Welcome to SR’s Fab 5 – my weekly insider column on the Bucs that features five things that are on my mind. SR’s Fab 5 is now a quicker read, but still packs a punch. Enjoy!

FAB 1. Baker Mayfield Could Have Many Suitors In Free Agency

The Bucs will most likely let quarterback Baker Mayfield test the free agent market to gauge his worth. That may not be what fans want to hear, but this has become a familiar practice deployed by general manager Jason Licht and assistant general manager Mike Greenberg.

It’s the same practice Tampa Bay used last year with cornerback Jamel Dean and linebacker Lavonte David, and with cornerback Carlton Davis III in 2022. In the case of those three Bucs defenders, they found out that their free agent market was softer than they expected and re-signed with Tampa Bay for less-than-anticipated contracts.

The Bucs don’t want to risk overpaying players past their market value, but in Mayfield’s case, it could backfire next month.

Baker Mayfield Pro Bowl – Photo by: USA Today

Mayfield is coming off his first Pro Bowl season and a career year in which he threw for over 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns. He should be one of the more sought-after quarterbacks in free agency this year.

There will be plenty of QBs that have starting experience available in free agency, including the likes of Kirk Cousins, Ryan Tannehill, Mitch Trubisky, Gardner Minshew, Tyrod Taylor, Sam Darnold, Jacoby Brissett, Drew Lock, Joe Flacco, Tyler Huntley, Carson Wentz, Josh Dobbs, Mason Rudolph and Eason Stick, according to Pro Football Focus.

Jimmy Garoppolo, Russell Wilson, and Zach Wilson are also expected to be released, and Justin Fields might be available via trade, along with Mac Jones. Atlanta is in the market for a new starter and could part ways with either Desmond Ridder or Taylor Heinicke, or both.

But out of all these names, Cousins, Mayfield, Fields, Russell Wilson, and perhaps Tannehill will be the most sought after by teams looking for a starter. Mayfield, who turns 29 in April, might be the best free agent quarterback of the bunch.

Cousins is 36, and he’s coming off a torn Achilles tendon. He may want to continue to receive the fully guaranteed contracts he’s previously had in Minnesota. But the Vikings may not want to continue that practice given his age and the significant injury he’s coming off.

Fields is about to turn 25, but has a woeful record of 10-28 as a starter in Chicago. While he brings value as a dual-threat quarterback, he struggles with field vision in the pocket and cannot fit all schemes. Fields, a Georgia native, has been linked to Atlanta.

Tannehill turns 36 later this year and has become oft-injured. He’s missed 12 starts over the last two seasons and was benched at the end of the 2023 campaign in favor of rookie Will Levis. Tannehill was 9-11 as a starter over the last two years.

Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Wilson just turned 35 and was traded away by Seattle and now Denver is jettisoning him after a two-year stint. He compiled a record of 11-19 as the Broncos’ starter and missed a total of four games over the last two seasons.

So Mayfield could be in real demand. I’m guessing Mayfield’s floor is $30 million per year. That’s $5 million more than Seattle’s Geno Smith got last year when the journeyman had a renaissance with the Seahawks, replacing Wilson and signing a three-year, $75 million deal.

If multiple teams emerge as suitors, it could really drive Mayfield’s price tag up, perhaps to $40 million per season, which is what New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones makes. Mayfield is better than Jones, and is perhaps on par with Dak Prescott, who also makes $40 million per year.

Where is the Bucs’ line in the sand for their quarterback? Is it $33 million or $35 million per year? Does Tampa Bay believe Mayfield is worth inching close to $40 million for? It all depends on how many suitors he winds up with in free agency and how high those teams are willing to go.

Let’s take a look at some of the teams that could start a bidding war for the Bucs’ starting quarterback.

FAB 2. Real Threats In Free Agency For Baker Mayfield

There are three teams that could really emerge as competition for Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield on the open market. If Mayfield leaves Tampa Bay for more money elsewhere, it will likely be to one of these four teams.

Atlanta Falcons

The first team is Atlanta, which has been rumored to possibly trade for Chicago’s Justin Fields, who is a Georgia native. Fields, a former first-round pick, has struggled with the Bears for four seasons, but he’s an exciting dual-threat quarterback and Michael Vick electrified the Falcons and the city of Atlanta back in the day.

Bucs OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Bears QB Justin Fields – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

If the Falcons don’t want to trade draft capital to acquire a QB, they could set their sights on stealing Mayfield away from a division rival. That would be a double whammy as Atlanta might be a quarterback away from winning the NFC South, and taking him from Tampa Bay would cripple the Bucs’ hopes of winning a fourth straight division title.

New Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson spent time with Mayfield in Los Angeles at the end of the 2022 season – just like new Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen did. So any familiarity advantage Coen has with Mayfield, Robinson does, too.

Atlanta’s offense appears to be just as stocked with weapons as Tampa Bay’s is. The Falcons have two exceptional running backs in Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, two very good tight ends in Jonnu Smith and Kyle Pitts and a promising young wide receiver in Drake London. The fact that new head coach Raheem Morris might have better job security than Todd Bowles because he just arrived in Atlanta might make the Falcons an intriguing option for Mayfield over the long haul.

The Falcons have $25,054,508 in cap space, which is the 14th-most in the league. Atlanta also doesn’t have any major re-signings to deal with this offseason.

New England Patriots

The Patriots are possibly looking to move on from Mac Jones, who was the team’s first-round pick in 2021. Jones has not panned out, and new head coach Jerod Mayo has been on New England’s staff to witness it. There has been speculation that the Patriots will draft a quarterback with the third overall pick, but chances are they’ll be drafting the third QB off the board when they do.

USC’s Caleb Williams is expected to be the first quarterback drafted – either by Chicago or a team that trades up to get him. North Carolina’s Drake Maye is expected to be selected next, likely by Washington, which owns the No. 2 overall pick. Would the Patriots want LSU’s Jayden Daniels if he’s the next best available option?

New England is in a serious rebuild mode now that Bill Belichick has departed. The last thing the Patriots probably want to do is to hit the reset button and slow the process down with another rookie quarterback who will need time to develop.

New offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who interviewed for the same post in Tampa Bay this offseason, was Mayfield’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in Cleveland for a few years. So that connection could help generate some interest from Mayfield in New England. The Patriots also have the second-most salary cap space in the league with $69,527,006, so they could make a serious financial run at Mayfield and perhaps overpay to get him.

Minnesota Vikings

Bucs FS Antoine Winfield, Jr. and Vikings QB Kirk Cousins – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

If Kirk Cousins isn’t re-signed, the Vikings will be in the market for a new quarterback. Minnesota will want to keep star receiver Justin Jefferson, who is entering his fifth-year option season, and tight end T.J. Hockenson happy. Without a good, veteran quarterback, the chances of Jefferson returning after next season diminish greatly.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell is the play-caller and developed a great reputation for getting the most out of the 36-year old Cousins over the last couple of years in the twilight of his career. Plus, O’Connell saw Mayfield beat his team first hand, as the Bucs came back to beat the Vikings in Minnesota in the 2023 season opener last year.

The Vikings currently have $24,468,132 worth of salary cap room, which is right behind the Falcons. Unfortunately, Minnesota has $28,500,000 in dead cap money this year from Cousins’ contract, much like Tampa Bay had to carry $35 million worth of Tom Brady’s dead cap money this past season.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos are looking to part ways with aging starter Russell Wilson. Denver head coach Sean Payton has had a lot of success with another vertically challenged quarterback by the name of future Hall of Famer Drew Brees, who has a similar stature to Mayfield.

While remaining in the NFC South could prove to be an easier path to the playoffs, Mayfield is not one to back down from a challenge. Getting the chance to dual against the likes of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Los Angeles’ Justin Herbert could be stimulating for Mayfield.

The only thing that could inhibit the Broncos is their lack of cap space. Currently Denver is $24,113,842 over the cap and will need to make several roster moves just to get cap compliant. But Denver wants to move on from Wilson, as Payton wasn’t the one who traded for him and signed him to a massive deal that he didn’t live up to – he inherited him.

FAB 3. These Teams Could Have Some Interest In Baker Mayfield

Dealing with one or two suitors vying for Baker Mayfield in free agency is one thing, as all it takes is one interested team to outbid the Bucs. But if there are multiple teams interested in Mayfield, it could send his price tag soaring.

After identifying four possible teams that could pursue Mayfield next month, there are three outliers that could emerge as dark horses that could enter the sweepstakes for his services.

Washington Commanders

The Commanders already have a developmental quarterback in Sam Howell, who threw for 21 touchdowns and 21 interceptions as the team’s starter in his second season. The fifth-round pick in 2022 has a similar build to Mayfield at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds. He’s shown he can make plays in the NFL, but he just needs to cut down on his turnovers.

Mayfield was in a similar situation for a few years in Cleveland, and Howell could benefit from sitting back and watching Mayfield start for a few years. Washington has a new ownership group and wants to win now and be relevant.

Although there is plenty of speculation that the Commanders will use the second overall pick on a quarterback, rookie QBs are often coach killers. New head coach Dan Quinn is a defensive coordinator and has seen firsthand how rookies can struggle because he game-plans against them.

Quinn might feel content to pursue Mayfield in free agency and continue to develop Howell behind the scenes. With an NFL-high $73,649,626 in cap space available, Washington can effectively overpay and outbid any team if it wants Mayfield bad enough (or even at all).

Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers QB Kenny Pickett and Bucs DT Logan Hall – Photo by: USA Today

Pittsburgh might have made a mistake drafting Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 draft to replace Ben Roethlisberger. Pickett hasn’t been terrible, and actually has a 14-10 record as a starter. But that winning record is largely attributed to the Steelers defense rather than Pittsburgh’s woeful offense.

What is terrible is the fact that Pickett has thrown just 13 touchdowns in 25 games over the past two seasons, especially when he’s also thrown 13 interceptions. The Steelers have started Pickett, Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky over the last two years and none seems like a competent replacement for Roethlisberger.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin hasn’t won a postseason game since 2016. Despite Tomlin not posting a losing season in Pittsburgh since he arrived in 2007, he’s starting to feel the heat. Getting a veteran quarterback like Mayfield, whom he has dueled with for years when he was the face of the Browns franchise from 2018-21, might help get the Steelers over the hump in the playoffs. After all, of Pittsburgh’s playoff losses came at the hands of Mayfield in 2020.

The Steelers are currently $6,017,045 over the salary cap. But a couple of quick contract restructures can create enough cap room for them to compete for Mayfield if Tomlin wants to.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders seem ready to move on from Jimmy Garappolo, who replaced Derek Carr as the team’s starter last year. Rookie Aidan O’Connell showed some promise as a rookie, but like Sam Howell in Washington, he’s best served sitting on the bench and developing behind a veteran for a few years.

New head coach Antonio Pierce knows he needs a better quarterback to have a chance at beating Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Los Angeles’ Justin Herbert on a regular basis and competing for the AFC West title. Mayfield could be a dark horse option for Las Vegas, especially with the Raiders having the 13th overall pick and knowing that has many as four quarterbacks could be off the board by the time they’re on the clock.

Pierce saw Mayfield’s brilliance firsthand last year as the journeyman QB had just joined the Rams and engineered a late-game comeback to win in Las Vegas on a Thursday night despite only being with L.A. for less than 48 hours. Those types of performances can leave a lasting impression.

The Raiders have $35,253,311 in cap room, which is the 10th-most in the league. Mayfield has a history as a company pitchman on TV commercials and could really rack up some endorsement deals off the field in Las Vegas due to his name recognition and personality.

FAB 4. Bucs Can Get Extra Draft Intel From New Coaches

One of the advantages to Tampa Bay hiring some new coaches from the college rankings is their familiarity with some of this year’s draftable prospects – either coaching those players or coaching against them.

Kentucky RB Ray Davis and Kentucky LB Trevin Wallace – Photo by: USA Today

That’s something that I discussed with new Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who was the offensive coordinator at Kentucky in 2021 and 2023, while coaching in Los Angeles with the Rams from 2018-20 and again in 2022.

“That was something that I was pretty collaborative with in L.A. with those guys – Les Snead and Sean [McVay] in the war room when we were going over potential draft picks. To go against them week-to-week, to have scouting reports, after-action reports on guys that I’m aware of, and have that intel is definitely helpful.

“It’s actually something we talked about with a couple of players we wound up drafting in L.A. It’s definitely a tool, and it’s hopefully something that we can utilize because, let’s be honest [the SEC] is one of the best [conferences] in college football.”

New assistant offensive line coach Brian Picucci was also an offensive quality control coach at Kentucky last year. New wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon comes from his alma mater Georgia (2022-23), where he coached receivers. But McClendon also coached receivers at Oregon (2020-21) and at South Carolina (2016-19).

Fox Sports’ Greg Auman published a recent story where he named 10 possible draft prospects who could be linked to the Bucs from these three coaches, but that’s just scratching the surface. Kentucky running back Ray Davis, who was in Pewter Report’s latest 2024 7-Round Bucs Mock Draft, is likely a third- or fourth-round pick, in addition to quarterback Devin Leary, who is a late Day 3 prospect. Kentucky wide receiver Tayvion Robinson and offensive tackle Jeremy Flax, who could be undrafted free agents.

The other names Auman mentioned were Georgia wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Marcus Rosemy-Saintjack, Bulldogs running backs Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards, Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin, and South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette. McConkey, Franklin and Legette are likely second-round picks, while Rosemy-Saintjack, Milton and Edwards are Day 3 selections.

But there are some names Auman didn’t mention, such as Kentucky cornerback Andru Phillips, who is a potential third-round pick and inside linebacker Trevin Wallace, who was also in Pewter Report’s most recent Bucs mock draft as a Day 3 pick.

Georgia C Sedrick Van Pran – Photo by: USA Today

Georgia has a pair of interesting safeties who didn’t appear in Auman’s article in Javon Bullard and Tykee Smith, who could be middle-round selections, in addition to one of the SEC’s best centers in Sedrick Van Pran. Cornerback Kamari Lassiter is undersized, but viewed as a second-round prospect, and defensive tackle Zion Logue should hear his name called on Day 3. McClendon saw all of these players practice on a daily basis.

McClendon also has some familiarity with Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, this year’s top-rated center, and defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus from his two-year stint with the Ducks. And Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, who could sneak into the first round, played at Georgia in 2022 and was coached by McClendon.

It’s not just the players who worked with Coen, Picucci and McClendon, but the plethora of players they’ve coached against in the SEC and in their respective non-conference slates. One example is Missouri defensive end Darius Robinson, who had six tackles and two sacks against Kentucky last year.

For more on Robinson, who tore it up at the Senior Bowl practices a month ago and could be a star performer at next week’s NFL Scouting Combine, read on.

FAB 5. Keep An Eye On Missouri Edge Rusher Darius Robinson In Indy

Pewter Report will publish its third 2024 7-Round Bucs Mock Draft the week after the NFL Scouting Combine. One of the players that the PR staff – and the Bucs – will be keeping close tabs on in Indianapolis is Missouri edge rusher Darius Robinson.

Missouri EDGE Darius Robinson – Photo by: USA Today

If he tests well, as expected, Robinson could be the Bucs’ pick at No. 26 in Pewter Report’s next mock draft. The Bucs are expected to release Shaq Barrett, who turns 32 later this year, and will have pressing needs at edge rusher as well as the interior offensive line – assuming quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Mike Evans, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and linebacker Lavonte David are all re-signed.

Pewter Report had Alabama edge rusher Chris Braswell at No. 26 in our first mock draft back in January, and Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton was Tampa Bay’s first-round pick in the most recent edition following the Senior Bowl. Barton started three years at left tackle but is expected to slide inside to play guard or center at the next level.

But Robinson has some very unique traits that could pique the interest of head coach Todd Bowles, who also serves as the Bucs’ defensive play-caller. At an absolutely chiseled 6-foot-5, 286 pounds, Robinson has the size and athleticism to line up anywhere along the defensive line.

That’s how he was used at Missouri with 191 snaps in the A gap, 676 snaps in the B gap, 219 snaps over the tackle and 412 snaps outside the tackle over his college career. Despite being high cut, Robinson plays with great pad level and has exceptionally long arms (34.75 inches). With that type of length and strength, Robinson would primarily be an outside linebacker in Tampa Bay, and he played most of his 2023 snaps outside as an edge rusher for the Tigers (395 snaps).

The Bucs have drafted some traits-based players along the defensive line over the last two years and could continue that trend in 2024. In 2022, Tampa Bay loved the 6-foot-6, 283-pound frame that defensive tackle Logan Hall possessed coming out of Houston, in addition to his athletic testing. The Bucs used the first pick of the second round on Hall that year.

Last year, the Bucs drafted an even more athletic defensive tackle in Pittsburgh’s Calijah Kancey, who blazed a stunningly fast 4.67 in the 40-yard dash. The only thing that held Kancey back from having a higher RAS (Relative Athletic Score) than Hall was his smallish, 6-foot-1, 281-pound build. Kancey had a ridiculous 1.58 10-yard split and a blazing fast 4.36 short shuttle time.

The Bucs spent last year’s third-round pick on Louisville edge rusher YaYa Diaby, who led the team with 7.5 sacks during his rookie season. Diaby was a Combine star, running an absurd 4.51 in the 40-yard dash with a 1.51 10-yard split at 6-foot-3, 263 pounds. Diaby also had an impressive 37-inch vertical jump.

Missouri EDGE Darius Robinson – Photo by: USA Today

The college careers of Robinson and Diaby are strikingly similar from a production standpoint, which the Bucs have undoubtedly noticed. Diaby went from having 39 tackles, three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in his junior season at Louisville to posting 37 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and nine sacks as a senior.

Robinson had a similar breakout during his final season at Missouri. After notching 35 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 2022, Robinson had 43 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks and a forced fumble in 2022.

Right now, Robinson is viewed as a second-round pick, but really helped his cause with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl practices. With an impressive Combine performance and some fast times, Robinson could shoot up into the late part of the first round. Tampa Bay has the 26th overall pick.

Pairing two big, strong athletic edge rushers in Diaby and Robinson on the flanks with Kancey, Hall and Vita Vea inside could be a dream lineup for Bowles and the Bucs. Let’s see what happens in Indy next week.

Here’s a highlight video from Robinson’s 2023 season at Missouri.