All articles tagged with #baker mayfield
After a season of injuries and a late playoff miss, Baker Mayfield is focusing on healing—physically with his trusted body coach and teammates, and emotionally by reconciling with his wife and kids after a family dispute—while returning for a Buccaneers preseason and pursuing a calmer, focused final year on his $100 million contract.
A JoeBucsFan.com article reports that Baker Mayfield was ranked by 21 NFL executives and 29 coaches, highlighting where the quarterback stands in expert and coach evaluations and what it could mean for his career prospects.
NFL training camps spotlight four QB battles for Week 1 of 2026: Kyler Murray vs. J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota (Murray favored to win), Tua Tagovailoa vs. Michael Penix Jr. (Penix hobbled by ACL rehab while Tagovailoa deals with a minor back issue, keeping Tagovailoa ahead), Deshaun Watson vs. Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland (Sanders gaining traction but Watson’s longer track record keeps him in the mix), and Kirk Cousins vs. Fernando Mendoza in Las Vegas (Cousins as the starter with Mendoza on a patient development path). The piece also flags veterans like Baker Mayfield, Jacoby Brissett, Geno Smith, and Malik Willis as players who must prove their worth to secure future roles. Predictions: Murray, Tagovailoa, Watson, and Cousins win Week 1 starts, with Mendoza waiting in the wings.
The Minnesota Vikings are conducting a 2026 quarterback competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy, with the possibility they pivot to a veteran option like Baker Mayfield in free agency if neither contender emerges. New GM Nolan Teasley’s long-term plan could include the NFL Draft or a veteran signing; analysts and fans have floated Mayfield, citing his leadership and fit with Minnesota’s system, as a potential landing spot if he becomes available after his contract year.
With Baker Mayfield nearing free agency after stalled extension talks with Tampa Bay, the Jets should aggressively pursue him to inject instant winning capability, leverage a strong supporting cast, and keep flexibility to draft a quarterback in 2027.
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield is entering the final year of his contract and could hit the 2027 free-agent market; multiple QB-needy teams—Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, and Pittsburgh Steelers—are positioned to consider him as a long-term solution or bridge option, given his pedigree and the depth expected in the 2027 draft.
Buccaneers guard Cody Mauch publicly backs Baker Mayfield as a franchise quarterback, saying he's 100 percent the guy and that contract chatter won’t derail his play as Tampa Bay focuses on the 2026 season.
Baker Mayfield publicly critiqued Tampa Bay after failed contract extension talks, saying the team offered a two-year deal with low guaranteed money and describing undervaluation; ESPN’s Schefter suggested a Baker-vs.-team tension, and Mayfield spoke about it on the Pat McAfee Show. He will report to training camp without stalling negotiations, leaving open the possibility of a franchise tag or 2026 free agency if no long-term deal is reached.
The Buccaneers are reportedly unhappy with Baker Mayfield’s public remarks about the organization as contract-extension negotiations linger. Mayfield said he felt disrespected and undervalued, and he’s entering the final year of his deal with talks still ongoing as training camp begins, with expectations that negotiations could resume after the season.
Day 3 of Buccaneers training camp delivered a mixed bag: Baker Mayfield impressed with velocity and efficiency, including a moonshot TD to Emeka Egbuka, while Bucky Irving led the backfield surge. Egbuka continued to flash, and Elijah Roberts opened the day with a sack; UDFA Ayden Garnes stood out in cornerback drills. On the downside, Devin Culp dropped a catch, Josh Hayes struggled in coverage, and Demarion Williams failed to stand out. Vita Vea and A’Shawn Robinson rested, opening extra reps for others, and Bowles praised Garnes’s potential as camp continues.
Following an 8–9 season, Baker Mayfield publicly pushed for a new deal, but late-season struggles and limited efficiency complicate a lasting extension; Tampa Bay may instead use the franchise tag or wait for a stronger showing, given a growing 2027 QB class and the GM’s need for flexibility.
The Buccaneers reportedly offered Baker Mayfield a two-year extension worth just over $100 million, a figure Mayfield called disrespectful; the debate centers on whether the offer was a true extension or a new two-year deal with different valuation (new money vs total money).
Baker Mayfield says the Buccaneers have not offered a long-term extension ahead of the final season of his contract, calling the stalled talks disappointing and feeling undervalued, but he plans to stay focused on football, address the situation with the team, and pursue a deal aligned with his production, with ESPN noting he could play out the season before free agency and a potential 2027 franchise tag looming.
The Buccaneers reportedly offered Baker Mayfield a two-year contract, but Mayfield said he’s seeking about $50 million per year and indicated the offer was far from that figure, so he declined. He’s heading into a contract year with a chance to rebound into free agency next year.
Day 2 of Bucs training camp saw the defense force two early turnovers (Tykee Smith and Antoine Winfield Jr. on Emeka Egbuka) and a John Bullock interception, then the offense heated up in red-zone drills with Jake Browning throwing TDs to Tez Johnson and David Sills V and a 50-yard score to Johnson, while Baker Mayfield distributed the ball and connected with Emeka Egbuka. Starters like Tristan Wirfs, Vita Vea, and Chris Godwin Jr. were limited or out for maintenance, opening reps for others. Day 3 action is set for Friday morning.