The Steelers already know Aaron Rodgers won’t be their answer forever. Rodgers is in what the source describes as the last year of his NFL career in the 2026 season, which means Pittsburgh has to start thinking about 2027 and beyond at quarterback.
That’s where Baker Mayfield enters the conversation.
Mayfield is heading into the final year of his current deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the contract talks between the two sides have stalled. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Jenna Laine reported that Mayfield is reporting to training camp without a new deal and will play out the final year of his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
Here is the latest on Mayfield’s situation from Jeremy Fowler and Jenna Laine of ESPN:
"Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is reporting to training camp without a new deal and will play out the final year of his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
Mayfield and the Bucs have been engaged in contract talks for several months, with sources telling ESPN that no real progress had been made toward a new deal as of Tuesday. Mayfield had previously said he wanted an agreement in place before the start of camp or he would discontinue talks to focus on football.
Sources close to the situation told ESPN that Mayfield is looking for a deal that reflects his performance and is more in line with what quarterbacks of a similar caliber are making. He is also unfazed by the potential of being franchise-tagged in 2027, sources added."
Mayfield also used the word “disrespected,” which makes it clear he’s not thrilled with how negotiations have gone. Tampa Bay could always use the franchise tag after the season, but if the Buccaneers take a step back or land in a middling spot, a reset could be part of the picture.
That leaves the door open for Pittsburgh. Mayfield is set to become a free agent in 2027 unless something changes, and the Steelers have long shown a habit of chasing quicker fixes at quarterback rather than waiting for a perfect long-term answer.
And if they go that route again, Mayfield would make plenty of sense on paper. In the post-Ben Roethlisberger era, he’d be the best quarterback the Steelers have had. Over the 2023-2025 seasons with Tampa Bay, he has gone 27-24 while throwing 95 touchdowns and 37 interceptions, good for a 97.4 passer rating.
He’s also entering his age-31 season and will turn 32 next April, so he’d still be relatively young for a team looking for a bridge that lasts more than a year or two. On top of that, Mayfield brings a certain edge that teammates tend to gravitate toward, and he’s already played - and won - in the AFC North with the Cleveland Browns.
Mayfield’s career has clearly found new life in Tampa Bay after the Browns moved on from him years ago. The Steelers might not be looking at a guaranteed Super Bowl fix if they ever pursued him, but in a franchise that keeps searching for workable answers, he fits the profile.
He is currently in the final year of a three-year deal that pays him $33.33 million per year, and with quarterback money climbing every season, Pittsburgh would likely have to get into the $50 million per year neighborhood to have a real shot at him.
Even so, after years of uncertainty at the position, Mayfield could offer something the Steelers have been chasing for a long time: a real solution that lasts.
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