injured so bad that he was still able to play? that's an awfully big leap of faith you are asking people to take
FWIW . . this is LVD
"“Man, Baker was going through a lot, bro,” David said. “Baker had a lot of injuries that you didn’t expect a quarterback to play through. You know what I’m saying? He had the oblique injury, he had the shoulder injury, he had a lot of things. You know, ankle injury, knee injury. … He was really trying to push through and really trying to be the player that we needed him to be.”
Who is to say, but my point was to say that your eyes most likely tell you he was physically off down the stretch. In your eay of describing it, he should have sat down so as to not tarnish his stats? I think one of the big positives of Mayfield is that he would not do that.
It will all work itself out. Mayfield may not want an early deal himself. He may bet on himself. He may worry the Bucs are about to get blown up etc. The Bucs probably want a discount over market to restructure him early. In between those tow positions is a middle ground.
honestly, yes. He should have set if he was going to play that poorly. And it’s what his agent should have advised because he’s likely be looking at a contract extension THIS offseason.
by “being so injured” but playing through it, he was brutal and the only games the Bucs won were where the defense held a team under 20 points in their 2-7 collapse.
he played like the title do this thread “baker mayfiled”
id like to see him get back to mayfield this year before we give him a quarter billion contact.
He should have set if he was going to play that poorly. And it’s what his agent should have advised because he’s likely be looking at a contract extension THIS offseason.
I just dont see most sports working that way and certainly do not see any way that Mayfield would have gone to the bench, especially not with the 6-2 start.
He's still going to get the extension or get paid somewhere. I would think most people outside the Red Board saw last year as a year dominated by injuries and Mayfield as closer to the 6-2 guy winning games for a bad team then a QB dragging down a good team
He should have set if he was going to play that poorly. And it’s what his agent should have advised because he’s likely be looking at a contract extension THIS offseason.
I just dont see most sports working that way and certainly do not see any way that Mayfield would have gone to the bench, especially not with the 6-2 start.
He's still going to get the extension or get paid somewhere. I would think most people outside the Red Board saw last year as a year dominated by injuries and Mayfield as closer to the 6-2 guy winning games for a bad team then a QB dragging down a good team
I disagree
mayfield entire career has been closer to the second half guy then he was 2024, first half 2025 guy
He’s likely an unknown to be fair as I have hope he can be that 2024 guy again
He should have set if he was going to play that poorly. And it’s what his agent should have advised because he’s likely be looking at a contract extension THIS offseason.
I just dont see most sports working that way and certainly do not see any way that Mayfield would have gone to the bench, especially not with the 6-2 start.
He's still going to get the extension or get paid somewhere. I would think most people outside the Red Board saw last year as a year dominated by injuries and Mayfield as closer to the 6-2 guy winning games for a bad team then a QB dragging down a good team
I disagree
mayfield entire career has been closer to the second half guy then he was 2024, first half 2025 guy
He’s likely an unknown to be fair as I have hope he can be that 2024 guy again
FWIW this is SR's take in the mailbag
"Here’s what I do know. The Bucs want Baker Mayfield to be their quarterback for the foreseeable future and want to sign him to a contract extension. I have every reason to believe that Mayfield, who has found a home in Tampa Bay, wants to keep playing for the team that took a chance on him to become a franchise quarterback again in 2023 and then rewarded him handsomely in 2024 with a three-year, $100 million contract extension."
Icould be wrong, but I got the sense from talking to Licht that he and the team would like to extend Mayfield right now, but that Mayfield would like to play this season out to see what the top end of his market value would be. Dallas’ Dak Prescott is still the league’s highest-paid quarterback at $60 million per year, and there are nine other QBs making at least $50 million per year. Right now Mayfield’s market value is at least $50 million."
If the Bucs were to release him today and he was a free agent, Mayfield would at least get $50 million, which would make him the 11th-ranked quarterback in terms of average salary per year."
he goes on to say that $50 million is the value NOW, factoring in last season's play BUTY that if he has a 2026 that is more like 2024 . .
"Let’s say Mayfield has that type of season and earns a $55 million per year deal on par with Trevor Lawrence, Jordan Love, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow and signs a four-year extension."
I dont think these things are typically that complicated because all the dollars are pretty much known up front. Maybe fans dont see $50 million per as market rate for a 10-15 QB but that seems to be the ballpark? And either way these kind of things always seem to work out. Last time everyone freaked over a report of $40 million per. He got less and is a relative deal.
The one wildcard would be a total collapse in 2026 and Mayfield wanting to move on as the Bucs search for a new coach etc.
The Bucs want Baker Mayfield to be their quarterback for the foreseeable future and want to sign him to a contract extension.
Anyone who has played the game or knows anything about football and Tampa's history wants Baker to be here.
Maybe fans dont see $50 million per as market rate for a 10-15 QB but that seems to be the ballpark?
What is a 10-15 QB?
Sorry, I am being flippant. I dislike looking at QBs by their win and loss record. Far too often, that depends on the team around them. I prefer to look at advanced metrics or game film.
For the record, I am nervous about extending Mayfield, but that is due to my thinking Bowles and possibly Licht will be gone next year, and I don't want the next regime weighed down by a heavy contract.
He should have set if he was going to play that poorly. And it’s what his agent should have advised because he’s likely be looking at a contract extension THIS offseason.
I just dont see most sports working that way and certainly do not see any way that Mayfield would have gone to the bench, especially not with the 6-2 start.
He's still going to get the extension or get paid somewhere. I would think most people outside the Red Board saw last year as a year dominated by injuries and Mayfield as closer to the 6-2 guy winning games for a bad team then a QB dragging down a good team
I disagree
mayfield entire career has been closer to the second half guy then he was 2024, first half 2025 guy
He’s likely an unknown to be fair as I have hope he can be that 2024 guy again
FWIW this is SR's take in the mailbag
"Here’s what I do know. The Bucs want Baker Mayfield to be their quarterback for the foreseeable future and want to sign him to a contract extension. I have every reason to believe that Mayfield, who has found a home in Tampa Bay, wants to keep playing for the team that took a chance on him to become a franchise quarterback again in 2023 and then rewarded him handsomely in 2024 with a three-year, $100 million contract extension."
Icould be wrong, but I got the sense from talking to Licht that he and the team would like to extend Mayfield right now, but that Mayfield would like to play this season out to see what the top end of his market value would be. Dallas’ Dak Prescott is still the league’s highest-paid quarterback at $60 million per year, and there are nine other QBs making at least $50 million per year. Right now Mayfield’s market value is at least $50 million."
If the Bucs were to release him today and he was a free agent, Mayfield would at least get $50 million, which would make him the 11th-ranked quarterback in terms of average salary per year."
he goes on to say that $50 million is the value NOW, factoring in last season's play BUTY that if he has a 2026 that is more like 2024 . .
"Let’s say Mayfield has that type of season and earns a $55 million per year deal on par with Trevor Lawrence, Jordan Love, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow and signs a four-year extension."
atleast Bucs are being smart about it. Judging by this, I imagine Bucs are in the $40m per year range and baker is more looking at his 2024 performance in the $55+ range
here’s hoping baker performs to that level in 2026 and he gets it
here’s hoping baker performs to that level in 2026 and he gets it
Amen!
With the exception of a true game changing player, the contract market priceis always pretty well known because there are always new contracts and a small pool of agents. I
If we accept the parameters in this discussion we are talking about a 10% difference in $ to be decided either now or within less than a year. Thats an easy deal to get done at some point, so long as the Bucs dont implode in 2026.
Almost like the Bucs are showing themselves willing, but Baker is betting on himself.
Thats a good thing, in a way. Could be expensive.
Yep, I hope it is too
According to SPOTRAK the top 5 Bucs salary is around 53% of the salary cap. The 10% difference would take that percentage up to around 60% for the top 5 players. That leaves only 40% for the remainder of the top 51 players salaries.here’s hoping baker performs to that level in 2026 and he gets it
Amen!
With the exception of a true game changing player, the contract market priceis always pretty well known because there are always new contracts and a small pool of agents. I
If we accept the parameters in this discussion we are talking about a 10% difference in $ to be decided either now or within less than a year. Thats an easy deal to get done at some point, so long as the Bucs dont implode in 2026.
According to SPOTRAK the top 5 Bucs salary is around 53% of the salary cap. The 10% difference would take that percentage up to around 60% for the top 5 players. That leaves only 40% for the remainder of the top 51 players salaries.here’s hoping baker performs to that level in 2026 and he gets it
Amen!
With the exception of a true game changing player, the contract market priceis always pretty well known because there are always new contracts and a small pool of agents. I
If we accept the parameters in this discussion we are talking about a 10% difference in $ to be decided either now or within less than a year. Thats an easy deal to get done at some point, so long as the Bucs dont implode in 2026.
Good point. Every dollar matters. This was on PFT today
"On PFT Live, Chris Simms and I went through the list of Tampa Bay quarterbacks since the franchise was founded in 1976. (Simms was one of them.) None has ever gotten a top-dollar, market-level contract.
With Baker Mayfield entering the final season of a three-year, $100 million deal, those days could be ending.
It’s not like Mayfield will get $60 million per year. But he could be in line for more than $50 million. Consider some of the players who are making north of $50 million. Consider that the cap keeps going up, and up. And up."
Yea makes sense that QB would be highest paid player on the team
I’m guessing Bucs were trying to pay him off of 2025 season and bakers betting on himself to get that 50 million plus
So yeah if we can get baker at 40 million, you do it now. But assuming he wants going market rate for top 10 guy, yeah let’s see him perform here in 2026 and earn it
I’m guessing Bucs were trying to pay him off of 2025 season
Dies that actually sound like the Bucs (pay him off of 2025) to you?
It will all work out.
I’m guessing Bucs were trying to pay him off of 2025 season
Dies that actually sound like the Bucs (pay him off of 2025) to you?
It will all work out.
from what i thought i saw from something you posted, Bucs wanted to get a deal done this offseason but Baker wants to play and bet on himself
makes me think they were "low balling" him or giving him a slight bump on his 33.3M per year figure where Baker's head is probably in the 50M range
Judging by last year, by stats alone, cant imagine neither Bakers camp or the Bucs think that's reasonable. Now i am sure Baker and his camp are confident in his abilities to get back to 2024 levels but just saying, that's why it's likely prudent nothing gets done this offseason
but then again, we are talking about a franchise that prematurely extended Bowles last summer so can't say we will do the right thing