Gerald McCoy Demands Bucs Pay Baker Mayfield
March 28th, 2026
So the Bucs have a two-time Pro Bowl starting quarterback in his prime who hasn’t missed a game in three Tampa Bay seasons.
The same quarterback, Baker Mayfield, also had a rough second half of last season after a stellar start. What was the core reason? Poor health, poor decisions, or an unqualified playcaller?
Regardless, the Bucs have a good starting QB who has shown stretches of greatness.
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht has said Mayfield is a keeper, but Mayfield is entering the final year of his contract — 2026 is the last year of his three-year, $100 million deal.
Teams rarely let QBs they want and respect reach the end of their contracts. Those guys get extensions.
Will Mayfield get one soon? Six-time Bucs Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy says the Bucs extending Mayfield soon is a no-brainer.
“Pay him. Pay him,” McCoy said of Mayfield on WDAE radio. “Heck yeah. Do y’all see the QB market? Who’s out here? Tell me who’s out here. Tell me who’s coming out in the draft; stop with the ‘maybes.’ I keep telling everybody college football is glorified high school football. That’s what it is. You got a couple of people that make it [in] the league, ‘oh, yeah, that’s great.’ Stop looking at the draft. Look around the landscape of quarterbacking right now. I think any Buccaneers fan should look at the history of our quarterbacks and it should tell you that it’s hard to find a franchise guy. So while we have one, we need to pay him and keep him around as long as we can. People go through ups and downs, but if you don’t have that position, what you got? Pay Baker Mayfield. He’s earned that right.”
Despite Mayfield’s struggles to close last season, the Joe typing here absolutely would say Mayfield is a top-15 quarterback in the NFL. That’s not “great,” but it’s also not something you throw in the trash so you can go fishing for better.
But the idea of making Mayfield earn his next contract through his 2026 performance has merit.
Former NFL agent Joel Corry penned a deep dive on Mayfield’s contract future for CBS.
Corry makes the case that QB salaries likely have dipped temporarily after some big salaries blew up on teams (see Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, etc.) As a starting point for the Mayfield talks, Corry pointed to Daniel Jones of the Colts just signing a two-year, $88 million contract with incentives that could pay him $100 million over two years.
Jones, for those unaware, is coming off an Achilles tear and a history of wildly inconsistent play for the Giants. Jones is not as good as Mayfield.
Big decision ahead for Team Glazer, Licht and Mayfield. The Joe typing here is confident an extension will get done before opening day.
March 28th, 2026 at 5:21 pm
A bird in the hand.
March 28th, 2026 at 5:22 pm
Baker Mayfield had a bad second half of the season
But it wasn’t exactly his fault, the O-Line played poorly
The Wide Receivers couldn’t get speration, couldn’t get open
And Bucky Irving just plain stunk last season
I think it was a combination of things
An inexperienced playcaller, a patched up O-Line
Rushing injured WRs back from injuries
An ineffective run game, playing the wrong RB
Poor defensive play, can’t get off the field
Poor Special Teams play
But we still had a chance to win most games
I predict the Bucs extend him before the opener
4 years $224 Million
March 28th, 2026 at 5:24 pm
But is a bird in the really worth more than two in the bush?
March 28th, 2026 at 5:28 pm
Twice as much!!!👆👆👆👆👆
March 28th, 2026 at 5:42 pm
Put your money into the O-line. Baker could get an extension, but not for more than what he is getting now. He hasn’t proved that he is worth anything more.
March 28th, 2026 at 5:46 pm
you dont have to be a brainiac to see a scenario where the glazers let baker go and roll the dice. you dont get a number one pick by having another .500 season and exiting the playoffs wild card weekend…..
March 28th, 2026 at 5:48 pm
I still say Mike left because of a series of missteps by the Glazers and the front office, to include Jason Licht.
If Baker walks at the end of this season too, we’ll know why.
Pay the man. Now.
March 28th, 2026 at 5:51 pm
Meh..
Franchise tag him instead
March 28th, 2026 at 5:53 pm
Oh, demand.. does that work….
I demand the Bucs FIRE that bum of a Hc and hire a winner!
March 28th, 2026 at 5:57 pm
THIS is where they were with Zyon at the end of ’24. Made sense to pay an ascending player NOW rather then have to pay him half again as much later on. They’re likely afraid of a repeat.
I expect Baker to be a top ten QB next year with intact O-line and a competent OC. Even LAST year he was better than most
March 28th, 2026 at 6:03 pm
I love Baker, but man he was honestly terrible the 2nd hand of last season.
Hopefully, it was bcuz of injuries.
But obviously Evans doesn’t have much confidence in Baker any more. That’s a bad look
March 28th, 2026 at 6:03 pm
*half
March 28th, 2026 at 6:06 pm
Agree with Lakeland. 4 years $224 looks right.
No Brees issues mortgaged to the future.
March 28th, 2026 at 6:07 pm
If im baker I dont sign. I wouldn’t get caught dead in another season under bowles. Hes better off playing it out and then negotiating.
March 28th, 2026 at 6:21 pm
Boomer Sooner..Boomer Sooner…
Mayfield can earn his extension this year
March 28th, 2026 at 6:24 pm
KuKooo KuKooo
March 28th, 2026 at 6:46 pm
It’s easy to want to pay someone when it’s not your money.
March 28th, 2026 at 6:51 pm
It’s time to rebuild going 8-9 9-8 in a trash division is bad . Baker Mayfield has choked in every big game we have ever played with him but 1 and the defense played perfect that playoff game. It’s time to start the rebuild and it don’t have to be a total rebuild.
March 28th, 2026 at 6:57 pm
If the bucs resign Baker Mayfield and we don’t get to a NFC Championship this year this team will be bad the next 5 or 10 years. Baker is 2-8 in prime time games and he’s choked in the playoffs. What happened every time with the game on the line in big games he’s thrown picks or fumble the ball. He threw a pick and lost the Panthers game that would have put us in the playoffs but none of y’all want to talk about that.
March 28th, 2026 at 7:07 pm
Pay him $4 million a year plus performance bonuses up to $55MM per year.
He’ll play better that way.
March 28th, 2026 at 7:12 pm
I like baker as the quarterback simply because of his contract. Giving THAT quarterback top 10 money if you have a mediocre.500 ball club that won’t ever make any other big moves it makes no sense.
March 28th, 2026 at 7:25 pm
Same pay with incentives
March 28th, 2026 at 7:26 pm
Wait, 50 millys a year for Bakey that’s nuts….
March 28th, 2026 at 7:27 pm
Re-sign him. Now.
“pay that man hees money.” -Malkovitch as TeddyKGB
Baker is a top 4-8 QB if you protect him. A phenomenal talent. Certainly a franchise quarterback and entirely capable of winning the Super Bowl even multiple times on a very good team. We are heading there and need to get there soon!
March 28th, 2026 at 7:35 pm
Baker Mayfield was not our problem…..pay him
March 28th, 2026 at 7:36 pm
I think you can land him for under 50 million a year. I would sign him for 5yrs 250 million. Only have the first two yrs guaranteed that way you can get out in 28 if he falls flat.
March 28th, 2026 at 7:40 pm
Anybody here of Ed Stowers? I heard an interview with him today and he sounds like a really bright guy. As for his talent level, I’m not quite sure.
March 28th, 2026 at 7:54 pm
Folks DO NOT REALIZE
How much is on the line this year.
The reasons don’t matter but if the season is ANYTHING like the last two and change is coming to the coaching and front office
BAKER gonna be gone like Lynyrd Skynyrd
“Gimme two steps”
At that leaves Tampa Town leading the clown car…
March 28th, 2026 at 7:54 pm
Eli Stowers is probably the best receiving TE in this draft
He’s a converted QB
He have made skills, I like him
Vanderbilt had one of their best seasons ever last year
And he was a major part of it
March 28th, 2026 at 8:00 pm
McCoy may be the highest paid Buc ever…probably at least top 3. The most fun part of this article is knowing that Hot Rod Mulch’s idol is “demanding” that the Bucs pay his nemesis Baker Mayfield.
I agree that the Bucs extend him before opening day…which will probably give JL yet another lifeline.
* Fact checked myself…McCoy is the highest paid Buc ever (247 million )…followed by Evans then Lavonte.
March 28th, 2026 at 8:03 pm
If you find yourself paying a guy like Baker $50-MIL+ per year for HIS 33-37 years-old seasons, then YOU are (yes, an IDIOT) in BIG TROUBLE. It would be a HORRIBLE move on just soooo many levels. You see teams do it and it is ALWAYS, the “Kiss of Death.” Teams are starting to wise up now, though! He’s not going to be able to continue playing HIS style of play. And, HE HAS TO in order to be successful in the league.
He’s just NOT “that guy.” He’s not “the guy” who is tall enough, or accurate enough, to be able to just stand ‘tall’ in the pocket and beat you consistently all day, like that. He’s just NOT. And, he doesn’t read defenses well enough to know where to go quick enough. Not to mention always being “hurt” and the inconsistent play. It just is what it is. He now has 8-9 YEARS in the league worth of evidence to speak of and to see. HE is what he is. And, age is starting to creep now, and QUICK.
You NEVER want to overpay for “meh” (mid/average) in this league. It’s just way too crushing to your CAP. I mean, IF you have a STRONG young roster and want to take a swing on a low-risk 2-year deal, THEN YES. By all means, have at it! But, that is NOT the current shape of these Bucs. There is ZERO reason for the Bucs to pay NOW. There is no advantage. It could ONLY be a negative, or disadvantage.
March 28th, 2026 at 8:05 pm
The fact that Baker was in the pro bowl twice is irrelevant.
Shaduer Sanders was in the pro bowl last year. Let that sink in for a second.
Do not extend Mayfield. Let 2026 play out, let him test the market and pay him accordingly.
@Joe says Mayfield is top 15, that’s a middle of the road, average QB, not great, not terrible but serviceable. I agree. But I’ll go a step farther and say our Bucs will not win a Super Bowl with Baker Mayfield at quarterback.. He is a less athletic, less durable but SLIGHTLY more intelligent version of Jameis Winston. 10 wins is his ceiling.
I know you Baker bros will have a meltdown and throw out all of the normal excuses, he was i jured, new OC, injured, bad play calling, injured but take a step back, take a deep breath and look at his career stats.
He is what he is.
He is what we thought he was.
March 28th, 2026 at 8:06 pm
***Meant Mad skills”””
March 28th, 2026 at 8:13 pm
Spotrac has Baker next contract at 4 years $215 Million
The Bucs don’t have to pay it……but as Warren Sapp once said
There’s 31 more teams in the NFL
Some team will pay him
March 28th, 2026 at 8:23 pm
Players like Baker, with his type of ‘antics’ is always fun and great in the very beginning. But, it will ALWAYS eventually begin to wear. Now, “coaches” absolutely LOVE-IT. They will literally, Eat. It. UP. Every single bit of it. But the players DON’T. Now, they will SAY all the ‘right’ things, but they are NOT buying it! ANY of it. 💯
March 28th, 2026 at 8:33 pm
Don’t be stupid AGAIN! Pay Baker!!!