While many believe that soon-to-be free agent quarterback Baker Mayfield is going to re-sign with the Bucs this season, it certainly isn’t guaranteed. The odds are still in the Bucs’ favor, that certainly doesn’t mean another team could swoop in last minute and coerce him into heading somewhere else.

And unfortunately for the Bucs, there are a couple of teams that are quarterback needy and might want Baker Mayfield for themselves.

In an early 2024 season prediction by ESPN experts, Jeremy Fowler has the New England Patriots as the team that plucks Baker Mayfield out of Tampa and sets his sights another new chapter in his career. The Patriots have the third overall pick in the draft and could use that spot to build out the rest of their roster before bringing in a new quarterback. Here was his reasoning:

“The Patriots submarine the Buccaneers by signing QB Baker Mayfield. While Tampa is the clear-cut favorite to re-sign Mayfield, now a coveted free agent after a banner year with the Bucs, anything can happen in free agency. And the Patriots’ new brain trust — including lead personnel man Eliot Wolf and personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith — were part of the Cleveland regime that took Mayfield No. 1 in the 2018 draft.

“They believed in him. Yes, the Patriots can take a quarterback at No. 3 overall. But who’s to say they wouldn’t still need a veteran? Or, if they believe Mayfield is a long-term answer in this case, they could draft Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. or trade back for more capital.”

Could The Bucs Lose Baker Mayfield?

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

A lot of good points are brought up by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler in this prediction. While many have tabbed the Patriots with selecting a quarterback with the third overall pick, most notably Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels from LSU, what if they upgraded the rest of their offense instead? New England had a terrible offense last year and one player isn’t going to fix it.

In years prior this wouldn’t seem like an option because of the money it would cost that former head coach Bill Belichick wouldn’t want to pay. But since Belichick is no longer with the Patriots, it makes it unpredictable to discern what New England would be willing to spend to get a top quarterback post-Tom Brady. However, knowing that it’s the same personnel group that drafted Baker Mayfield in the first place it adds more to the believability.

There’s also a touch of irony that four seasons after the Bucs signed Tom Brady following his run with the Patriots, it would be New England that could possibly take a quarterback away from Tampa Bay.

Who Signs First – Baker Mayfield Or Mike Evans?

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today

This is yet another route in the twists and turns that will be Bucs’ free agency, especially with Baker Mayfield. It’s really just a matter of how much it will cost for Mayfield, whether or not Mike Evans returns, and which player signs first.

If Evans were to make a decision first to re-sign with Tampa Bay, that would at least either entice Mayfield to come back as well, or it would give the Bucs more money to allocate to Mayfield if Evans goes elsewhere. Odds are though that Evans will play the long game and wait for as many different negations as possible.

And that’s where it becomes increasingly difficult in re-signing Mayfield as well. Yes, the Bucs want him. But if more teams like the Patriots were to come out of the woodwork in pursuit of him, it’ll be tough for the Bucs not to overpay if they aim to re-sign him at all costs.

Check out the whole story by ESPN on predictions for this season.