Tom Pelissero: Lone Issue For Bucs Entering Camp Is Getting Baker Mayfield Contract Done
July 2nd, 2026
The latest.
Baker Mayfield is on record, several times since he came to the Bucs, that Tampa Bay is the first team to embrace him for who he is and never tried to change him.
And for NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero, it’s time for the Bucs to cement their feelings about Mayfield and show him the money.
“To me, the most important [quarterback contract] is Baker Mayfield,” Pelissero said on The Rich Eisen Show yesterday. “Because Baker, if you look at the franchise quarterback contracts right now, he’s at the bottom of those veteran guys in terms of where they’re getting paid.”
And, Pelissero said, he has not heard of any progress on getting the talks wrapped up.
“At last check, when I, you know, asked around a week or so ago, he didn’t tell if there had been any further movement,” Pelissero said. “And [Mayfield is] a guy who’s a free agent after this season.”
Pelissero did add something interesting. Do the Bucs think by not getting Mayfield extended before the season, they’ll p!ss off Mayfield to the point that he balls out this fall, in part because he wants to show the Bucs they made a mistake not getting this extension done?
“The Bucs may kind of like, ‘Hey, it’s salty, angry Baker coming in, let him go kick everybody’s butt and worry about [the financial consequences] after the season.’
“They’ve done that with other veterans in the past, but quarterback position is a little bit different.”
Pelissero would not be surprised that when everyone returns to Tampa from vacation, the Bucs and Mayfield camps will have one of those burn-the-midnight-oil marathon negotiations to get a deal hammered out.
From everything Joe has heard from folks both on and off the record, it’s difficult to believe Mayfield won’t be the Bucs’ quarterback in Week 1 of the 2027 season.
July 2nd, 2026 at 9:08 am
This is why they simply need to resign him and get this cloud hanging over the team to go away. “Born Again” Baker is a Franchise QB and we are lucky to have him. Sign the Man. LFG!!
July 2nd, 2026 at 9:13 am
Agreed 100%, truth be told.
July 2nd, 2026 at 9:22 am
1 playoff win 3years ago….nawl…aint worth an extension…let baker play it out and prove himself….
sign VITA!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
July 2nd, 2026 at 9:29 am
I mean, they gotta do Vita as well. But it’s July 2nd. There’s plenty of time for this.
July 2nd, 2026 at 9:32 am
813…Vita is signed
July 2nd, 2026 at 9:59 am
It’s a PR strategy to keep the Bucs in focus in the Bay Area…..with no football to report on, this is the most interesting story they can offer week after week. I bet he’s signed before the season. Vea would be another but QB takes priority. It’s good PR and marketing….time will tell if it was a real negotiation showdown or not.
July 2nd, 2026 at 10:05 am
It seems slam dunk that Baker is in the 50 million based on other qb in the league. How much over the 50 could be the issue, but that seems simple enough. Maybe it is the number of years. Licht seems to like the short term stuff. Look what he did with ME. How many guys are on 1 to 2 yr deals. I don’t know it seems simple enough. Put simply it’s time to pay the Man. However the Bucs have a poor history with quality QB’s seems they can’t get that one right. Have the Bucs ever had a Franchise QB. There is your answer
July 2nd, 2026 at 10:07 am
I know the Bucs hate kicking the can after Brady and the finances are looking better, but they can actually create Cap Room by getting these deals done.
if they were literally ALL IN both would be done by now and we would have added Trevon Diggs for example.
I don’t see the team thinking that way hence no deals yet. Do I think they get Baker done early in Training Camp? YES
Should they instead of Vita Vea? REALLY NOT SURE!
I like the idea of a pissed off Baker and pay the man next year. Vita Holding Out would literally suck.
Baker ain’t doing that, it’s too expensive for him.
I hate contract disputes a year early. You signed the deal so play football.
July 2nd, 2026 at 10:15 am
Can somebody tell me how to search the archives?
July 2nd, 2026 at 10:15 am
Seriously, the Baker contract articles are getting old. There’s got to be other things Joe’s can dig up.
July 2nd, 2026 at 10:25 am
Well at least Joe isn’t telling us what band the GM loves or the favorite candy of the defensive wizard of oz. Besides this pesky QB contract extension, everything else with the Bucs according to Pelissero is perfect…lol
July 2nd, 2026 at 10:28 am
The best case scenario is let and unsigned, angry Baker enter the season and ball out the entire season and earn $50M. Until now, the only thing that says Baker should be signed for 50M is what other teams have paid their QB’s. His overall performamces don’t scream $50M. Let it play out. Let Baker ball out behind a healthy Oline, a new OC and an upgraded defense. Then me, the fanbase, the Bucs and Baker will be happy to pay him like a franchise QB.
July 2nd, 2026 at 10:43 am
BridleOaks Buc Says:
July 2nd, 2026 at 9:32 am
813…Vita is signed
so is baker lol….
extend VITA!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
July 2nd, 2026 at 11:13 am
I like Baker playing in Tampa. That said, I’ve always thought that destiny would converge a Baker and Sean McVay reunion in LA for the Big Ride to the Super Bowl. Maybe Baker leaves or maybe the Bucs sign him and trade him at the end of the season for Ty Simpson. To be continued…
July 2nd, 2026 at 11:46 am
Uhhh no, that’s not going to happen. When we sign Baker Mayfield, we will keep and start Baker Mayfield until the end of his contract. If the defense is indeed much improved and the offensive line stays healthy, the Bucs are in for a *huge* season.
July 2nd, 2026 at 11:48 am
Stpetematt: I hope so too!