The downtime on the NFL calendar before training camps kick off in late July opens a window for clubs to hammer out extensions with key veterans.
Baker Mayfield‘s deal in Tampa currently hovers over the calendar gap, sitting as the significant QB deal yet to be done this offseason. Over the weekend at his football camp in Oklahoma, Mayfield noted that work remains to be done before he inks a long-term extension with the Bucs.
“I would love to be there,” Mayfield said Saturday via Steve McGehee of KWTV. “I think both sides want to get it done. Now it’s a matter of finding that middle ground and what makes both sides happy…We fell in love with Tampa, and it’s a great place to raise kids and be around. So regardless of what happens, I think we’ll spend our offseasons there. Obviously, it’s a little brutally hot, but it’s good for training, but it’s — yeah, I want to be there long term. They treated me right, and it’s the first place I’ve gotten to that feels like Oklahoma when it comes down to football is football; how can they put you in the best position to have success on the field, and how can they give their resources to help you out? And so, it’s a great place.”
Mayfield enters the final year of a three-year, $100 million deal signed in 2024. The $33.33 million per-year deal puts him 16th among QBs and significantly south of the bulk of quality starters, 12 of whom make north of $50 million per year.
Since taking the baton from Tom Brady in 2023, Mayfield has steadied the ship in Tampa, helping the Bucs to two division titles in his first two seasons. The QB was in the MVP conversation early last year with his heroics, but injuries began to pile up, sinking the Bucs’ postseason hopes.
Mayfield has said he would like a new deal before training camp opens on July 27. As of last week, it was reported that the sides weren’t very close to finding that middle ground to complete a pact. We have four more weeks to bridge that gap before the self-imposed deadline hits.
Leave a Reply