Although many are speculating Licht won't let Baker test free agency, I think this is exactly what will happen, even though it may not be the best thing for Baker. Is any other team really going to offer more than the Bucs are prepared to offer? Does Minnesota or Atlanta really want to break the bank for Baker? If all else remains the same Baker will come back to Tampa Bay. The other teams know that. What if the Vikings and the Falcons don't particularly want to play this game just to watch Baker run back to the Bucs? If I'm Baker I'm not sure that going out and putting myself out for the highest bidder is actually going to turn out well for me. But that appears to be where things are headed.
So if Baker doesn't resign with the Bucs, what is the best remaining option? What's Plan B?
IMO ....
Trade for Justin Fields.
He'll probably cost us our 2nd round pick. He's not that bad. He has good leadership and can run. And most importantly his cap hit for this year is $1.6 mil if I correctly interpret Spotrac. He's due $25 mil, which isn't bad, in the quarterback business. And perhaps they could renegotiate a favorable longer term deal after 2024 if things work out. That gives the Bucs cap room to really go out into free agency and get some players. Maybe a linebacker like Patrick Queen, a top safety like Jamal Adams, shore up the O-line with Robert Hunt from Miami. The extra cap space gives an opportunity for Licht to go out and be in the market for the top players out there even while having to sign Winfield and Wirfs in the near future. With Mayfield, Winfield and Wirfs all going on the books in addition to Evans that won't leave a lot of cash left over for shopping around.
If we don't resign Baker, trading for Fields and signing a big name free agent or two would give Bucs fans hope. This is because of the cap space a Fields trade would create.
Yeah feel it’s the worst kept secret that the Bucs and Baker want to come to an agreement much like Evans and David.
Given the tampering that’s going on, as Evans found out, surprised mayfields agent doesn’t have a clue on the market value yet.
i agree doubtful to me that it will drive up the 3 year, $100M contract value. Unless Bucs are at $75M, then I can see Baker having to pretend to go through the motion with some teams.
Justin Fields isn’t a bad Plan B option. He hasn’t really impressed with the Bears but is talented enough that maybe the change of scenery helps. I just don’t think we make the playoffs with him. Doesn’t appear to have the IT factor. But he’s certainly a better “thinking about future and trying to compete” option versus cousins and Wilson who would likely have us in playoff discussion or they could have nothing left in tank and completely backfire.
I think so too, but that can't happen until the legal tampering window opens at noon on Monday. The Catch 22 for Mayfield is that yes he'll find out what Cousins will get, but that takes away one of the handful of teams in the market for Mayfield. If Mayfield isn't careful he'll be last one in the musical chairs and he'll have to come back to the Bucs when there is no other teams left to give him an offer. The Steelers are probably going to sign Wilson. If the Vikings resign Cousins and the Falcons trade for Fields then you have to wonder who's lefte besides the Bucs willing to give the big bucks to Mayfield and the Bucs then have the leverage. Now if the Falcons sign Cousins that means the Bears probably won't trade Fields to the division foe Vikings and the Vikings could open the vault for Mayfield.They could just be waiting for the Cousins deal
At this stage Licht will probably hold the line at wait and see what other teams will offer. Mayfield said the ball is in the Bucs court, but at this point I suspect that Licht has gone about as far as he's going to go. The ball is in Mayfields court right now IMO. And that could mean Mayfield takes another offer. Probably not though, because in the end I think Mayfield wants to come back.
I am not against the Bucs taking a flyer on J. Fields but his TD/INT ratio isn't any better than the QBs that will be free agents. I think a better approach is to roll with Trask, sign a vet and draft a QB and let the best man win if Mayfield does sign elsewhere.
Justin Fields is straight garbage and will never be a good QB in this league.
Pretty sure that if you go back and check the Red Board about a year ago most were saying the same thing about Mayfield.Justin Fields is straight garbage and will never be a good QB in this league.
a top safety like Jamal Adams
I think you meant to say Justin Simmons.
I don't have the scouting reports on all the free agent safeties, but it seems like a buyers market for veteran free agent safeties this year. I think SR was on the right track in his battle plan when he opened up the wallet to go shopping at that position. Licht likes to go bargain basement, but that didn't work out last time. Perhaps it would be better to spend a little more for a higher tier guy.a top safety like Jamal Adams
I think you meant to say Justin Simmons.
Licht doesn't want Mayfield to get to free agency:
“We’re working through things right now,” Licht told Eisen. “You know, the player always has an option, too. So, it’s gotta work out for [Mayfield]. And I’m going to give him the respect of making a decision what’s best for him, too. I know he wants to be here. I know we want him. It’s just a matter of us trying to work through things.”
“If it has to go to there, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s gone. I’d like to hope at least not,” Licht said. Neither side will “press the panic button … to rush anything right now,” he added
i'm not trading a Day 2 pick for Fields... he's not Baker with up and down in his career, looks more like a bust! + it's only a one-year rental to prove he's worth $25M in 2025... if they want a Day 2 pick, only should be a conditional pick next year!
plan B should be the same than last year, Trask fighting with a cheap vet (Brissett?) in TC... may add a rookie in the group (to have a plan B in place for 2025) if Wolford follow Canales in Carolina!
with the available cap space you can sign one of the top edge rusher on the market(Hunter? Mack?)... Bowles may have the temptation to pursue one of the top RB too? (Henry? Jacobs?) passing game may take a blow but a better running game and passrush can be enough to work for us.
Mac jones just went for a 6th rounder
trey lance a 4th
would think fields would be a 4th even though he’s been arguably better than both.
Fields for a 4th is more realistic. The Bears are trying to coax a team out of a 2nd rounder but that is not realistic.
Plan B is tough
i say Wilson but locker room wise what kind of guy is he when you hear guys like lynch and Sherman talk about him, a guy they won a superbowl with. Also, how much does he have left in the tank? Not everyone is TB12 who can play well in their late 30s, early 40s. Look at rivers and Ryan with the colts
Another options would be Cousins but he would like command top dollar and at that point why wouldn’t we just sign baker?
would think baker would go back to Bucs with any offer from patriots, falcons etc and we’d get a chance to match.
guess we will see how this week plays out, but I’d definitely be surprised if he wasn’t back in Tampa, particularly after hearing evens talk about it.
Pewter Plank's five Baker alternatives: Sam Darnold, Michael Penix, Russell Wilson, Gardner Minshew, Justin Fields.
Darnold - OMG fans will be running for the hills including me. I'm not saying I'd abandon the Bucs, but I think we'd all be asking "What the hell, Licht?". .
Penix - He's not really a running QB, so what is the attraction to starting him in year 1 if he doesn't have superior athleticism? He's got a good arm, but it takes time to get up to speed in the NFL. Sure he will probably be a good QB, but he needs to sit for a year.
Wilson - It looks like he's going to the Steelers. Not enthusiastic about his abilities at this stage of his career.
Minshew - He could be a good stopgap to come in and compete with Trask. If they go that route they better put some serious money into a couple other big name players.
That brings us to Fields who has athleticism, so if you can utilize that and really shore up the O-line and add another good RB you could have something to work with. I agree that maybe we could get him for a 3rd round pick rather than 2nd. I don't think 4th will do it. They don't have to trade him right away because his cap hit isn't that bad.
The idea with any of these options is to be able to use that cap space to get some really good players at other positions such as linebacker and G/C.
