“He Should Have A Spot In The $50 Million Club”
June 25th, 2026
Joe wonders what Team Glazer and Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht think when they hear all the national-analyst calls to pay Baker Mayfield a market value contract.
Mayfield seems like a very reasonable guy, so for him to express disappointment in the Bucs’ recent contract extension offer, that tells Joe that the Bucs’ proposal fell short of perceived market value.
This week, NFL Network draft guru and analyst Bucky Brooks, the former defensive back, joined the chorus of those saying the Bucs should pay Mayfield.
“When I look at Baker Mayfield, I think there are some that can look at him and say, ‘Hey, he’s a top-10 quarterback. He is deserving of being paid.’ Like he should have a spot in the $50 million club,” Brooks said on his podcast. “I think his plight is very similar to that of Jared Goff. And we just saw Jared Goff [sign a] four-year, $212 million deal back in ’24.”
So what’s next for Mayfield? Will he slowly dig in deeper on his contract demand, or will he soften and be tempted to lock down guaranteed money before risking injury again?
Or is Mayfield thinking big? A seemingly inevitable Lamar Jackson’s giant contract extension would tweak the market.
No, Joe doesn’t think Mayfield is in Jackson’s league. The guy’s a three-time All-Pro, a stud passer and the all-time leader in QB rushing yards. But Jackson vaulting into the $60 million club should raise the bar a small notch for Mayfield.
The longer the Bucs wait, the more loud voices Mayfield likely will find in his corner. Some teams might care about that, but Joe can’t put the Bucs in that category. They’re good at ignoring noise no matter how loudly fans and media scream.
June 25th, 2026 at 8:55 am
And here come the butt hurt Traskies in 3,2,1…….
June 25th, 2026 at 8:59 am
Pay him, do it now! 53×4
June 25th, 2026 at 9:04 am
If the Bucs let Baker play out his current deal for this year that would be 33 million-Franchise him next year at 50 million-Franchise him the following year at 60 million-That total is about 144 mil over the 3 year span.
However if you renegotiate the current deal at anything over 50 mil per year that is over 150 mil for the same three year span. Not to mention if you make a change you eat a bunch of dead money.
June 25th, 2026 at 9:06 am
I’m thinking they get a deal done, but Ira and the Joe’s have said that they don’t think it actually matters as much to Baker as folks think it does. He’s focused on playing football and his teammates. Really, all he has said is exactly that. The rest will take care of itself. I’m positive he means that. Baker may have way bigger things in his future than playing here. Imagine the Jets. New York City. That would fit Baker like an infielder’s mitt. If he could do it with the Browns and Bucs, he could damn sure do it with the Jets. After a great Bucs season this year, I see his value being somewhere around 300 million for 5 years, with 300 million guaranteed. In New York, his endorsement money would quadruple. They would probably be calling him “Broadway Bake”.
We’re gonna have us a big season. Bank on it.
June 25th, 2026 at 9:06 am
Cool.
If he plays well in 2026 then the Bucs can franchise tag him for 2027.
Welcome to the $50M club Baker!
Now win another play-off game…
June 25th, 2026 at 9:17 am
Todd Say
$144 mil over the 3 year span
^^^^^
That’s spot on and Bakers absolute best case scenario.
WHAT IF BM PASSES ON THE BUCS BEST OFFER?
Next year’s QB draft class is DEEP!
It means Bucs either draft a QB or have 5 additional veteran QBs to pick from (at a minimum).
There will be a flood of QBs next year.
The more Bucs save on Baker, the more money they have to spend.
I like Licht playing hardball.
June 25th, 2026 at 9:21 am
“No, Joe doesn’t think Mayfield is in Jackson’s league. The guy’s a three-time All-Pro, a stud passer and the all-time leader in QB rushing yards. But Jackson vaulting into the $60 million club should raise the bar a small notch for Mayfield.”
So Jackson gets a raise due to stellar play so Baker deserves one as well? Lol…they might as well say Baker is a $400 million QB. The number and ranking you attach to his name doesn’t matter, what matters is what teams are willing to pay. If teams only want to pay <$40 million, then thats what you're worth.
Imagine being a team owner and some fans wants you to spend $50+ million on one player just to lose in the WC if you're lucky. The bar is in hell for some of yall. Yall love close losses and moral victories. Yall love when a QB acts like a RB, makes highlight runs just to lose to a 3rd string QBs 20-17 during a playoff push.
Baker will be exposed this season, so much so his staunch defenders will have to admit the obvious. Baker isn't good.
June 25th, 2026 at 9:22 am
Mayfield’s cap hit on being franchised next season would 80million. 50 + 30 dead.
You people are insane and uninformed. Mayfield would get 60m+ on the open market.
ONEBUC got a deal on both prior contracts and now is low balling another. 100million on this last contract was the best bargain in football, and Mayfield has carried this team.
Lamar Jackson, on the other hand, is amongst the most overrated QBs of the modern era, right next to Joe Burrow. Both live off the talents of their teams and get all the credit, whereas Mayfield has elevated this franchise in an era where Licht has witheld resources in an attempt to shake Bowles out, but Mayfield has kept the team competitive. It’s all in the All22.
June 25th, 2026 at 9:47 am
@ final straw
IF Baker plays well enough in 2026 and IF the Bucs put the FT on Baker in 2027 I would hope our GM would be able to negotiate a longer term deal.
June 25th, 2026 at 9:47 am
Bee, the season nearly three months away and you are already hatching the negative outlook that Baker will be exposed! Please give your insight on how when and why this will occur! Doing that will enable those of us who areless knowledgeable to enhance our critic of football! Plus, documentation will always be there to verify the issue!
June 25th, 2026 at 9:58 am
THERE IS NO DEAD CAP MONEY ON A FRANCHISE TAG!
When you franchise a quarterback, the dead cap hit is $0 if the player is released or traded. Because the franchise tag is a fully guaranteed, one-year, non-prorated deal, there are no signing bonuses or remaining contract years that trigger acceleration into future caps.A dead cap hit only applies to guaranteed money or prorated signing bonuses that a team has already paid but hasn’t accounted for against the cap.
June 25th, 2026 at 9:59 am
This is really so simple. If the Bucs wanted a deal done it would be done. The Bucs are in wait and see mode. If the team falls apart again they will reboot the whole thing. We will have a new coaching staff and will draft a qb. VV will likely be allowed to walk too.
June 25th, 2026 at 10:14 am
If they don’t extend, it’s because they’ve lost faith in Bowles and want to keep options open for the next HC.
June 25th, 2026 at 10:28 am
Okiejim
My insight is his entire career but more specifically his Bucs tenure. Here are some fun facts:
Baker has a 3-10 record against teams that made the playoffs as a Buc. He is 2-9 in regular season games against playoff teams and 1-1 in postseason matchups.
2025 Regular Season (1-5): Defeated the Carolina Panthers. Losses to the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and Atlanta Falcons.
2024 Regular Season (1-3): Defeated the Detroit Lions. Losses to the Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, and Baltimore Ravens.2024 Postseason (1-1): Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round, and lost to the Detroit Lions in the Divisional round.
2023 Regular Season (0-3): Losses to the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and Buffalo Bills.2023 Postseason (1-1): Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, lost to the Detroit Lions.
His complexion %: 2023 – 64.3% (19th), 2024 – 71.4% (3rd), 2025 – 63.2 (22nd).
2024 was a fluke outlier and outside of Liam he reverts to what he is, a below average QB. Against playoff teams he loses more than he wins, and it doesn’t matter his health or the health of the team. When he goes up against elite teams, he loses.
Looking at his resume, and his attitude (him not working on his craft diligently) leads me to believe he’ll be bad like he always is. If you look at all the info out there on Bake and see a $60+ million QB, fine. But you’re not getting an elite player, you’re getting a 30+ inaccurate, oft-injured journeyman QB. Hope this helps!
June 25th, 2026 at 10:35 am
People are so stuck in the year 2000. Starting QBs make $50 mil. Its just the price. Bakers deal is going to be $50 mil a year QB with us or with another team…. Hopefully for us. Because yall also dreaming if you think were picking top 5 next draft.
Sign Baker or deal with another lost decade looking for the next Baker.
June 25th, 2026 at 10:38 am
Also, they are not going to franchise Baker. Its too much money. Theres no point. QBs dont get franchised anymore. It will be a $50 mil+++ cap hit.
June 25th, 2026 at 10:47 am
@ USF
“This is really so simple. If the Bucs wanted a deal done it would be done. The Bucs are in wait and see mode.”
Exactly 100% correct…
The Bucs should be in “wait and see” mode with Baker.
June 25th, 2026 at 11:04 am
Hmm, they were willing to throw money at Mike on his way out the door.
Haven’t let it be known via 3rd party like Rick Stroud or any other local media outlet that they have concerns about paying Vea.
But are telling their “franchise” QB who’s already pocketed $30M of their money this league year to “this is the offer” and made it known indirectly they have concerns over his durability.
Occam’s razor? Bueller?
“The bar is in hell for some of yall. Yall love close losses and moral victories”
In terms of QB play, it’s in the 4th/5th circle
Baker isn’t top 10 relative to the other players on the field in a given game, nvm the top 10 highest paid QBs.
Take that $40M and make the Glazers pay you, you’re owed nothing.
June 25th, 2026 at 11:09 am
He has done better than over paid Dak
June 25th, 2026 at 11:19 am
Why are we arguing over a paycheck for an already overpaid player?
$40+ million is not pocket change. It’s damn good money.
If Baker were smart, he isn’t, he would take less money and demand they take the savings and spend it on putting a better team around him.
That was just one of the reasons Tom Brady was and is the GOAT.
We should be talking about the epic collapse that baker helped orchestrate in 2025.
This contract nonsense is just a smokescreen. A distraction from the reality of the situation.
Baker is not a clutch performer. 1-9 in prime time. That really sucks.
June 25th, 2026 at 12:28 pm
Nope.
Mike knows.
June 25th, 2026 at 12:28 pm
Question is can he get us past the first round in playoffs
June 25th, 2026 at 1:21 pm
You guys are funny with Lamar deserves 60 million and Baker doesn’t deserve 50,, Ravens who had an awesome running game the last 5 years(even taking Lamar out of that), Had a top 10 Defense 3 times in 5 years , great special teams a real OC and great HC,,,, Lamar’s playoff record 3-5 ,, Bakers 2-3 ,,, Bucs had Crap defense , crap special teams and Bowles . Pay the Bake show so Tampa is watchable the next 5 years!
June 25th, 2026 at 1:48 pm
A few questions to ask:
1) When does Mayfield’s contract void?
2) When does the window to use the franchise tag open?
3) How does the use of the franchise tag differ when exercised on a player under
an active contract versus an inactive contract?
4) Under what NFL CBA rule is a team allowed to keep counting bonus money
against future caps for a player who is no longer on the roster?
June 25th, 2026 at 2:42 pm
@marine gets it!!!!
baker would be paid if he didnt choke in DEC!!!!!
GO BUCS
June 25th, 2026 at 3:22 pm
Bakers going to get 50+ per year. It’s a given.
He’s not going to take significantly less than Trevor, Love, etc etc
June 25th, 2026 at 3:35 pm
To all who say don’t pay him:
What is your plan? Who is your QB in 2027 and beyond?
Trade for one ? Who
Draft who? We will be picking around #15 in the draft again.
See, Jason Lite thought Baker would just sign like he thought ME13 would. That didn’t happen. He has no back up plans in place. We all know Todd should be gone, but if Jason doesn’t get Baker signed he should be fired too. We will be back to below mediocrity of the lost decade floundering around between the Mike Glennons and Ryan Fitzpatricks…. Just remember you are asking for it
June 25th, 2026 at 4:36 pm
I would love to have Baker on the team, but what he is making now is near the top of what I would pay an starting veteran QB. I realize that some other team will likely pay him much more. God bless him and them, and thanks for the time he was here.
Can you have a better team with a lesser and less expensive QB if you spread that money around well to meet other needs with affordable quality? I think that the answer is yes.
The Seahawks went all the way in 2025 doing exactly that with Sam Darnold making about 5% of the cap.
The Bucs have done it also. Brad Johnson’s $5.6M salary was just over 8% of 67.4M salary cap when he led the Bucs to Super Bowl victory. And, Brady’s $25M in 2020 was only 12.6% of the $198M cap. Who is it again who is worth 20% of the cap or more?
When the salary cap was introduced, starting veteran QBs earned about 8 to 12 percent of the cap. Over a couple of decades, that crept up to 10 to 15 percent. Now, it is rapidly ballooning past 20 percent as teams bet the pot hoping that one guy can be their salvation. That balloon is going to burst at some point.
With a need for around 28 starters counting special teams, Nickel Back, a second RB and a second TE, and with the need for 25 other players who can truly play a position when called upon, giving much more than 10 to 15% of your cap space to one player just seems to be nuts to me, and Baker is already in the 10+% range.
I get that there is a QB veteran salary bubble right now. And, I get that the QB is an essential decision maker and a key part of every team. But, I wouldn’t wreck the rest of the roster to compete with that QB salary bubble.
The Bucs have a viable alternative if Sorsby checks out. Spend a second round pick on him in the supplemental draft, give the QB coach a year to work with Sorsby while Baker plays out his contract, and play Sorsby on his rookie contract the next three years as part of a really solid roster starting in 2027.
If Sorsby doesn’t work out, there is always a guy like Baker around looking for a job after taking the blame for a crappy team losing because it blew its cap space on superstar saviors while letting the rest of its roster go to hell.
How many guys left Tampa in the bad old days to go win a Super Bowl on a team that could manage its roster? Doug Williams, Steve Young, Trent Dilfer. Even Testaverde went on to Pro Bowls and division championships elsewhere.
There are much better ways to spend the salary cap than by chasing a QB salary bubble.
June 25th, 2026 at 4:59 pm
Well, here is a lawsuit probably being filed as I type.
The NFL cancelled the supplemental draft because Sorsby was the only applicant and there supposedly is not enough time to investigate him before the draft deadline in mid July???
That sounds like a big load of manure.
June 25th, 2026 at 5:12 pm
The league doesn’t want a player who was busted for gambling being the focal point of the supplemental draft, and if Sorsby is grouped in with the ‘27 draft class with however that shakes out after the CFB season concludes I’m not sure he’d even be a 2nd rd pick.
That said, the NFL is protecting the shield like they always do. Funny thing is, Sorsby is coming with the circus they tried to say saddle Sheduer Sanders with in ‘25 and he’s a MUCh better QB than Sorsby
June 25th, 2026 at 7:43 pm
BM6 will get $50 M per year… either here in Tampa or elsewhere. The Buc’s may wait and see what happens this season. BM6 is under contract this season. Next season they can franchise tag him for around $50 M if they still want him or sign him to a new contract. If they don’t he will get paid $50 M somewhere by some team. IMHO signing sooner reduces the overall cost per season since all contracts keep growing.
June 25th, 2026 at 7:46 pm
Baker, will have a great season this year even without a contract. Then in 2027, he can refuse to sign with the Bucs and move on to Pittsburg. Perfect.
June 25th, 2026 at 7:49 pm
Baker is (roughly) the 10-12th best QB in the league, currently paid as the 16th.
WHAT are the odds of acquiring a better QB in the draft/free agency? The Jets have been drafting dudes since Joe Namath left, NUTHIN. Best QB they’ve had in that period was Vinny, oddly enough
June 25th, 2026 at 8:47 pm
To heck with mayfield. The Bucs could save a big pile of money and sign ‘Karen rogers’ next year for 10-12.😂
June 25th, 2026 at 10:17 pm
I say, if Baker is smart and want play for a longer time, he will settle for a small amount. How much money do you need? How much have already made? how much have you saved? If Baker take all the money who’s going block for him this year and next year. Who is going to stop the other teams from scoring this year and next so Baker does not have take those extra hits trying to pull out a game the offensive line could not provide the need time to make the plays or the defense did not have that one or two pieces due to not having that few extra million to sign that needed player. Baker should follow the lead that New York Knicks quarterback (point Guard) Jalen Brunson set. Take less to make sure the team can surround him with the players that are needed to go to the top (championship). If Baker want to be the Champion. He need to think TEAM PLAYER and no ME PAYEE.
June 26th, 2026 at 12:53 am
I have no doubt Baker wants 60+
June 26th, 2026 at 2:06 pm
Who in the hell does he thinks he is? He wants 50+ because he makes Plays with his legs here and there? As said, other than using his legs at times, he’s average at best and always chokes and turns into an interception machine when the game is on the line. No he has no leverage, you wanna go then hit the road jack, would rather put Daniels on the field anyway.
June 26th, 2026 at 3:35 pm
For me, it’s a calculation of how closely the FO & HC are to being let go should 2026 turn into another soul-grinding collapse, losing season & drop out of contention.
I can totally see the FO dragging this out for 2026 before trying to get a new deal with Baker after the season – even if it costs the organization $3-5M extra per year….Because if the Bucs don’t win 10+ and make a playoff run….Going all-in on a new $50M/yr deal for Baker now…And still losing – makes both Licht and Bowles 100% expendable.
While also noting that there are several key core players aging out, older guys on 1yr deals or over paid Bucs Vets reaching price points that make no sense moving forward…A reboot is close & the most cost effective way to retool the roster is with draft capital and mid-range FA’s…A new FO & HC may want the flexibility of not being hamstrung to a $50M+ QB that’s been as close as you can be to being out of the league, if not for finding life on his 3rd 2nd chance!
It has to be a real consideration for the Glazers’ that a new FO & coaching staff may not be all-in on Baker and it’s a proven fact that you can lose with anyone behind center while focusing on rebooting the roster over the next 2-3yrs.
Plus, the 2027 draft will be flush with QB’s ready to take the next step. There should be an adequate “soon to be starter” readily available in the mid to late 1st. While also having options on the 2nd team/2nd contract market of guys looking to rekindle their own market value.
A cheap 2027 non-rookie option that I would seriously consider is Will Levis – who got a short hook with a very bad offensive roster in TEN…As Brian Callahan was no QB guru or savant savior with a call sheet clip board during his time in Nashville & moved on to #1 pick in 2025 – who posted equally bad results to Levis before BC was pink slipped!
Levis is very familiar with Zac Robinson’s “Sean McVay / Liam Coen / LA Rams” styled offensive scheme & would be a good QB1 place-holder / competitor on a low-risk/low-cost short-term expenditure – even if the plan was to develop a mid-to-late 1st Rd pick. (Regardless of FO or Coaching staff at One Bucs Place)