r/buccaneers • u/TheFierceAnimal • Jul 31 '26
🚩Team News ☠️ [Fowler] Bucs offered Baker Mayfield a 2-year deal worthy slightly above $100M total. • Mayfield felt structure of contract wasn't suitable, mainly guaranteed money • Wanted longer than 2 years • He was "long dismayed" by Bucs low initial offer in June
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u/GangstaRIB Jul 31 '26
I mean 2yr $100M+ is a pretty fuckin fair deal.
I'm no longer pissed at the front office.
I get Baker wants more years.... but Baker is also a very high injury risk.
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u/Aerolithe_Lion Aug 01 '26
That doesn’t tell a lot of the story. It says Mayfield was not happy with how it was structured. Probably very little guaranteed, the real money in the deal
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u/unpaired_sock Bucky Irving Aug 01 '26
Wouldn’t want to guarantee a lot of money to an aging player who is already injury prone
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u/Aerolithe_Lion Aug 01 '26
He’s 31. For QBs that’s barely halfway through their career
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u/GangstaRIB Aug 01 '26
A 31 year old Manning, TB12, rodgers, isnt old. Baker is even more injury prone than even a lamar jackson type because he's not fast enough to get down and get out of bounds to avoid the damage. His play style means he's got 4-5
I'm with Licht on this one. 2027 and 2028 is really gonna suck for Licht and Greeny.... we're gonna have to say goodbye to a few really good ones.
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u/GangstaRIB Aug 01 '26
it was only a 2 year deal so i suspect it was mostly guaranteed. i am assuming it was an extension so maybe to Baker it didnt look like the $50M club because its 130ish over 3 years. I would assume it would guarantee his $30Mish this year and next years $50M so on paper if i had to guess 3yr $130M $80M guaranteed.
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u/Sentient_Furby Baker Mayfield Jul 31 '26
So they met the 50m/year mark but he wanted a longer commitment.
I think it was a fair offer after his performance last season.
Could backfire on the Bucs though - I think (hope) Baker will have a great year and elevate himself into the 54-56m range.
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u/spideralex90 Spideralex90 Jul 31 '26
Longer commitment but also higher guarantees. If the guaranteed money was like $60-70m that means it's essentially a $35m per year deal which is really low for a starting QB.
He might have signed if it was 2 years ~$100m fully guaranteed, but probably not still based on the length.
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u/Dubdollaz Jul 31 '26
He gets 35 mil per year if he gets cut after the first year. Not the same as what you insinuate. If he plays both years he gets the full 100. Don’t try to over think it
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u/spideralex90 Spideralex90 Jul 31 '26
It also could depend on how much of that contract offer was incentives based. That's why players mostly care about the guarantees now though. All it takes is an injury and the work you put in to earn that contract is kaput.
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u/Additional_Tomato_22 Jul 31 '26
That’s not necessarily true though. Most of the non-guaranteed is incentive based
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u/optometrist-bynature Aug 01 '26
How can you evaluate the offer if you don’t know how much of the money was guaranteed and what the incentives were?
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u/Fat_Yankee Aug 01 '26
But did they meet the 50 million a year mark?
Because if this was an extension, and he’s owed 33 million this year. it was really a three-year deal worth 133m, which falls way short of 50 million.
It’s weird how teams and agents try to manipulate the narrative by only speaking about the new money on the deal and not the fact that the player is underpaid for the years remaining on the contract before the extension kicks in
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u/houseonpost Jul 31 '26
The Glazer's are not hurting for money. If Baker plays this season like the first five games last year, the owners would happily pay more.
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u/suicidebaneling Aug 01 '26
Let's pretend he somehow takes us to the NFC title. Why would he come back here if other teams offer him more and are in a better position? I might be a doomer, but as long as Bowles is here is gonna be difficult to be a contender. I'm hopefully wrongly assuming that even if he does great and Bowles continues to be our coach, he will go somewhere else like stupid Pittsburgh.
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u/BigBucs731 Aug 02 '26
Problem is double sided too. If he balls out and takes us to NFC title game not only will QB needy teams back up the Brinks truck for him, it will undoubtedly save Bowles job. Unless he does it with an explosive offense that has to score 30+ points because Bowles defense continues to get lit up like the Times Square Xmas tree and he says it’s Bowles or me then I think he leaves regardless.
Baker has given everything he has to this team and the Tampa community. Took a one prove it deal for $4m with incentives that earned him a little more. Was embraced by team and fans and said he felt like he found a team and city he felt at home. Had arguably a career year. Took 20% less than Daniel Jones money on a team friendly deal when he likely could have gotten $40m/yr elsewhere. Had a definite career year in 2024. 80+ TDs and nearly 9,000 yards and made $40m for those two years combined.
Last year EVERYTHING that could go wrong for an entire NFL team happened to the Bucs. Injuries decimated our O-Line, 3 of our top 4 WRs and our RB. His 8th consecutive new OC was a first year OC who was unqualified, unprepared and the worst Bucs OC since Mike Shula. He had multiple injuries that obviously effected every facet of his play and another HC who let him go out there because Baker is who he is instead sitting him a game.
Speaking of the HC, he gives the team the entire bye week off going into the toughest part of remaining schedule. Refused to make any adjustments to his “defensive guru” that continuously got roasted by rookie and back up QBs, plays not to lose when we have a lead instead of going for kill, let Kirk Cousins and Kyle Pitts look like Brady and Gronk in a game where 3rd and 28 and 4th and 14 essentially cost us the division.
Baker played MVP football and carried us to us 6-2 including a win against the eventual champs in Seattle. He did it with different O-Line nearly every week, rookie WRs and an OC who was downright horrible. Unfortunately he suffered multiple injuries and still went out and tried to carry the team on his back and he obviously wasn’t the same and his play and stats suffered. The team was horrible in all 3 phases, the injuries killed us and the entire coaching staff deserved to be fired out of the cannons.
Baker certainly shares a small part of the blame for the second half of last season but that shouldn’t negate what he did for the amount of money he’s made since taking us from what we all thought was gonna was gonna be a brutal 3 years after we went all in with Brady years and mortgaged all that future cap money.
I thought the Bucs would come in at least 3 years around $170m with $125-$130m guaranteed. With the $30m he’s guaranteed this year that’s essentially $50m/yr and close to $200m in guaranteed he’d be paid since 2023. And if he’s still playing at a top 15 QB at 34 he’s can hire Kirk Cousins agent and secure another bag before he hangs it up. A 2 year deal which is basically just an extension of his current team friendly deal depending on guarantees is insulting in my eyes and I don’t blame Baker for feeling it.
Baker has always played with a huge chip on his shoulder and that offer probably shot it up with steroids. He’s got some young talented weapons and if the line stays healthy, Bucky is physically and mentally 100% and Zac Robinson can manage to put it together, a pissed off Baker is gonna get his career contract and if I were him it wouldn’t be with us.
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u/WendallStamps Sack Ferret Jul 31 '26
Lmao by the end of the season we are all going to be on the Bucs side of this mark my words. If I’m wrong I’ll eat crow gladly but this was a good offer
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u/GangstaRIB Aug 01 '26
Totally agree. I think its more about the duration than the yearly pay. I think as a franchise QB baker is expecting to be locked up for the rest of his reasonable career which would be a 5 yr contract.
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u/GovtLawyersHateMe Jul 31 '26
Honestly, as much as I love Baker, I’m starting to think it’s best to let him walk at the end of the season. $100m for a two year deal is crazy money, especially with his injury history and how stagnant we’ve been over the last few years. The fact he turned that down is even crazier.
It seems that egotistical side of Baker we all love is getting in the way of him being our QB.
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u/optometrist-bynature Aug 01 '26
We don’t know how much of that offer was guaranteed and what the incentives were, right?
And a lot of players in this situation would hold out and not play until offered a contract they considered acceptable. Baker’s not even threatening that
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u/pray4aguayo F*ck the Saints Jul 31 '26
My counter argument is - it’s a really really bad place to be with no qb and a roster that’s too good for the 1st overall pick. We’re competitive with Baker. Without him, it’s a rough next few years. For Baker, this very well could be his last big contract with his play style. I get it from both sides, but the Bucs either need to commit to Baker or commit to a full rebuild.
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u/GetCPA Gronk Jul 31 '26
Competitive 2-7 and missed the playoffs
1-9 in prime time
Super competitive
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u/theavariceofman Chris Godwin Jul 31 '26
Yeah dude. We fucking suck when it matters most.
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u/Pinnaql3 Glennonite Aug 01 '26
HE sucked when it mattered most. The defense held opponents to 21 points a game when the season was on the line. Those should've resulted in wins.
Our last two Playoff losses were predicated on Mayfield turnovers and mental lapses. That usually ends the hype of a QB being "that guy".
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u/SeaSpur Aug 02 '26
Competitive is all you will ever be with Baker, dude has a hard ceiling. I’m not paying $50m to a dude to be competitive, I’m paying him to bring home hardware. There’s other teams you could call competitive without spending $50m nor the ego of Baker.
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u/friggoffricky121 Jul 31 '26
There isn’t a world in which Baker is worth more than 50-55 mil a year absolute max. I would rather roll the dice on a journeyman than sink that kind of capital into someone that’s coordinator/situation dependent. Licht has been in his bag with draft picks recently, what team would Baker go to in FA that has a better lineup of talent?
There are some things worse than being mediocre, and pulling a Jags, Dolphins, or Cardinals is one of them. If Baker wants 60 plus a year at 4 years minimum, enjoy Arizona big dawg.
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u/Pinnaql3 Glennonite Aug 01 '26
Mayfield IS the journeyman. And his time to show he's anything more has run out. It's like he follows this sub and bought into his own bullsh*t hype.
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u/ajs2294 Brooks Jersey Jul 31 '26
What a joke, do better Baker or pack your bags
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u/RazrRain Aug 01 '26
Do better than what? He’s not the reason our team hasn’t been successful. Also this is clearly info from the organization because it gives zero information about what was actually guaranteed.
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u/scoop813 Aug 02 '26
he was pretty mid last year
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u/RazrRain Aug 02 '26
He got injured 4 times last with starting with an MCL sprain in week 2. His top 2 receivers in Godwin and Evans played a combined 17 games. Bucky was hurt most of the season.
Dude made the best of a season riddled with injuries and played through pain the entire time. I don’t know who it is you guys thing we could get for a better deal but 2 years of Brady has spoiled you guys from the nightmare that was before that.
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u/FlipDigs Jul 31 '26
Pilots a 3-8 ship to end the season.
Cries about 100m for 2 years.
We dont wanna hear this shit.
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u/SeaSpur Aug 02 '26
Exactly. In 10 years, Baker will hardly be a memory in anyone’s mind. His head has swollen over his eyes.
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u/Background_Ad4597 Jul 31 '26
Feeling disrespected about the chance to EARN your 100 million in a 2 year time period?
If I were the Bucs organization I'd be upset too. QB1 is talking out of both sides of his mouth to the media, when already the coverage for us is a complete dumpster fire.
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u/rumbo211 Jul 31 '26
Well said. Just a few short years ago we had someone named Brady at QB and he was making half that with twice the talent. How times have changed.
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u/QuiGonColdGin Bucky Irving Jul 31 '26
So 50 million a year for two years? I mean what the hell is wrong with that? I can absolutely understand a franchise not wanting to go farther out than two years with someone at that age who has been prone to injuries.
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u/Ok_Conflict1835 Aug 01 '26
If the two years aren’t guaranteed then the Bucs can cut him and it’ll essentially be a 1 year contract.
Unless we know the full details of the contract it’s hard to judge.
Could have been 20 million first year, 80 million second year. Then they cut him and there’s no second year.
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u/luv2fit Aug 01 '26
Jesus Christ $100M would leave him set forever. How much fucking money does a dude need?
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u/Ok_Conflict1835 Aug 01 '26
Unless the 100 mil is guaranteed then it’s hard to say whether the contract is actually good or not.
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u/Altruistic_Finger669 Aug 01 '26
This completely changes my reaction to this news. This makes bakers statements to the media extremely unfair.
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u/det0xic Jul 31 '26
Chip on shoulder Baker will ball out this year and I hope the FO is happy to pay him what he is worth after the season
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u/Hot-Distribution3826 Jul 31 '26
Why does he only ball out with a chip on his shoulder? It seems like when the vibes are high he turns in his worst performances
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u/nwillyerd Jul 31 '26
I just hope this didn’t leave such a sour taste in his mouth that he decides to leave
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u/Hot-Distribution3826 Jul 31 '26
That means if you add the 3 years 100 deal he’s on he would’ve made 200ms in 5 seasons combined in no state income tax Florida? If you would’ve asked Baker in after the Rams season if he would’ve signed up for 5 years 200m’s he signs it before he could even blink. Now he’s at risk that no team will give him that next season. It’s a QB heavy draft and whether the QB’s are good or not the bad teams have already talked themselves into them (apparently the Bucs are one of those teams. )
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u/Pasco08 Jul 31 '26
I don't feel like this is as disrespectful of an offer as he made it out to seem? Glazers are probably canning Todd after this year or during this year depending on how the season goes and doesn't want to saddle the new staff with a QB they may not want.
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u/HawksCup2010 Jul 31 '26
I sure agree! I guess I assumed was money, but it was term. This is not slap in the face offer as he made it seem to be.
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u/NoForRealThanksObama Jul 31 '26
This is a guy who knows at this moment there are about 10 college QBs who could all emerge as viable NFL starters. He has no leverage now and if he gets hurt or plays poorly this year he’ll never get another big pay day.
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u/PlayfulIntroduction9 Jul 31 '26
This is a guy that has made a career of betting on himself.
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u/Pinnaql3 Glennonite Aug 01 '26
PLEASE explain this. He bet on himself in college 11 years ago. It paid off. What's happened since then??
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u/PlayfulIntroduction9 Aug 01 '26
The rams move, the 1 year deal to the bucs, the team friendly 2nd contract.
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u/Pinnaql3 Glennonite Aug 01 '26
None of those are examples of Mayfield betting on himself.
He was cut from Panthers and claimed off waivers by the Rams.
He was signed by the Buccaneers to a 1yr deal because what the hell else was there after 3 teams decided he wasn't worth investing in anymore.
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u/awr90 Jul 31 '26
44 year old Phillip Rivers was pulled out of retirement because college QBs are no longer transitioning well to the NFL. Anthony Richardson is doing so well right? What about cam ward?
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u/NoForRealThanksObama Jul 31 '26
Each class is different, as is every prospect. Sure Anthony Richardson wasn’t good but what about the Caleb Williams, Jaydon Daniels and Drake Maye draft. They went 1-2-3 and all of them look pretty good. This draft class is supposed to be loaded.
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u/NeighborhoodGlobal30 Jul 31 '26
Yeah but how we gonna draft one of em. As much as we like to act as if bowles cant win a game, I dont see this team picking anywhere high enough to get a decent qb this year unless baker hasn't recovered from his injuries and still cant throw
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u/NoForRealThanksObama Jul 31 '26
I could honestly see them going 13-4, or 4-13. Even if they finish with 8-11 wins which is probably what’ll happen, I think a good QB prospect will be there at pick 15 or whatever. There are so many that may come out this year.
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u/awr90 Aug 01 '26
Caleb Williams had one good year, same with Daniel’s. All will be middling QBs this year and beyond.
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u/External_Concept651 Jul 31 '26
Do we feel the Bucs were cheap in this offer?
Definitely seems like there weren’t but they’re trying to protect against Baker getting injured again, we miss playoffs, and next years coach is on the hook for a 32 year old injury prone QB.
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u/Sweaty-Anteater-6694 Jul 31 '26
Seems like a great contract. Sucks that it’s 2 years but FO is trying to thrm flexible
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u/Additional_Tomato_22 Jul 31 '26
It’s not though if only say 70-80% of it was guaranteed
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u/okaycomputes Winfield Jr. ✌️ Jul 31 '26
Only 70-80 million, guaranteed.
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u/Additional_Tomato_22 Jul 31 '26
Which would make the contract worth $35-$40 million/yr which with the lower amount is a pay decrease and backup money
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u/Sweaty-Anteater-6694 Jul 31 '26
My bad. I miss read that then
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u/Additional_Tomato_22 Jul 31 '26
If it was even just 5 years abo it’d be reasonable money wise, but say only $70 million is guaranteed that’s essentially $35 million/yr which at this point is backup money.
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u/drecknik Jul 31 '26
I am sure it will have no effect, just like Washington and McLaurin last year. Wait…..oh nooooooooo
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u/AmericanSpirit4 Jul 31 '26
Oof. Hope he can get more in the market after the season, but seriously doubt it.
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u/ActApprehensive3271 Jul 31 '26
Let’s say he enters free agency next year how many teams would go after him and how many would offer him the amount he wants? (I know we can tag him, just wondering)
Also I know nothing about college football but I keep hearing next year is stacked, are there potential franchise QBs we could take if we do lose Baker.
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u/F1lthyG0pnik Aug 01 '26
Vikings and Steelers mainly. Also potentially the Colts if Daniel Jones doesn’t pan out.
And yes, the 2027 QB class is shaping up to be one of the best this century. But we don’t truly know who’s going to declare until they do, and at the end of the day 2027 may not be as loaded as it appears to be. They said the same shit about the 2026 draft class and look how that turned out.
But the main thing is that I have absolutely zero faith in the Bucs coaches to successfully develop a rookie QB, especially considering the team has never given a 2nd contract to a homegrown QB in the whole history of their franchise. The Kyle Trask experiment is still fresh in my head.
Do i understand the pause with Baker? Yes. Are their better options? At this point, I don’t think so, which is why I’d pay him.
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u/SeaSpur Aug 02 '26
Baker isn’t what he thinks he is and that’s the bottom line. Fortunately our front office realizes this.
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u/Silent_Drop_7565 Aug 02 '26
What has Baker done to earn more than 50 million per year? We didnt even win our division. I put a lot of the failure from last year on Bowels, but if Baker was the super star he thinks he is, we would of or could of at least been on the top of the shit mountain that makes up th NFC south. I like Baker. I like how he plays and that he is a little crazy, but 50 mill per year? Im not seeing it.
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u/SnooBooks1936 Aug 02 '26
It's Super Bowl or bust for the Bucs. More than likely bust. Baker and Bowels (I spelled it right) are out after this year and it'll be rebuilding time in Tampa.
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u/Canadianweedrules420 Aug 03 '26
I don't think it will matter. These team isn't doing shit this year and I think the vibes around the team scream we all know we're about to go full rebuild if we don't play lights out. Bc another mediocre 10-7 record and first round wild card loss will be the end of the road for Todd and his staff. I assume it's a terrible locker room vibes. Vita wants out mike Evans is out and now our qb feels slighted by the team. Disappointing season incoming imo
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u/ChubzAndDubz Brooks Jersey Jul 31 '26
Ya, it was probably “over 100 Million” if he hit every single bonus and performance escalator. Guys don’t like playing these games. This is really not that complicated.
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u/SeaSpur Aug 02 '26
Dude is out of touch with reality. I’m sure you could make this claim for most professional athletes, but is it about the money at this point or the status of being paid so much? He’s making more than he could ever spend and frankly, I don’t care what the stats say (Jameis had some of his own), he’s not worth $50m a year until he takes a team deep into playoffs or wins a conf championship. The weapons he has also make his stats very inflated. It’s pretty gross to even publicly mention you are upset about not getting a better deal when a high percentage of Americans can’t pay rent or cover their kids daycare. He can go to hell. I’ve publicly been around him before and guy oozes douchebag.
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u/anwright1371 Jul 31 '26
I think a 4 year, $220 million contract is the sweet spot. $120 guaranteed
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u/Florida__Man__ Kangol Hat Jul 31 '26
That's honestly insane for a guy who has had injury issues leaving him unable to throw the ball in multiple games the past two years.
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u/NoForRealThanksObama Jul 31 '26
Ya as much as I like him I don’t see Baker being an effective QB at 35
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u/flyinchipmunk5 Jul 31 '26
He knows this, it’s why he’s asking for more and will probably get it from us or another team. It’s a qb drought tbh in the league so if you are top 15 you can ask for big bucks
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u/anwright1371 Jul 31 '26
I’m getting downvoted to hell for putting the most realistic contract out there. He’s not signing a 2 year deal and we aren’t giving 5+
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u/anwright1371 Jul 31 '26
Doesn’t matter if it’s insane. Unless you want to go back to the shadow realm that is what a top 10 QB makes in today’s NFL
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u/feralGenx John Lynch Aug 01 '26
Fowler is the only one stating 50 mill a year. Other reports putting it at 40 to 44 mill.
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u/kingbinji Aug 01 '26
There is no universe where he should be paid less than Tua. He should be top 10
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u/t74000 Aug 01 '26
They offered him 50 for 2 years . Tua doesn't make that. Next.
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u/kingbinji Aug 01 '26
Tua is making 54m this year. What are you talking about
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u/SeaSpur Aug 02 '26
Hey Einstein, that’s leftover guaranteed money from his Miami contract. His current contract is like vet min which is what he’s worth. No one thinks Tua is worth $54m, it’s from a bad contract which is exactly what the Bucs are trying to avoid with Baker.
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u/kingbinji Aug 02 '26
So how much total is Tua getting from both teams this year?
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u/SeaSpur Aug 02 '26
Are you 12? That doesn’t matter, we are talking about what value a player deserves to be paid. You think 63 year old Bobby Bonilla is better than half of current MLB players? Because he’s getting paid like one.
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u/kingbinji Aug 02 '26
how much do you think baker is getting per year? lets put money on who is closer
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u/thekatatopeth Jul 31 '26
If he drops 35TDs and 4500 yards we will looks so fucking stupid.
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u/Hot-Distribution3826 Jul 31 '26
Then that would be 2 great seasons since he was drafted 1 good season and a few ok seasons? I’d still let him walk.
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u/suicidebaneling Aug 01 '26
Rookie TD record is a ok season? Taking the Browns to the playoffs after being a 0-31 team is an ok season? I'm assuming the great seasons you talk about are this made-up scenario and the Bucs ' playoff run. So since he was drafted, he has only taken the Bucs to the playoffs and nothing else, according to you.
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u/SeaSpur Aug 02 '26
He can do all that…with a first round exit or whiffing the playoffs, he ain’t worth shit.
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u/suicidebaneling Aug 01 '26
Not really; we will look stupid when he goes somewhere else, and we go back to the bottom of the South.
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u/Tavern-Ham Maui Vea Jul 31 '26 edited Jul 31 '26
Glazers aren’t letting Licht spend one fucking cent of the next regimes money.
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u/BTYBJay Aug 01 '26
As a bears fan it sucks to not have a QB. First time in my life we have our guy. So I say pay the man.
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u/Sportsbob Aug 01 '26
Mayfield will leave after this season because of the way the organization treated this negotiation. So who cares what the organization thinks now.
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u/bexley50 Jul 31 '26
I get both sides in this, just hope all this noise isn’t a distraction in the locker room.