Baker Mayfield Discusses Contract Status
June 28th, 2026
Optimism surfacing?.
Joe doesn’t think Baker Mayfield was “posturing” in any way.
Eric Edholm of NFL.com believed Mayfield was “posturing” when he discussed his contract status earlier this month duruing Mayfield’s first media availability of underwear football season.
Joe disagrees. “Posturing” is a form of grandstanding. Mayfield wasn’t doing that. He was asked a direct question and appeared to give an honest, direct answer.
If anything, Mayfield seemed disappointed when he said the first offer from the Bucs wasn’t close to what his camp is seeking.
Yesterday, speaking at his youth camp back at his alma mater, Oklahoma, Mayfield was asked for latest in his contract talks with the Bucs. Mayfield seemed to speak with a hint of optimism.
“I would love to be there,” Mayfield said of staying with the Bucs. “I think both sides want to get it done. It’s a matter of finding that middle ground and what makes both sides happy.
“Like I fell in love with Norman, our family, we fell in love with Tampa. It’s a great place to raise a family and be around. So, regardless of what happens, I think we’ll spend our offseasons there.
“I want to be [with the Bucs] long term. They’ve treated me right. And it’s the first place I’ve gotten to that feels like Oklahoma. When it comes down to football, how can they put you in the best position to have success on the field? And how can they give you resources to help you out? And so it’s, it’s a great place.”
Again, Joe smelled a whiff of optimism in Mayfield’s words. He followed that up by joking with a reporter (?) wearing a Bucco Bruce Bucs helmet how he could help rep Mayfield in negotiations.
Whether Mayfield and the Bucs sign a contract tonight, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year or Mayfield is franchised, some way, Joe is confident Mayfield will be behind center for the Bucs in 2027.
"I feel in love in Norman and we fell in love with Tampa."
Baker Mayfield on his contract situation with the Bucs.#WeAreTheKrewe pic.twitter.com/GEZzAhNgIr— Steve McGehee (@SteveMcGehee) June 27, 2026
June 28th, 2026 at 8:19 am
Baker is going to get in the 50’s for so many years. I don’t believe he’s looking to break the bank. At this stage of his career there are more important things than being the highest paid, like being able to field a team around his cap hit. Him getting to much might mean Mauch has to go. Baker won’t want that. The deal will get done. I also think they need to sweeten Vea’s deal. I think 2 years 44 million would do it, and seems fair. The big fella deserves it, and is well worth it.
June 28th, 2026 at 8:37 am
Hodad, I see that too. To me the last line “And how can they give you the resources to help you out” is a signal he gets it. Team game, nobody does it alone. God bless Sam Darnold, I am happy for the guy. But when you’re ranking QBs you know nobody has him top 5. That, and I am pretty sure 99% of the people had him in that mythical “can’t win a SB with that guy” list.
A good mental exercise for the Baker question. No judgements, Baker Bois and Baker Haters alike can do this. Just be honest with yourself:
Bucs let Baker go after this year and he signs a four year, $200 deal with the Falcons and we start shopping. Are you happy?
June 28th, 2026 at 8:42 am
Definitely doesn’t seem to be any vitriol or hurt feelings here. It’s all just posturing and negotiation.
June 28th, 2026 at 8:44 am
It’s nearly impossible to find a QB who can win a Super Bowl.
It’s nearly impossible to find a franchise QB.
It’s very difficult to draft a franchise QB in the 1st round.
Our franchise QB fell in our lap on a 6 million dollar deal.
Baker has proven to be a franchise QB.
4 years. 200 million. Fully guaranteed. Kirk Cousins deal.
100 million signing bonus.
Free up cap space.
Go Bucs!
June 28th, 2026 at 8:46 am
If he can play disciplined ball and protect his body and we have a good running game and a good defense, Baker and the Bucs should be good. I know we’re not going to do it but we should trade him and draft a qb next season.
Then we will be able to resign more of our valuable UFA’s.
June 28th, 2026 at 8:52 am
LOL!
Baker’s agent delivered the bad news.
Sorry kid – there isn’t a huge amount of demand for your supply. The Bucs are your best bet going forward.
All of the sudden – “I love Tampa – I want to stay here forever”
Ya right Baker.
For me the max contract for Baker is – $45-$50M per season for 3 seasons. $100M guaranteed.
We can cut the cord after 2 seasons without destroying our salary cap for another 5 seasons…
June 28th, 2026 at 8:54 am
Teacher. You are all the way worng bro a quartback that’s on his 4th team is not a franchise quarterback. Baker haven’t won nothing but one playoff game and last year he single handed knocked us out of the playoffs. The way the team is set up now this is time to go get a quartback out of the draft. Even the Rams drafted a quartback in the first round to prepare for they’re future. Baker has proven to be a bridge quarterback and I was one of the ones that was saying he’s leading the MVP race last year. Free agent quarterbacks don’t normally win Superbowls. The eagles moved on from Nick Foles and they have been in 2 Superbowls since. The Seahawks ain’t resigning Sam Dornald either if the bucs give Baker a franchise quarterback contract the bucs will be back at the bottom watch and see.
June 28th, 2026 at 8:55 am
Can you imagine him telling the family , we are leaving Tampa for NY,,, OMG,, first the weather stinks and he’d have to make 60 million w the taxes ,,, so this deal will get done , a good deal for both!!
June 28th, 2026 at 8:59 am
I feel that so many things went wrong last year: inexperienced OC; decimated Oline; WRs injured; no viable backup QB. Let hope that this year’s reset will get the ship righted. Personally, I think we will see the best Baker yet.
June 28th, 2026 at 9:00 am
3 yrs 50, and you snub your nose at that? ok, no biggie…and i love you Bake, pushed for us to get you….we have others to sign also…come on man be reasonable!
June 28th, 2026 at 9:13 am
When Oklahoma is your standard, the bar is set pretty low. Still, really like the guy and he has earn ed respect.
June 28th, 2026 at 9:19 am
The next coach of Tampa Bay may not want Licht or Baker so Bucs would be wise to wait and see so if the unbelievable happens and Bowles has a good season, Because you can always tag Bake for the next two seasons.
June 28th, 2026 at 9:20 am
The next coach of Tampa Bay may not want Licht or Baker so Bucs would be wise to wait and see so if the unbelievable happens and Bowles has a good season, Because you can always tag Bake for the next two seasons.
June 28th, 2026 at 9:23 am
People who talk about QB’s and their W-L record are ignoring the team’s defense, special teams, surrounding offensive players, and OC. The Bucs had challenges in all those areas last year, so I’m not hanging the entire accountability for the slide on Baker.
I’d say he’s between a 10 and 17 ranked QB. Pay him in that range with some flexibility. Both sides want it done, I think by opening day.
June 28th, 2026 at 9:33 am
@Marine: “Sorry kid – there isn’t a huge amount of demand for your supply.”
You mean like Pittsburg? Jets? Miami? Arizona? Sorry, but ALL would pay him more than he is asking from the Bucs.
I think 2024 and the beginning of 2025 are a true indicator of how Baker is capable of playing. But that is just my opinion.
The facts are that a professional expert like Chris Simms has him ranked at the 10th best QB. And only an idiot (and there are plenty in here) would claim Baker is no less than a top 15 QB. And, very important to note that these evaluations are based on the roller coaster 2025 season. A season in which half of the Bucs starters out due to injury.
There is not a NFL QB that has started a minimum of 5 years that has not had a bad season, for what ever reason (always for injury). Not Mahomes, Stafford, Josh Allen, Lamar, etc. But according to some, Baker is not allowed to use the injury excuse.
So IMO, 2025 is Mayfield’s worst. Me? I will take it all day long. Sign him up.
June 28th, 2026 at 9:36 am
Todd and BucsLady, why to you obviously have two accounts here on JBF?
How embarrassing for you. But we know you are not alone in not having the balls to post under one name.
June 28th, 2026 at 9:38 am
Let’s hang on every word and ty to decipher more than what he said.
Until Licht makes a comment tomorrow or Tuesday. Then, we can hyperventilate about what he said.
How about another Evans story in between about what he “really felt” when he decided to leave?
June 28th, 2026 at 9:49 am
If we sign Baker for say $52 million per year….by the time his contract is up, quarterbacks will be making like $70 million per, and it will feel like a steal….Pay dat man, pay him his monies
June 28th, 2026 at 9:54 am
A lot can change in a year though. Some people in less than a year go from wanting to be a “Buc for ‘life” to taking a pay cut to get out and go to literally the opposite side of the country for something Purdy and to really face their flying fears
Very interesting a Franchise tag wasn’t applied there either.
I wonder if Jason would’ve used Franchise tag in hindsight knowing the eventual outcome or was he never going to use it.
Best believe they’ll use it on Baker tho. So I agree that he won’t be on another team come 2027. And in all seriousness, I did sense a whiff of optimism from Mayfiekf here too. Def compared to the last time where I didn’t sense any and the opposite. So it seems some progress has maybe been made behind the scenes here.
I’m just excited to see what Chandler Whitmer has been working on with Baker this off-season. One of my favorite hires and hopefully got some of that footwork cleaned up!
June 28th, 2026 at 9:59 am
Water is wet
June 28th, 2026 at 10:14 am
tampa is like oklahoma translation let baker be baker plant flags play like brett farve get drunk and arrested etc etc go bake!!
June 28th, 2026 at 10:20 am
Y’all seem to forget his first two seasons. Last season the whole team had problems in different areas with different people. We have a good chance to make and go deep in the playoffs. Breaking in a rookie QB? I think we’re made to win now. Pay him.
June 28th, 2026 at 10:22 am
I think the best plan is to not sign Baker and draft a QB in 2027 (heavy sarcasm):
2017 OBs drafted: Jared Goff #1, Carson Wentz #2, Dak Prescott #135
ONE SB winning QBs from 2017 draft: Prescott
2018 QBs drafted: Baker Mayfield #1, Sam Darnold #3, Josh Allen #7, Josh Rosen #10, Lamar Jackson #32 (2018 draft was loaded with stud QBs).
ONE SB winning QBs from 2018 draft: Sam Darnold
2019 QBs drafted: Kyler Murray #1, Daniel Jones #6, Dwayne Haskins #15
SB winning QBs from 2019 draft: NONE
2020 QBs drafted: Joe Burrow #1, Tua Tagovailoa #5, Justin Herbert #6, Jordan Love #26, Jalen Hurts #53
ONE SB winning QBs from 2020 draft: Jalen Hurts
So, using a reasonable sample size of 4 years to find a SB winning QB in the draft.
ONLY 3 out 16 QBs HIGHLY drafted won a SB.
One could even say there was luck involved for those 3 SB winning QBs. Prescott was drafted in the 4th round at 135, so bypassed on 134 times by other teams – a shot in the dark that Jerry lucked out on. Darnold took the long road to get to the SB, and he even said he played like crap (Give credit to the team effort by the Seattle defense). And Hurts was placed with a good team also.
If the 2027 draft is your plan, you are foolish. Contrary to what some say, it takes a TEAM effort – offense, defense, STs, Coaches, GM and owners – not just one player – a franchise QB. I have no doubt we have our franchise QB and the TEAM capability of that with the Bucs. 2020 showed us that.
Sign Baker NOW.
June 28th, 2026 at 10:43 am
We have had two SB QBs. Talent wise Baker is worse than one and better than the other. Unlike the Pollys on this site, I don’t think we are SB ready. It’s not Baker that is holding us back. Pay him.
June 28th, 2026 at 10:45 am
Josh Allen and the Bills put up 30 points against the AFC 2nd ranked Defense Broncos in last year’s playoff game , despite the Bills committing 5 turnovers.
And a questionable call by the refs in overtime took away the Bills’ opportunity to win the game.
If Mayfield’s Bucs committed 5 turnovers in a playoff game , Bucs are losing by 20+ points.
Allen is a Franchise QB
Mayfield is an inconsistently sometimes good QB.
June 28th, 2026 at 11:21 am
ONE SB winning QBs from 2017 draft: Prescott
@@@@@@@@@@@
No, Dak won two playoff games, but that’s it.
However, your point is well made. If all you had to do was lose and get a high pick to win a Super Bowl then everyone would be doing it.
June 28th, 2026 at 11:34 am
Sr.Harry spot on! Can you imagine him in Pitt? Every year a consistent solid defense, McCarthys experience with qb,s.Mayfield would have made that team more then a pain in the azz it already is.He did tampa a solid by wanting to stay!
June 28th, 2026 at 11:56 am
Sounds like Licht and Team Glazer/Amish thought that being effusive with praise of Baker while rolling out an initial lowball offer got this party started. It could get real interesting real quick. Trade him, VV and 2 1sts for Joe Burrow ( that’s probably what it would take ).
June 28th, 2026 at 12:08 pm
Onielbuccs you are so right no Superbowl win this year no extension. Now to be consistent the following quarterbacks should also be cut immediately if no super bowl win this year.
Josh Allen
Lamar Jackson
Joe Burrow
Jayden Daniels
Justin Herbert
June 28th, 2026 at 12:32 pm
Tag Baker next season and call it done, simple as that. He was hot garbage last year, there is a reason why he was making plays scrambling his ass off last year.
June 28th, 2026 at 12:52 pm
Hodad Says
“I also think they need to sweeten Vea’s deal. I think 2 years 44 million would do it, and seems fair. The big fella deserves it, and is well worth it.”
I like everything you said. I copied this part because I looked at Spotrac and the Bucs cap does not look great. They would have to clear tens of millions to do both deals…plus a few million for during the season.
I do not fully understand how they can clear money…or how the contracts would work.
I’m assuming Baker will get $53m to $55m.
Going be your numbers, Vea would get $22m per year? Is that right?
Spotrac currently has us at $8,651,627 under the cap.
I assume anew deals would be whatever amount they made before plus what ever increase they get? Or can they shift things around to make it less of a cap hit? Like converting some to something?
Right now, we have $13,332,254 in dead cap.
June 28th, 2026 at 1:08 pm
Marine Buc Says:
“All of the sudden – “I love Tampa – I want to stay here forever”
Ya right Baker.
For me the max contract for Baker is – $45-$50M per season for 3 seasons. $100M guaranteed.”
Baker is currently the lowest starting QB in the league.
Base Salary $10,000,000
Signing Bonus $5,775,000
Roster Bonus $17,000,000
Likely Incentives $1,000,000
Unlikely Incentives $4,000,000
Total Cap Hit $39,975,000
All 31 Starting QBs are making more than him. He gave us a huge price break when he was signed so he could prove himself. The players love him. The coaches love him. The GM loves him. And most of the genuine fans love him (some of the genuine fans do not).
Not every fan who dislikes him is a troll…but they do exist here.
Baker won’t suddenly be the highest paid QB in the league…Jason is too smart for that.
The current #10 highest paid is Lamar Jackson at $52,000,000. Bakers is ranked as the 10th best QB in the league right? So $53-55 million is not bad, considering the highest paid QB is Patrick Mahomes at $64,000,000.
Shoot, even Geno Smith gets more.
But I get you…at first I felt $45m is the max he should be paid. Then I saw the numbers for all the other QBs…and he is better than a lot who are getting paid more.
June 28th, 2026 at 1:11 pm
I think 4 years at $53m – $55m per year with incentives and 2 years guaranteed is fair.
Keep in mind, the unlikely to meet incentives would be $5m – $6m, making the real number closer to $47m to $49m.
June 28th, 2026 at 1:12 pm
If you wait a year, his price will skyrocket. He’ll have the power. Lock him in and this number will seem cheap later.
June 28th, 2026 at 1:16 pm
firethecannons Says:
“Tag Baker next season and call it done, simple as that. He was hot garbage last year”
Horrible OL.
Injury to his non-throwing shoulder from after the bye forward.
Soon after, a cracked ribs injury that he played through the rest of the year.
And then the killing blow: Injured throwing shoulder the rest of the year.
Of course he was horrible after the bye week.
But before that he was a potential MVP. When the OL was better. and when he was not so injured.
The ribs and throwing shoulder were what did it.
June 28th, 2026 at 1:20 pm
Senor Harry in Costa Rica, you make a valid point…but why did you not list 2021 – 2025?
I ask because I’m curious who was drafted in those years…not because I think they will prove your point wrong. I’m too lazy to look up the QBs…so basically I’m hoping to get you to do so 😉
June 28th, 2026 at 1:26 pm
Baker will get more money, and years, than the TraskForce wants him to get, and that will be great for Tampa.
PS, we already have the next head coach for Tampa Bay, on staff. Glazer’s are test driving him this season.
Sorry, not sorry.
June 28th, 2026 at 1:33 pm
“Oneilbuccs Says:
June 28th, 2026 at 8:54 am
Teacher. You are all the way worng bro a quartback that’s on his 4th team is not a franchise quarterback. Baker haven’t won nothing but one playoff game and last year he single handed knocked us out of the playoffs. The way the team is set up now this is time to go get a quartback out of the draft. Even the Rams drafted a quartback in the first round to prepare for they’re future. Baker has proven to be a bridge quarterback and I was one of the ones that was saying he’s leading the MVP race last year. Free agent quarterbacks don’t normally win Superbowls. The eagles moved on from Nick Foles and they have been in 2 Superbowls since. The Seahawks ain’t resigning Sam Dornald either if the bucs give Baker a franchise quarterback contract the bucs will be back at the bottom watch and see.”
Darnold is on his 4th team, won a Super Bowl. His stats not much better than Baker’s. His DEFENSE, otoh…
June 28th, 2026 at 1:34 pm
Hard NO! on paying any QB more of the cap than the 12% Brady was paid to come to Tampa and win a Super Bowl. And, Baker is already making 12% money.
Let other teams bid themselves stupid chasing ballooning QB salaries.
And, when you think about 2024 Baker’s production, think about the OL he played behind, the RB trio, the WRs, and the OC.
Was Baker the ESSENTIAL component? Or, was he another good component among a lot of good components?
Get over the idea that the Bucs needs a savior QB. The Bucs need to keep building a good, solid team with a good QB.
For example, if the Bucs sustain the quality of the OL, RBs, WRs, and OC, someone like Mac Jones may be the Buc’s Dam Darnold.
Jones, for example, is a $4M backup at SF this year and a free agent in 2027. He would probably jump at $5M/year, fully guaranteed for three years, with incentives that would take him to $20M/year based on percentage of snaps and other criteria important to the Bucs.
That would not be a cap destroying bad deal if he only works out as a backup, and it would be a steal if he proves to be an adequate starter AS PART OF A SOLID TEAM.
June 28th, 2026 at 1:49 pm
Jones is currently valued as a second round pick as the best backup in the NFL, and will rate a damn sight more than $20 million
June 28th, 2026 at 1:59 pm
I thought we were finally out of cap hell.
June 28th, 2026 at 2:28 pm
When Oklahoma is your standard the bar is set pretty low-Buddha. Why are you even on a football site. Obviously you don’t know what a great football program looks like. Oklahoma IS the number 1 football program since 1950. It’s better to remain quiet and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.