selling off pieces now to grab a unproven quarterback in 2027. We have the Off to do this NOW! The D has been the problem.
Cut Bowles now and let Robinson run the show before we lose him like canales and the snake.
August 1st, 2026 at 10:53 pm
Yo Jason Licht
Jarrett here,
You not that bad of a GM. The Super Bowl year was a masterpiece GM job, replacing Tom Brady is impossible. Replacing Suh is impossible. Replacing AB and Gronk is impossible. We had hella hall of famers on that roster
Letting Devin White go, was questionable! He was a top 5 pick in the draft.
I always thought DWhite would take over and lead this defense after Lavonte David retired … as you seen DWhite just got scooped by the Lions , good for him.
Either way, atleast Mike Evans and Lavonte David got a ring
I’m writing this to say, sometimes you gotta right the ship.
Do what you gotta do, like is the plan right now to tank for the Manning kid ?
Like what’s the plan. If you didn’t want to sign Baker, why did you pass on Sheduer Sanders so many times in the draft.
You know I’m right about Baker. The interception against the Lions, the Fumble against the Commanders. Maybe he gets out of his own way. But he’s giving Tony Romo playoff vibes. Something is always going wrong.
I know Mike Evans was pissed after the game last year @ Carolina. Throw on the tape, that last interception, almost like Baker was still playing for the Panthers. LOL … man even the Panthers didn’t want Baker. And I like Baker. 2-7 Finish to last season?
But don’t let him swindle you for 50 million per year. He ain’t Mahommes. Only thing going for baker is this … a lot of NFL QBs are trash!
Even right now Steelers fans and Jets fans are like “We’ll take Baker with open arms” that’s cause it’s hard to find a legit stud at QB. That don’t mean all of them are worth 50 million. It’s just a lot of them ain’t good!
Maybe Baker does turn it around. Sam Darnold did with Seattle. Bucs even won with Brad Johnson. It’s the team that wins not just the QB.
Look man, go get Stephon Diggs(WR1) and Terrion Arnold(CB1) . You might think our WRs are good, until Patrick Curtain is locking them up all game and they can’t get separation.
You need guys that can win 1 on 1 against anybody. I like Egbuka and Godwin but you saw how last season went once Evans got hurt. We became easier to defend and easier to scheme against.
Forget all the off the field problems for once. Sign those dudes to a 1 year deal.
If not trade Baker and Trade vea right now and load up for next years draft & Get the Manning kid …
August 1st, 2026 at 11:34 pm
Get a 4 year deal done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If not, watch the attendance plummet. LVD retired, people are pissed Bowles is still there, and Mike Evans walked.
How much idiocy do they think the fans will tolerate?
August 2nd, 2026 at 12:08 am
Can someone tell me what is really going on in Tampa?? The joes won’t come out and say what really happened with Evan’s, even though they know what happened. In the QB show Mayfield loves Tampa, now all of a sudden he acts like Tampa is treating him worse than Carolina did and then add Vea to the list of doesn’t want to be here any more. If you don’t want Vea and Mayfield, why bring Bowles back? Why even get a new OC if the team is just gonna implode before the season starts. We live in an era with info at our fingertips but can’t get a straight answer on wtf is going on in Tampa. Someone needs to report the truth about the crap show in Tampa!
August 2nd, 2026 at 12:29 am
Kinda getting sick of these Diva players crying about how they want more money while still be under contract. Both Vita and Baker are not being team players. Pretty sure Godwin is on the last year of his deal but not crying like a toddler. If Vita and Baker don’t want to be here ship them out. We can lose with or without them and this team isn’t going anywhere until we cut off the head of the snake Bowles who is a mediocre inept coach.
August 2nd, 2026 at 12:34 am
lol crap show.
5-12 is coming and then what?
@ David Baker lover….that also most likely means no more Baker.
August 2nd, 2026 at 3:05 am
@ Cardiac kidz Says: “either with the Bucs or another team is going to be almost a 1/4 billion dollar contract.”
WOW. Really, a whole “Quarter a BILLION?” You seriously mean, in DOLLARS!? Lmao. As in… $250-MILLION!? So, HOW you figure that happens!? For a 32-YEAR OLD Quarterback, who’s current team owns a roughly $50-MILLION Franchise Tag on him for next season, IF they are even willing to do THAT!? I mean, YOU DO KNOW that there has only been ‘ONE’ QB over the age of 30 (who wasn’t DRAFTED by his current team), who has ever received anything over a (true) “3-YEAR” Contract… Russell Wilson. So, using YOUR MATH… Baker would basically have to earn a mostly (fully-guaranteed) $85-MILLION PER YEAR DEAL.
August 2nd, 2026 at 3:10 am
@ BucsFan81 – Oh, I agree with you 💯!!!! BUT, Godwin’s $22-MIL is FULLY-GUARANTEED for this year!!!! And, HE can “cryin” LAST offseason. LITERALLY. You just didn’t hear very much about it… Only, because LICKT CAVED (behind the scenes), after GODWIN went to him with that BOGUS so-called “Patriots Offer.”
August 2nd, 2026 at 7:19 am
Interesting to see the excitement about nothing.
August 2nd, 2026 at 7:30 am
😆😆😆😆
Ain’t gonna happen and if it did then the Jets would be the winner.
Bucs would still be looking for a starting quarterback.
Bucs have disrespected Baker with the short lowball offer in discussions.
Run Baker Run !
August 2nd, 2026 at 7:56 am
Jets have a boat load of draft picks. We’re having joint practice, and preseason game up there. Maybe baker don’t come home. Maybe we let browning start, and see what we have in Baze, and Daniels this year. Next spring we use our draft capital to get our QB in a very rich draft class. New coach get’s his guy. Baker thanks for your service.
August 2nd, 2026 at 8:47 am
Everyone stop crying. Baker is average at best and vita is a 349lb 31 yr old DT who plays half the snap in a game because he’s sucking wind.
The Bucs underachieved in 2021 in what should have been back to back Super Bowl championships and they shoulda started rebuilding the following year. Now it’s time to struggle to 6-11, fire Bowles and start a complete rebuild in 2027.
Nobody on this team is an elite talent except Wirfs and if anyone thinks different, You’re kidding yourself
Blow it up !!!!
August 2nd, 2026 at 9:46 am
I wouldnt say jets ,, I would say Houston , The Bucs will sign a veteran QB going forward to mentor next years 24th pick in the draft !
If not Houston , Honorable mentions ::: Minnesota , Jacksonville ,Giants (dark horse) ,, Baker will finally play with a good to great Defense
August 2nd, 2026 at 10:00 am
The bucks need to go the same route that Baltimore did with Lamar let him go out negotiate his contract and give the bucks a chance to meet it or somebody to pay him to first round pick
August 2nd, 2026 at 11:29 am
Buyer would have to cough up 2 first round picks to get the player who is on the FT non exclusive. Not likely any team is going to be willing to part with that much draft capital and pay Baker 50 mil. If the Bucs tag Baker, they are agreeing to an 80 mil cap hit in ’27 for Baker’s services. That will cripple the signings of the numerous FA we have coming due for the ’27 season. Also not likely to happen. Bucs are now facing losing Baker for no compensation.
The Bucs are responsible for creating this confusion. They gas-lighted Baker all off season telling him how much they loved him and wanted him to be the QB for the future…….right down to trotting Joel G. out to say they would be glad to pay the money. Then, when push come to shove, they played CYA by capping the years at 2. Now they’re feigning outrage that Baker is disappointed. What they’re really disappointed about is that Baker didn’t take the bait and now the asset will leave for ZERO compensation next season. Sure, Baker may have had an inflated view of his worth, but the Bucs played into it with all their public expressions of confidence in Baker’s talent and value to the team. Additionally, when they decided to retain Bowles, they put future decisions in limbo, prompting the lack of willingness to make any longer term commitments to any players. This is backed up by all the one and two year contracts to all the older FA they decided to sign as stop-gaps for the ’26 season.
So the Bucs know Baker is gone. Their only chance to get anything in return is to trade him now, this season and the sooner the better. CYA doesn’t always turn out your favor when the other party knows your plan. Bucs got caught and now have to pay the consequences – one way or the other.
This also didn’t need to happen except genius GM left that 30mil dead cap sitting there like a poison pill pipe bomb. JL as Wiley Cayote.
While i’m not 100% thrilled with 50-some million a year for 3-4 years, it’s preferable to letting a prized asset walk out the door for nothing…..I think.
August 2nd, 2026 at 12:28 pm
Not bad analysis Badbucs. Not bad at all. Glazers should have kept their mouths shut and let it play out. They’ve seen his best and worst and know what they have, and he is what his career says he is. Mayfield signed his contract and accepted it’s terms. If he bounces back and plays like he did in 2024 then pay the man he will have earned it.
August 2nd, 2026 at 12:36 pm
Badbuc has the best take here. But I think a 3 year deal is the best option. That dead money is what will kill us. Who are we gonna get that is better and at what cost? Draft? Hit and miss on Qb’s in the draft. How’s that kyle trask 2nd round draft pick do? Can’t find a job thats how. Godwins contract hurts also. I do think we are better without Evans. That 22m went to the defense and thank goodness it did cause we would be a leaking sieve if we did not shore up the D. If we sign and trade Baker it will set us back at least a couple of years. That would also screw up the so called renovations of the stadium. How could u ask fans to help pay for the costs when u put crap on the field.
August 2nd, 2026 at 12:55 pm
No QB could have won many games last season with no defense to support the effort.
August 2nd, 2026 at 2:52 pm
@BigBucFan99
They could FT him and then sign him long term to spread the cap hit. It just doesn’t make sense that they won’t sign him to 3 years at 50 now, but will be willing to sign him to 3 and 60 next season.
August 2nd, 2026 at 5:07 pm
So, to be clear, the Jets and probably other teams with horrible QB situations like Arizona and Cleveland – all teams who likely will pick very early in a quarterback-rich draft – would gladly sign a tagged Baker than take their chances on an unproven rookie QB.
The Bucs, meanwhile, would take the more than 50/50 gamble on a rookie QB (it’s really the wrong side of 80/20 if you don’t pick first in the draft) and just eat the 30 million dead cap money next year.
Sounds about right …
August 2nd, 2026 at 7:40 pm
Makes you really think here, that Mayfield has had some many coaches, and played with so many different players. He’s been on a few teams and maybe he didn’t stick around with them due to somewhat the same type behaviors we are seeing right now come from his mouth. He hasn’t shown much other than playing hurt all last season, and that I give him kudos for, since we really didn’t have a backup to play for him.
August 2nd, 2026 at 8:38 pm
Mayfield deserves the money and contract length he’s asking for. We should pay him immediately. 4 years including this one at 53M AAV should do it. I mentioned it before but we could bump him up to 47M this year and then raise it 4M every year like 47/51/55/59. Make the first 3 years guaranteed and then make 30M or so of the 4th guaranteed after completion of the first 2 (rolling guarantee). They can easily afford that, and I think Baker would be happy especially with the 7 million dollar raise for this year putting him a lot closer to the top QBs. It’s absurd not to, and our other options are not enticing at all!