Quarterback Baker Mayfield has turned down a two-year contract extension offer from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the two sides failed to reach an agreement before his self-imposed training camp deadline, according to Nbcsports. Mayfield, who is entering the final season of a three-year, $100 million contract signed in March 2024, expressed frustration over the breakdown in negotiations.
Baker Mayfield Rejects Two-Year Offer from Tampa Bay
Speaking to reporters, the 31-year-old quarterback admitted he felt disrespected
and undervalued
by the team’s proposal, noting that he had set a strict deadline of the start of training camp for an extension, as reported by The New York Times. According to 4for4, Mayfield was seeking a long-term commitment and a salary of around $50 million per year, placing the team’s two-year offer pretty far
from his target figure.
Evaluating Performance and Market Value
Mayfield’s current contract pays him an annual average of $33.33 million, which ranks 16th among NFL quarterbacks, trailing peers such as Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones at $44 million and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold at $33.5 million, per The New York Times. Mayfield stated that he evaluates his worth based on his performance and his status as a franchise quarterback.
I can sit here and look at other quarterbacks and peers and evaluate myself based on that and put myself in certain categories, and I deserve to be compensated for that,
Mayfield said, according to The New York Times. I’m a franchise quarterback. I’ve been told I’m a franchise quarterback. It’s been said publicly, from ownership.
Since joining the Buccaneers in 2023 on a one-year deal following Tom Brady’s retirement, Mayfield has compiled a 27-24 record and earned consecutive Pro Bowl nods while leading the team to NFC South division titles in 2023 and 2024, as documented by The New York Times and Fieldlevelmedia. However, the team is also weighing his recent downturn in the 2025 season, where the Buccaneers lost five of their final six games to miss the playoffs, alongside a history of injuries that included a sprained MCL and PCL and a shoulder injury, according to The New York Times.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Season
With negotiations shelved, Mayfield is set to play out the final year of his contract and earn $40 million for the upcoming season before potentially reaching unrestricted free agency in March, according to Profootballrumors. Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles emphasized that the team is focused on football and moving forward past the contract dispute.
We’re not going to make this training camp about Baker from a team standpoint,
Bowles said, according to NFL.com. If something happens, great, but we’re getting ready for the season and play it out.
If the two sides fail to agree on an extension after the season, the Buccaneers could potentially utilize the franchise tag in 2027, an option projected by Over The Cap to cost roughly $50.3 million for quarterbacks, though doing so could also carry significant dead-money complications under the salary cap, as detailed by The New York Times and Foxsports.
Worth a look
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