Mayfield playing on a . . . 2 year $50 million plus per year deal at his age is not that bad, but he probably wants a 3rd year
maybe its more like that?
If Mayfield continued his MVP play throughout 2025 maybe the Bucs still hand him 2 years guaranteed offer but offer more years on the contract. Bottom line it is not about guaranteed money it is about contract length from Mayfield's point of view.
Mayfield playing on a 1 year or 2 year prove it deal at his age is more than a annoyance as it is really an insult.
yeah this right here. He played himself into Daniel jones (2 years 90M versus baker 2 years 100M)
Bucs clearly didn’t want to commit to him for some reason. If he had 2024 season in 2025, we aren’t having this discussion
If Mayfield continued his MVP play throughout 2025 maybe the Bucs still hand him 2 years guaranteed offer but offer more years on the contract. Bottom line it is not about guaranteed money it is about contract length from Mayfield's point of view.
Mayfield playing on a 1 year or 2 year prove it deal at his age is more than a annoyance as it is really an insult.
yeah this right here. He played himself into Daniel jones (2 years 90M versus baker 2 years 100M)
Bucs clearly didn’t want to commit to him for some reason. If he had 2024 season in 2025, we aren’t having this discussion
I just think it depends upon where a players is at on their career arc. Mayfield does not feel he has peaked yet or he is on a decline so a 2 year deal that was given Evans is not congruent with reality.
Also each player is different because Clowney on the other hand is like happy as a hog in mud taking one year deals and still playing in the NFL. But Mayfield has a family and he isn't the type to want to uproot his family so frequently so it is not just about Mayfield himself, but also about his family too.
Bucs clearly didn’t want to commit to him for some reason.
Some are saying it's because he is asking to be paid like a top 10 QB, but neither his completion percentage (career) nor QBR (last year) is top 10.
ESPN just published its 2026 top QB survey of Execs, Coaches and Scouts.
Mayfield is in the honorable mention category. In that group are Darden and Daniels, the former in the middle of a contract and the latter still on rookie deal. But, the others and their APY are Love ($55), Purdy ($53) and Lawrence ($55).
Excluding the rookie, the group above is mostly around $55 but up to $64 for Mahomes.
The market is low to mid $50 million range and thst before Jackson probably shifts the market up?
You have to have a QB lol
ESPN just published its 2026 top QB survey of Execs, Coaches and Scouts.
Where I laugh is Herbert, Maye, and Goff - That's right around where Mayfield is. So He should get in the mid 50's. He's far better than Love, and Williams.
If Mayfield continued his MVP play throughout 2025 maybe the Bucs still hand him 2 years guaranteed offer but offer more years on the contract. Bottom line it is not about guaranteed money it is about contract length from Mayfield's point of view.
Mayfield playing on a 1 year or 2 year prove it deal at his age is more than a annoyance as it is really an insult.
yeah this right here. He played himself into Daniel jones (2 years 90M versus baker 2 years 100M)
Bucs clearly didn’t want to commit to him for some reason. If he had 2024 season in 2025, we aren’t having this discussion
I just think it depends upon where a players is at on their career arc. Mayfield does not feel he has peaked yet or he is on a decline so a 2 year deal that was given Evans is not congruent with reality.
Also each player is different because Clowney on the other hand is like happy as a hog in mud taking one year deals and still playing in the NFL. But Mayfield has a family and he isn't the type to want to uproot his family so frequently so it is not just about Mayfield himself, but also about his family too.
a very point that is often overlooked and always pinned on "3rd and 28" is Mike Evans leaving Baker
now of course, Kyle Shannon, a better franchise, better team, etc. all valid points for Evans to bounce, but absolutely a dig at Baker for him leaving. He wasn't like that in the first 2 years of Baker as he was a "Baker Bro". What changed?
ESPN just published its 2026 top QB survey of Execs, Coaches and Scouts.
Where I laugh is Herbert, Maye, and Goff - That's right around where Mayfield is. So He should get in the mid 50's. He's far better than Love, and Williams.
their top 10 was pretty spon on, no? Dont tell me you think Baker's a top 10 guy HEADING into the season. He certainly was after his 2024 campaign and heading in 2025. But definitely downgraded based off of last year.
top 5 which seems to be hard to argue - Allen, Mahomes, Stafford, Burrow, Jackson
sure, Burrow injury concerns sorts of over-rates him, but when he plays a full season, dude is elite. So the top 5 to me is hard to argue
6. Dak Prescott - You can come at him like you can at Herbert and Jackson for playoffs but when healthy, the dude is a perennial 30+ TD guy.
7. Justin Herbert - Madison Beer alone gets this guy in the top 10. All kidding aside, i thought he was better his first couple seasons, 31 and 38 TDs. The guy hasn't topped 26 TDs in the last 4 seasons. I know FireBowles likes him and the dudes got talent but to me, a bit over-rated. Still seems to lead team to playoffs in a tough division a decent amount.
8. Drake Maye - it's certainly recency bias given his Superbowl bid and MVP Campaign. Still one would rank Maye ahead of Mayfield if just basing of of last year. This rating reminds me more of Jayden Daniels who was stellar and then dropped off. Will the same happen to Maye?
9. Jared Goff - Google his numbers the last 3 years versus Baker and you will see clear as day who the better QB is. Not saying Baker can't surpass him but it's not even a contest right now.
10. Caleb Williams - potentially slighting over-rated but again, had a better year than Baker last year and they are likely going more off potential here as to what he can grow to. Does he get into 30 TD category + in 2026 season?
Honorable mentions - Darnold, Daniels, Love, Purdy, Mayfield, Lawrence, Hurts
i mean that's 11 to 18 right there, that one could argue in any order. I'd actually probably rank Darnold behind any of these guys and he won the Superbowl.
Missing from the list is CJ Stroud and Aaron Rodgers which round out the top 20 in my mind, at least heading into the season.
Baker certainly has the potential to be a top 10 guy again. No Doubt. But no one in their right mind will have him as a top 10 QB heading into the year except maybe Nick Wright on his Mahomes Mountain segment as he loves him some Baker.
Bucs clearly didn’t want to commit to him for some reason. If he had 2024 season in 2025, we aren’t having this discussion
Yet, they basically tried writing him a check for over $100M.
Those are clearly the actions of an ownership group who wants to move on.
He played himself into Daniel jones (2 years 90M versus baker 2 years 100M)
One is getting $60M in guarantees, while the other was offered over $100M guaranteed (closer to $150M if you count this season, which they opted to guarantee as a form of an early extension).
Yeah. They’re almost exactly the same!
a very point that is often overlooked and always pinned on "3rd and 28" is Mike Evans leaving Baker
Yeah.
Remember him blowing up on the sidelines and in the tunnel?
He was clearly pissed off about Baker.
🤡
top 5 which seems to be hard to argue - Allen, Mahomes, Stafford, Burrow, Jackson
To play devil's advocate are we basing Mahomes on his history or his current play?
Because recently he's putting up worse numbers than Baker.
7. Justin Herbert - Madison Beer alone gets this guy in the top 10. All kidding aside, i thought he was better his first couple seasons, 31 and 38 TDs. The guy hasn't topped 26 TDs in the last 4 seasons. I know FireBowles likes him and the dudes got talent but to me, a bit over-rated. Still seems to lead team to playoffs in a tough division a decent amount.
It's his year to shut people up. He's had legit excuses but at this point there's enough around him where he has to win a playoff game or more.
Still tho, I'd take him over most QBs you listed including Dak who is ahead of him.
I also think Burrows is on the verge of falling off this my rushmore. He can't stay healthy and he's had the best wr in football his entire career and Tee Higgins and a good offensive minded head coach playing on a team that's always in a shootout.
his season, which they opted to guarantee as a form of an early extension).
where did that come from?
If that is the case then wth?
top 5 which seems to be hard to argue - Allen, Mahomes, Stafford, Burrow, Jackson
To play devil's advocate are we basing Mahomes on his history or his current play?
Because recently he's putting up worse numbers than Baker.
In his case, past play, hoped for future play and his BRAND. He is basically the team, sort of Brady to Patriots
