The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have found themselves in the very fun position of having to negotiate a new deal with their franchise quarterback. In an NFL world, where money is thrown at quarterbacks like tennis balls to dogs Tampa Bay can’t seem to pull apart the velcro on their wallet for Baker Mayfield.
Amongst the team’s fanbase the response to Tampa’s stalemate with their quarterback has garnered mixed reviews. There is certainly a camp of Buccaneers’ fans who are in complete agreeance with how the team has navigated
the situation thus far— “Make him play it out and see if he truly earns it!” Is that rallying cry completely baseless though? Maybe. Simply due to the fact that it really does not matter what he does to ‘earn’ it in 2026, he’s already earned it and the price is only going up.
Here’s a simple thought exercise:
2026 season goes… Poorly. Tampa Bay starts out 1-3, slips to 3-6, the media is sharpening their Todd Bowles knives, just waiting for the team’s official announcement. Tampa battles as the season progresses and fights their way back to 6-7. The NFC South has never had a gym membership, never heard of a bench press— it’s weak. With that losing record, the Buccaneers still find themselves in the mix down the stretch and they are in competitive meaningful games in December. Baker just has an average Buccaneers’ Baker season, he tosses 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, while the team misses the playoffs by the slightest touch of luck (or un-luck). Todd Bowles has coached his last game in red and pewter and the Buccaneers don’t have a coach or a quarterback OR a high enough draft pick to leverage into their next one.
Even in that scenario Baker Mayfield loses no value on the open market— Zero. None. He will hop, skip, and jump into free agency and be greeted with teams unloading their bank accounts to get his signature on the dotted line.
How does Tampa Bay look in that scenario?
Would that have been a wise decision for the Buccaneers?
The team’s first semi-long-term franchise quarterback since… Doug Williams? Will have left after four seasons—Two of which were very good-exemplary and two of which were average-decent with a coach that not one Buccaneers’ fan will stand up for in the slightest regard.
What if Mayfield saunters back over to the west coast?
After the Rams recent draft excursion, it would seem less likely than ever, but the Rams are an aggressive team that does not follow the sheep think notions of most NFL organizations. Perhaps, Sean McVay doesn’t see enough from Ty Simpson behind the scenes and the looming threat of his retirement forces the team to make an aggressive move for a quarterback following Matthew Stafford’s final season. If Baker Mayfield went to the Rams what would the narrative be? Would it be, ‘Wow, the Rams really overpaid, not too sure Baker Mayfield is the guy.’ ? Or would it be something closer to— ‘The Rams do it again! That’s why the Rams are the Rams. They’ve got their new guy to follow in the footsteps of Stafford and keep them in contention!’ ?
You can choose between those answers for yourself, but even if part of you leans towards the latter doesn’t that say more about the Buccaneers’ situation (organization, roster, coach, etc.) than Baker Mayfield as a quarterback?
