Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing foolish game with Baker Mayfield

The quarterback position remains the most important role in the NFL. When a team finds a franchise quarterback, retaining him should become a top priority. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers struck gold when they landed Baker Mayfield in 2023 following Tom Brady’s retirement. Now, however, they risk losing him.

Recent reports indicate that contract extension talks between Mayfield and the Buccaneers have stalled. According to the former No. 1 overall pick, the two sides are “not even close” to reaching an agreement. While Mayfield has made it clear that he wants to remain in Tampa Bay, he also appears to have a deadline in mind for getting a deal done.

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If the Buccaneers are waiting to see who blinks first, they are making a significant mistake. Mayfield has exceeded expectations since arriving in Tampa Bay, leading the franchise to consecutive playoff appearances and providing stability at the game’s most important position. If the organization still isn’t convinced he’s their long-term answer, that would be difficult to justify.

What’s the hold up?

Mayfield’s tenure with the Cleveland Browns certainly had its ups and downs. Even so, he remains the best quarterback the franchise has had since its return in 1999—and it’s not particularly close. While some may debate whether he was worthy of being selected first overall, he has unquestionably proven he belonged in the first round.

More importantly, Mayfield’s time in Cleveland is firmly in the rearview mirror. Judging him solely by that stretch ignores the reality of the situation. The Browns spent years plagued by instability and organizational dysfunction. Since leaving Cleveland, Mayfield has consistently capitalized on every opportunity he’s received.

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The Buccaneers have been fortunate to have him over the past three seasons. He proved his value in 2023 and elevated his play even further in 2024. While Tampa Bay took a step back last season, the blame hardly falls on Mayfield. In fact, the Buccaneers likely wouldn’t have remained in playoff contention without his contributions.

Ultimately, this situation will come down to money, as Mayfield acknowledged during his media session. Tampa Bay benefited from having him on a team-friendly contract, but those days were never going to last forever. The only reasonable explanation for negotiations being this far apart is if Mayfield is seeking a market-setting average annual salary.

That’s certainly possible. However, for the two sides to reportedly be nowhere close to an agreement raises concerns. The Buccaneers would be wise to resolve this situation sooner rather than later. Franchise quarterbacks are difficult to find, and Tampa Bay shouldn’t assume it can simply stumble into another one.