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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t seem like a team that’s going to make a run at an NFC South Division title in 2026, much less a Super Bowl.
If they did, however, it wouldn’t be the 1st time a team came out of nowhere to win it all, and Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon put Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield at the top of his list of quarterbacks who could be the “Next Sam Darnold” in 2026.
Darnold is coming off a season in which he famously came out of nowhere to lead the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl win in his 1st season as the franchise’s starter in 2025.
Mayfield is coming off his 3rd — and worst — season as the starter for the Buccaneers after going 8-9 in 2025 and his team missing the playoffs for the 1st time since 2019.
“As an eight-year veteran, Mayfield faces going down the Geno/Jacoby path if he doesn’t bounce back in 2026,” Davenport wrote. “The good news is that with Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. at receiver, a quality offensive line, and soft competition within the NFC South, a late-blooming Mayfield could certainly find another gear at this point in his career. The Bucs still aren’t a frontline Super Bowl contender, but they have the talent and experience to make a surprise run if Mayfield delivers a career year. And that’s entirely within the realm of possibility.”
Baker Mayfield in Final Year of $100M Contract
Also like Darnold, Mayfield is playing on a 3-year, $100 million contract — a mid-level starter contract — although unlike Darnold, Mayfield is already in the final year of his deal.
That means he’ll be playing for big money in 2026, where a great season likely gets him a raise in the range of a $50 million to $60 million per year, a mediocre season likely gets him a deal worth about what he’s making right now, and a bad season could see him playing on a 1-year contract somewhere else besides Tampa Bay in 2027.
Mayfield’s hot start to 2025 brought the buzz of a possible contract extension that never materialized. Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht addressed his quarterback’s future on the 1st day of the annual NFL owners meetings in Phoenix in March, telling AP NFL Reporter Rob Maadi he wants Mayfield with the Buccaneers for the foreseeable future.
“Baker is a true pro,” Licht said. “He’s a leader for this team. We love Baker. Baker is still our quarterback. He’s one of the toughest guys on the team. He’s a great leader. Everything kind of revolves around the quarterback spot. At some point, I’m sure we’ll figure something out. There’s no timetable on that.”
Bucs Haven’t Drafted Starting QB in 12 Years
Mayfield has started every game for the Buccaneers since 2023, but they’re the 4th team he’s played for after the Cleveland Browns selected him No. 1 overall in 2018, followed by stints with the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams.
The Buccaneers have only drafted 2 quarterbacks in the last 12 years, and none since 2nd-round pick Kyle Trask in 2021. Tampa Bay hasn’t drafted a quarterback who started a game for them since taking Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame