As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their star QB Baker Mayfield continue to engage in a standoff over Mayfield's long-sought contract extension, more information about what led to this situation has been revealed.
In a new report by ESPN's Jenna Laine, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler revealed that the Buccaneers' most recent offer to Mayfield was a two-year contract worth just over $100 million.
"The Buccaneers felt their offers in the final days of the negotiation were competitive, including a two-year deal worth slightly above $100 million in total, sources told Fowler," Laine wrote.
The report comes after Mayfield publicly stated that he felt "disrespected" by the Buccaneers' contract offer and has formally ended all contract extension talks with the team. He is now slated to play out the remainder of his contract and become a free agent at the end of the 2026 season.
Of course, there is still the chance that a full year of working with the Buccaneers will soften both sides up to getting back to the table - certainly if they return to the playoffs after last year's frustrating season.
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Mayfield and the Bucs
After leaving the Cleveland Browns in 2022, it seemed as though Baker Mayfield would become nothing more than a journeyman. But he took a gamble on himself by competing for the Bucs' starting job after Tom Brady retired in 2023 and won the job. He then proceeded to put up the best numbers of his career and led the Bucs on two straight playoff trips, making back-to-back Pro Bowls in the process.
However, the team struggled in 2025 due in no small part to injuries and now seem a lot closer to rebuilding than contending. Coaches are believed to be on the hot seat, players want to be traded and many of the stars that led them to that Super Bowl win with Brady at the helm are either gone or getting old.
Can Mayfield have a bounceback year and get the Buccaneers to show him the money he wants?
