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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.

There was plenty of blame to go around for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ struggles in 2025, and with head coach Todd Bowles hellbent on blaming everyone but himself, things got a little confusing.

One person who ended up with more than his equitable portion of the blame — mostly thanks to Bowles — was quarterback Baker Mayfield.

While Bowles somehow kept his job, Mayfield now enters a year in which he’s playing for his own. Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti predicts the Buccaneers will look past those exterior forces and pay up for Mayfield now that the NFL draft is over.

In Ginnitti’s model, Mayfield has a top-end value of a 4-year, $215 million contract at $53.75 million per year, but he predicts the offer will come in at a 3-year, $155 million extension before training camp starts.

Mayfield is currently entering the final season of a 3-year, $100 million contract signed before the 2024 season.

“Baker didn’t match the magic of 2024 this past season, but he’s shown more than enough to warrant a few more guaranteed years at a pay level more commensurate to his production,” Ginnitti wrote. “$55M per year seems to be the going rate for this type of player these days.”

Why Paying Baker Mayfield is Win-Win Move

For the Buccaneers, paying Mayfield now seems like the smartest move — stabilize the most important position on the field, and if he ends up playing at a Pro Bowl level again as he did in 2023 and 2024.

Besides that, the 2027 NFL draft will be stacked with quarterbacks front to back and could very well break the record for most quarterbacks taken in the 1st round, which is 6 quarterbacks each in the 1983 and 2024 drafts.

So, even if the Buccaneers pay Mayfield now and he underperforms in 2026 — which isn’t likely with a healthy offensive line — it doesn’t preclude them from taking any number of quarterbacks in the 1st round in 2027.

What Bucs Have Said About Paying Baker Mayfield

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 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.”

With Mayfield leading the way — and without veteran leaders in wide receiver Mike Evans (free agency) and inside linebacker Lavonte David (retirement) — Vegas oddsmakers are giving the Buccaneers little hope of success in 2026.

The opening totals for the Buccaneers on DraftKings for over/under wins in 2026 were still set at 8.5 wins. The other 3 teams in the NFC South Division are all vastly improved, which could mean a rough road ahead for the Buccaneers, who went 8-9 in 2025 and missed the playoffs for the 1st time since 2019.