It’s about time Baker Mayfield got rewarded for his play, right?

The Bucs quarterback was named the Pro Football Writers of America’s Most Improved Player. The journey of Baker Mayfield has been well documented, and what he meant to the Bucs this year didn’t just mean a playoff appearance. He became a leader, a team captain and was the heartbeat of the offense.

Mayfield posted 4,044 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions under the tutelage of Dave Canales, who just became the Panthers head coach. With regards to whether or not he’ll re-sign with the Bucs, what Mayfield decides to do next remains to be seen. But Mayfield will have his options.

Baker Mayfield And Mike Evans

Bucs WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

There’s no denying that the Bucs would like Baker Mayfield as their quarterback for the 2024 season and beyond, given how well he played last year. Looking at Mayfield’s career before he came to the Bucs and one could say it’s underwhelming.

With that said, everything changed when Mayfield came to Tampa. He immediately ingratiated himself the team – meaning players on both offense and defense.

Football is the ultimate team game, but every football follower knows how important the quarterback position is. There are no guarantees that Mayfield returns, as free agency is a two-way street. With that said, if he’s affordable, he should be back under center in Tampa Bay next season.

Mayfield had a career year throwing to Mike Evans, who is also a free agent. All of Tampa Bay is waiting and hoping for Evans to return for an 11th season after a 10th straight year of 1,000-yard receiving seasons, but fans should have the same concern about their quarterback.