The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ front office is working extra hard right now ahead of next month’s free agency. One of, if not their biggest priority in the offseason is retaining the services of quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is coming off a tremendous debut campaign in Tampa.
Mayfield bet on himself by giving the Bucs a huge discount for his deal in 2023, and he is now set to make up for lost time (and money).
Will Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pay Baker Mayfield?
The Bucs want Mayfield to stay. The 28-year-old likely wants to remain in Tampa Bay as well given how much success he found under coach Todd Bowles. As such, it’s now going to be a matter of the two sides agreeing on a number.
According to former sports agent Joel Corry of CBS, that number could be in the range of $25 million per season. Corry points out that this is similar to what Geno Smith got from the Seattle Seahawks when he penned a three-year extension.
That’s quite a pay hike for Mayfield compared to his $4 million deal in 2023, right? Well, this actually might not be enough. Corry argues that the Pro Bowl quarterback might feel that he’s worth more than a Geno Smith. Mayfield might be looking at a deal in the range of Daniel Jones:
“Mayfield may have higher salary expectations than a Smith-type deal. Seeking more than Daniel Jones got from the New York Giants last March wouldn’t be too surprising. Jones signed a four-year, $160 million contract with $104 million in guarantees, of which $81 million was fully guaranteed at signing. At $40 million per year, Jones is tied as the NFL’s 10th-highest-paid player. Jones’ contract is worth up to $195 million thanks to somewhat realistically achievable incentives and salary escalators for a $48.75 million per year maximum value,” Corry wrote.
Not too many folks out there will argue with the notion that Mayfield has established himself as a more valuable asset than Jones, so with this in mind, it wouldn’t be improbable to imagine Mayfield demanding a deal as much as $40 million per (or more?).
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