The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were one of the biggest surprises in the NFL in 2023.
After Tom Brady retired, the Bucs entered last season viewed as a team that was ready to hit the re-start button. For a while they didn’t have a clear answer at starting QB and many believed backup Kyle Trask would take over for Brady.
But then the franchise signed Baker Mayfield and the trajectory of the entire season changed.
Mayfield revived his career this past season, posting career highs in passing yards, touchdowns, and completion percentage and led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a playoff berth nobody would have expected before the season began. They won the division with a (9-8) overall record and didn’t just reach the postseason, but knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles with a dominating 32-9 win in the Divisional Round.
Baker Mayfield and the Bucs ultimately fell to the Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round, but now the front office has significant decisions to make regarding the future of their QB — who may have been viewed as a bridge when he was signed — but now is one of the hottest free agent signal callers in the NFL.
If Tampa Bay wants to remain a legitimate contender, it’s going to have to get creative with the two biggest pieces of the offense ready to hit the open market.
Mike Evans is coming off yet another 1,000 yard receiving season. Something he has done in every single season of his 10-year NFL career, all in Tampa Bay.
His 79 catches, 1.255 yards, and 13 touchdowns dwarfed anyone else on the roster and was up there among the very best in the entire league. Those are elite numbers. Yet, if rumors are to be believed, the Bucs brass have deemed it enough to lowball their franchise cornerstone.
It was reported that Evans and the organization were “far apart” on numbers and he will likely test free agency.
Mayfield, 28, signed a one-year, $4 million contract with Tampa Bay last offseason, but now things have changed in a major way.
CBS NFL Insider Jonathan Jones made it clear Mayfield won’t get paid like the top tier QBS in the NFL this offseason, but his 2023 performance will earn him a sizable contract, whether it’s in Tampa Bay or somewhere else.
Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports provided the report on Mayfield, who just led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an NFC South title and a playoff win after tossing 28 touchdown passes.
“It’s possible, if not likely, the Buccaneers would value Mayfield more than any other NFL team. But that doesn’t mean they can lowball him and run the risk of disrespecting the quarterback. A reasonable starting point, according to league sources, would be a tick above Geno Smith’s three-year, $75 million deal with Seattle last year that allowed for a Seahawks out after one season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Make Significant Decision On Baker Mayfield’s Future
While reports haven’t been great about the Bucs reaching a deal with their star WR and there’s a real possibility Mike Evans could be playing in a different uniform for the first time in his career next season, there’s far more optimism surrounding Mayfield.
On Friday, Bucs Insider Rick Stroud reported the team’s brass is working aggressively to try to potentially reach a new deal with Baker Mayfield sooner rather than later.
Stroud notes that while no deal for the QB to remain with Tampa Bay is imminent, the team and Mayfield have had some preliminary talks about a potential new contract. In his first season with the Bucs,
Mayfield recorded a career-high 4,044 passing yards to go along with a 28:10 TD ratio en route to leading the franchise to a third straight NFC South title. The report adds that Mayfield — who the Browns made the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft — would prefer to stay put after having split the 2022 campaign with the Panthers and Rams — but if the veteran signal-caller hits the free agent market next month, the Buccaneers could have some competition for the 28-year-old’s services.
