Buccaneers Showed Baker Mayfield The Money
June 5th, 2026
Big news today in a way many fans are not thinking.
Yes, Baker Mayfield revealed to local scribes that he and the Bucs “are not anywhere close” when it comes to the terms of a contract extension that would add years to Mayfield’s deal expiring after the 2026 season.
But the focus, Joe believes, should not be on the numbers Mayfield obviously doesn’t like. It should be on that the Bucs are willing to commit to Mayfield long term.
While Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht has said publicly he’s interested in keeping Mayfield for several more years, it’s quite another thing to enter contract negotiations, which Mayfield confirmed have taken place.
Per Joe’s private conversations, It’s very safe to say that the Bucs did not deliver Mayfield an insulting offer. They love the guy and want him — but they’re also interested in a deal that’s in the best interests of both sides, as they should be.
In the Bucs’ back pocket is the franchise tag, projected to be $50 million for quarterbacks in 2027. Negotiations surely have that number in mind.
Mayfield could cry about being tagged, if it came to that. But if he did, there would be a long line of Bucs fans turning on Mayfield for moaning about having to play for $50 freaking million.
No team wants to deal with that kind of salary cap charge, but it still only would represent about 16 or 17 percent of the cap.
As Joe has written, there’s no reason to expect Mayfield to be gone in 2027. However, there was no reason for Mike Evans to want to leave with a fat contract on the table from an organization that worshipped him.
June 5th, 2026 at 5:33 pm
“However, there was no reason for Mike Evans to want to leave with a fat contract on the table from an organization that worshipped him.”
False. There were two glaring reasons. Bowles and Baker.
Stop sugar coating it and start telling the truth. You can’t handle the truth! At some point, a real truth with emerge.–Joe
Mike saw an incapable HC\DC and a mid at best QB.
Now he has a top flight HC and an experienced proven QB in Purdy.
June 5th, 2026 at 5:38 pm
Let’s see how he plays
June 5th, 2026 at 5:38 pm
It’s a gamble, but I say wait. Yes, if we win a Superbowl this year, his price will skyrocket…but if that’s the case, he’d be worth the money.
And if we have a bad year? Time to draft a better option next year.
June 5th, 2026 at 5:39 pm
The pressure will be too much for baker and he’ll choke….just like he did in DEC….
I expect him to be gone in 2027 if we don’t win a playoff game this year
Great job Bucs!!!!!!…hold steady…make him earn it
GO BUCS
June 5th, 2026 at 5:39 pm
I expect the Bucs to slow play this contract. If we miss the playoffs then it’s time to reboot.
June 5th, 2026 at 5:45 pm
I’m willing to bet that it’s about the guaranteed years.
As long as Licht protects the franchise by providing flexibility then this should get done before training camp.
But if he wants a ton of guaranteed years Jason needs to walk away and let the season play out.
June 5th, 2026 at 5:46 pm
If he play lights out this season then give him an extension. But I won’t hold my breath. Baker will never take us or anyone else to the Super bowl.
June 5th, 2026 at 5:47 pm
Let him play out his contract, see how the year goes and then talk with the franchise tag in their back pocket.
I’m not sold on Mayfield and I dont think alot of the league is either.
June 5th, 2026 at 6:03 pm
Wow we’re losing a whole bunch of them. Evans Lavonte White & now who knows about Baker after this & I think Vita is a FA next year, too! Might be wrong.
June 5th, 2026 at 6:06 pm
This article is just spot FN on. Nothing to add. To the Joe that wrote this. Well done and succinct and spot on!
June 5th, 2026 at 6:06 pm
Well if Baker goes WE CAN BRING TOM BACK ALONG WITH GRONKOWSKI!😃
June 5th, 2026 at 6:07 pm
His interceptions and fumbles cost us games.
He needs to prove himself again this year.
Plus, his body is beat up.
He needs to have a big year. Ànd stay healthy.
Bowles and Baker could both be gone after this season if we suck again.
June 5th, 2026 at 6:07 pm
I swear this page has the most dedicated trolls
June 5th, 2026 at 6:16 pm
I know he was playing hurt… but Baker did not play well enough at the end of the year to demand a long term deal. He’s streaky, but hes talented. He deserves a two or three year deal at no more than 40m
June 5th, 2026 at 6:18 pm
I love Baker I’m a OU grad and season ticket holder. Getting to watch him play for my Bucs has been really great. Even as his biggest fan I’ll say he is a journeyman type not tall not always accurate but you get guts courage incredible leadership and a will to win.
If you overpay him then you can’t put the team around him you would need to win with him. I think sadly as much as I love Baker it’s probably time to draft a Qb after this year and develop one! (We never have).
If you overpay him you cripple this team. Sad but it’s reality.
June 5th, 2026 at 6:19 pm
Take your soft ass somewhere else then. You guys complain because post things you don’t want to hear. Anyone who is not a devout follower of this limited, undersized, journeyman is a idiot and needs to be tarred and feathered. Lol, these ppl say anyone who doesn’t agree with me is a moron..OK,Pharoh. Feed us to the Lions. Off with our heads. He sucks ! He’s been in the league forever. Nobody else wants him. He leaves this roster and this division he will get exposed for the backup he is. The Stadium is empty and quiet. We have no hope really. For 2 decades I’ve been a season ticket holder and you ppl are saying this is the best we can do? We cannot even lol to upgrade the position? It’s Baker until he he decides to retire? That’s BS..Kenton and the cult want hi extended and here be ause they know the next is waiting. The loner he stays here the more bites of the apple he gets..
June 5th, 2026 at 6:29 pm
Joe Says : But the focus, Joe believes, should not be on the numbers Mayfield obviously doesn’t like. It should be on that the Bucs are willing to commit to Mayfield long term.
^^^^^
Like I said months ago, Baker wants to feel like he “is the man” and a 4 year deal would do that but the Bucs and their coaching situation are out of sync with a 4 year deal and I believe the owners would rather keep their cash and draft a much less expensive option for the near term. A first round pick QB and a renovated RayJay along with a new head coach is an option I am sure is being considered.
I may be wrong but get ready for Aaron Rodgers folks.
June 5th, 2026 at 6:31 pm
I feel like this was click bait 🤣
June 5th, 2026 at 6:32 pm
You dopes forget what it was like when we had QB s like Winston and the crew that preceded him. Run off Baker and then see again the panic and antics that brought us the likes of Jack Thompson, the throwing Samoan. The days of Brady are over. We were lucky to have him and lucky to have Baker as well. You guys sound like a bunch of trolls. That’s my role!
June 5th, 2026 at 6:33 pm
He’s going to play this season without an extension and move on next season. He might get one more chance to start for another team thats if he has a decent season this year but he won’t. He’ll play the way he always does but worse because he’ll press and try to win every game and make more mistakes. Baker is a bad investment and all 32 teams think so.
June 5th, 2026 at 6:37 pm
Joe Says; They love the guy and want him — but they’re also interested in a deal that’s in the best interests of both sides, as they should be.
^^^^^
As I said weeks ago that is one reason why I believe they would grant a trade request. Jason could spin that in a positive way and throw lots of love toward Baker and his family.
June 5th, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Purdy is not all that much better than baker he is in a right scheme that fits him one seen baker do good things to in the right scheme if purdy played for any other team he would be 13-22 at best
June 5th, 2026 at 7:01 pm
Still Coconut Doughnut…I concur.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:02 pm
BucsfaninOregon Says:
You guys sound like a bunch of trolls.
=======================================
Some of them clearly are!
In 2023, Baker was a Top Ten QB, and the following year (2024), he was Top Five. (3rd in the NFL in passing yards, tied for 2nd in TD passes, 3rd in completion percentage, 4th in passer rating, tied for 2nd in completions).
Last season, Baker was great to start the season and was spoken about as an MVP candidate. He didn’t play well after he and most of the o-line were injured. If we had a decent backup QB, the season might have turned out differently. I love Jason Licht as GM, but given the way Baker plays as QB, Licht needed to have a backup QB they could put in if Baker got injured.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:02 pm
People here are so delusional. There aren’t more than five QBs in the league right now that are massive improvements over Baker. But sure, convince yourselves that you’re going to find the super rare diamond in the rough in next years draft. You know, with the 5th or sixth QB taken. The Bucs have such a stellar record drafting QBs.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:02 pm
Baker the best QB we have had besides the GOAT Tom Brady. I have think last year he was hurt and he was pressing and trying to do to much because of all the other injuries. At least with Baker you know he wants to win and will do anything to win. You can’t say that with a lot of these guys that just want to be there to get a check.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:09 pm
You nailed it @Scotty Mack!
Even if the Bucs wanted to upgrade at the QB position, that’s easier said than done.
Of the QB’s who ARE dramatically better than Baker, what team is going to give them up? LOL
If the Bucs crash and burn this season and draft high in 2027, they can grab a QB, but that is no guarantee either.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:26 pm
No obvious reason but as alluded, there’s always a reason. Especially less money in a state with heavy taxes. Someday we might find out. In the meantime, Jason has to be secretly happy for multiple reasons that the Rams drafted a QB in 2026. Not only did it seal the deal for the Bucs to get Bain but it also closed the door on a team that would have almost certainly been interested in Baker as a free agent.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:26 pm
Someone’s talking about his contract value will go up if they win the Super Bowl this year.
Come on. That’s a joke. This team is nowhere near a Super Bowl caliber team.
I say play the year out. If he does great, and he won’t sign an extension, tag him. That’s business.
If the team tanks or he doesn’t play well, the new coach is going to want to have his own quarterback, anyhow.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:30 pm
Per Joe’s private conversations, It’s very safe to say that the Bucs did not deliver Mayfield an insulting offer. They love the guy and want him — but they’re also interested in a deal that’s in the best interests of both sides, as they should be.
^^^^^^^^”
Like Jeff Foxworthy says; There’s your sign.”
June 5th, 2026 at 7:32 pm
El Heffe… Is the 49ers system is so full proof why did Trey Lance fall on his face? Remember him? The guy SF traded 3#1 picks for the year before Purdy? Why has the offense been so much more productive under Purdy the it was under Garapolo? And I don’t mean marginally either. Yeah,Purdy turned 26 in December. Baker was 27 running scout team I Carolina. He got here at 28. We have seen the best Baker . Purdy should still be ascending but even still a developing Purdy is exponentially better then PRIME Baker. I know one guy who thinks Purdy is better. Mike Evans voted with his feet. TB made Baker a lame offer to save face with the fan base. They knew/hoped he would turn it down . He’s a prima Donna. That everyman act tell fell for is showing cracks. Commercials, docs, negotiating thru the media…….acts of a desperate man.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:34 pm
That wasn’t Jeff Foxworthy it was Bill Engvall.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:35 pm
45-50 a year ,,,, you guys that complain about baker every day will be the biggest complainers when Gino Smith is our bridge QB for 3 or 4 years in the hopes of developing a young QB,,, Take the guy we know can win our division instead of the unknown next 10 years in obscurity
June 5th, 2026 at 7:38 pm
Tua, Trevor Lawrence and Dak Prescott got max contracts and what have they won? So I understand Baker’s mindset, however, overpaying for potential is what gets teams in trouble.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:40 pm
Jeeze BBB , Mac Jones was just as good in that Offense as Purdy,, A good OLine , and awesome Play caller , one of the best TE and Running backs ,, a winning Defense ,,, Purdy wouldn’t have made it through 8 games on the Bucs last year with our hurt offensive line , our crappy play caller , our TE that seemed to have hands of stone and our hurt running backs
June 5th, 2026 at 7:47 pm
Like I have posted several times I don’t believe it will be about the money for Baker. Baker wants and needs to know that he is the man. For him it is all about commitment. Anything less than a 4 year deal doesn’t say to him ” You are our man”.
So the owners were willing to pay him for the short term but not the long term.
Obviously I have no idea how this will play out but all the evidence and information is there for me to reach this conclusion.
I will be somewhat saddened to see Baker go if he does and I will follow him. I banked on Baker heavily when he first arrived and strongly feel that the organization has let him down. I suspect Jason will do whatever he can to make it right for him.
Whatever happens I believe it will be sooner rather than later.
I think that in a strange way Baker is an obstacle to the owners plans. They still have to dig themselves out of the sinkhole that began with the TB12/BA/BL debacle.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:48 pm
Buc1987 Says:
June 5th, 2026 at 7:34 pm
That wasn’t Jeff Foxworthy it was Bill Engvall.
^^^^^
I stand corrected. Thank you.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:51 pm
Well, I have been sent to the corner for a time out. I hope my comment doesn’t languish there for long.
June 5th, 2026 at 7:59 pm
First, when he’s on, he is as good as any of the current top 5. Yes, when he’s off, he’s a bit off.
And the REAL QUESTION is WHY is he off? First, he is a gunslinger with the absolute mentality that he believes he can make any throw, into any window… just like Brett Favre. And like Favre, sometimes he’s wrong, but more often than not, he’s right.
Second, if we had a defense that was tougher than a wet paper bag, he’d take less chances… he KNOWS he has to carry this godforsaken defense… and he takes even bigger risks because there is no quit in him. Give him even a decent defense, and some of the risk-taking goes away. IF/When he had just a little bit of confidence in his defense, he plays entirely different. Look at his best seasons in Cleveland and here – you know it’s true.
Finally, last season in the 2nd half, the D-line was getting to the top of the pocket almost as fast as he was – especially in the middle of the pocket. You CANNOT have a pocket passing game like that, and our O/C refused to roll him out or bootleg him to get him time to throw.
ALL QUARTERBACKS need a decent O/C, a decent Defense, and a decent Oline. Even “Mr All World” Patrick Mahomes looked merely human last season – why? Because he only had a decent O/C, but their defense and o-line were suspect.
June 5th, 2026 at 8:11 pm
I read some of these clueless posts about letting Baker go.. There’s no question that Baker is a top 10 QB! I can’t believe some of these fools put the collapse last year on him..
– Defensive HC
– New OC EVERY year
– Lousy OC Last Year
– Entire Skill group and O-Line Injured last year
– Bottom 10 Defense
– Baker Injured, and Bowles allows him to play
I got news for all of you, there wasn’t a QB in the NFL that could have saved that season last year.. And I can’t wait to see who you geniuses think can replace him. But hey, I’m sure some rookie will come in and save the franchise..😂😂🤡
June 5th, 2026 at 8:22 pm
Lightning: no he was not. Mac Jones held the fort down and went 5-3. Purdy was 7-2 amd woman playoff game on the road against the defending SB Eagles. Mac Jones was a firsr ed pick in 2021. He won 10 games as a rookie, threw for 3800 yards and led his team to the playoffs as a rookie. He came into the year with 50 starts. He is experienced. But stop that. When Purdy took over SF in 2022, they were 8-4 and averaging 23.6 PPG. Purdy came in and they went ,5-0 and averaged 33.6 PPG leading them to a title game. Stop withhtbelazt narrative. Purdy had 4300 and 32 td oasses and finished 4th in MVP en route to the SB..Stop being lazy.
June 5th, 2026 at 8:22 pm
Baker brings an exciting aspect to the Bucs offense. If the defense can show some life the Bucs should be just fine. I have a feeling Baker will be around for 4 or t more years at roughly 40 mil a year.
June 5th, 2026 at 8:23 pm
4 or 5*
June 5th, 2026 at 8:26 pm
LsnShsrk: offense was 23rd in 2023 and 21st in 2025. And Baker is worried about the defense that was 19th last year? Oh,ok. Bears defense was 29th and they went 11-6 last year in a tough division and won a playoff game. Commanders the year before have up more points then us. 12-5. NFC title game with a rookie QB. Maybe,just maybe we don’t have the guy at QB. We dont
June 5th, 2026 at 8:31 pm
The Cowboys had the #32 defense last year. Dak lit it up. That explains why they didnt win more. Our offense was 21st last year because our defense was 19th? In 2023 we were 7th in points allowed. Our offense was 23rd with Baker because…….why? See, what you guys do is pint at every aspect of the team that is not great and blame them instead of the QB. The ol even with injuries was middle of the pack. The defense was 19th.Baker turnovers usually input territory did not help matters. Against Atlanta he could have took 2 knees and punted and we win that game