Baker Mayfield appears headed into the 2026 season without a new contract from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The veteran quarterback has made his frustration with the negotiations known at various points throughout the offseason. Now, ESPN’s Jenna Laine has provided additional insight into what Mayfield and his representatives were seeking.
According to Laine, the Buccaneers quarterback wanted a contract that placed him more closely among the NFL’s highest-paid quarterbacks.
Mayfield Wanted to Be Paid Like His Peers
Laine reported for ESPN that Mayfield’s representatives used several recent quarterback contracts as benchmarks during negotiations.
“Sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Mayfield and his agent used Green Bay’s Jordan Love (four years, $55M per year, $160.3M total guaranteed), Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence (five years, $55M per year, $200M total guaranteed), and San Francisco’s Brock Purdy (five years, $53M per year, $182.55M total guaranteed) as comps during the negotiations,” Laine wrote.
The contracts for Love, Lawrence and Purdy all established significant benchmarks for quarterbacks around Mayfield’s age and experience.
However, Laine reported that Mayfield wasn’t necessarily trying to reset the quarterback market.
“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Mayfield’s issue wasn’t just length of the deal or guaranteed money,” Laine wrote. “While he did not set out to reset the market, $50M per year would have put Mayfield 13th in the league among current deals.”
That distinction is important.
A $50 million annual salary would put Mayfield among the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks. However, it would not make him the NFL’s highest-paid player at the position.
Buccaneers Made a Significant Offer
The Buccaneers apparently did make a serious attempt to keep Mayfield beyond 2026.
Laine reported that Tampa Bay’s final offer before training camp was a two-year contract worth slightly more than $100 million.
“Sources told Fowler that in the Bucs’ last offer prior to camp, they did come in offering a two-year deal worth slightly above $100M in total,” Laine wrote. “But Mayfield wanted longer than that, and he was dissatisfied with the guaranteed money.”
That ultimately wasn’t enough to get the two sides across the finish line.
A previous report also indicated that Mayfield’s camp responded to Tampa Bay’s proposal with its own two-year offer.
The disagreement therefore wasn’t simply about whether the Buccaneers were willing to pay Mayfield. The length and guaranteed portion of the contract were major sticking points.
Franchise Tag Could Keep Mayfield in Tampa
The Buccaneers haven’t completely closed the door on keeping Mayfield beyond the upcoming season.
General manager Jason Licht said in early August that Tampa Bay could potentially retain Mayfield’s rights with the franchise tag following the 2026 campaign.
The projected quarterback franchise tag for 2027 is around $50 million, which could give the Buccaneers another path toward keeping their starting quarterback.
Of course, using the tag would only be one season of security for Mayfield. It also wouldn’t resolve the long-term contract dispute that has apparently caused the two sides to remain apart.
Mayfield Has Plenty to Prove
Mayfield’s contract situation comes with another layer of uncertainty because his recent results haven’t been completely consistent.
He led Tampa Bay to playoff appearances during each of his first two seasons with the franchise in 2023 and 2024. However, the Buccaneers won only one playoff game across those appearances.
Health is another consideration.
Mayfield has dealt with injuries during each of his past three seasons, something that could factor into Tampa Bay’s willingness to commit significant guaranteed money over a longer period.
That leaves Mayfield with a massive opportunity in 2026.
If he produces at an elite level and stays healthy, his leverage could increase substantially. If Tampa Bay remains unconvinced, however, the Buccaneers could face a difficult decision regarding his future.
For now, Mayfield appears poised to bet on himself.
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