The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are done talking about Baker Mayfield’s contract for now.
General manager Jason Licht made that clear Tuesday morning, saying the team is not planning to jump back into extension negotiations as the season approaches. With Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals on deck, Licht said the Buccaneers are shifting their attention to football and leaving the future for later.
“We certainly respect him [Mayfield] wanting to focus on this season. We’re focused on this season.
I’ve been here long enough to know that in this league, you don’t make decisions on what could happen, what will happen, what won’t happen," Licht said. "Right now, I’ve been waiting to say this for a long time - ‘It’s on to Cincinnati.'”
That stance comes after a summer filled with contract tension around Tampa Bay. Baker Mayfield and Vita Vea were both part of the noise, though Vea eventually landed a one-year extension worth $30 million after even asking for a trade.
Mayfield’s situation is different. He is set to play this season on the final year of his current deal, and reports had surfaced that the Buccaneers offered him a two-year contract worth more than $100 million. That still apparently wasn’t the kind of long-term arrangement Mayfield wanted.
There has also been talk about the possibility of Tampa Bay using the franchise tag on Mayfield next offseason, but that route would leave plenty of uncertainty hanging over his future with the team.
On the field, Mayfield’s 2023 season showed both his production and the wild swings around it. He finished 10th in the NFL with 3,693 passing yards, along with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. But those numbers only tell part of the story.
Tampa Bay opened 5-1 and looked like it might be rolling toward something bigger. Instead, the Buccaneers lost seven of their final nine games and watched the NFC South crown slip away for the first time in five seasons. Mayfield was in MVP conversation early, but injuries and missed time from key players around him helped derail the momentum.
There is still reason to believe the offense can click again, especially with new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson stepping in. Robinson comes from the Atlanta Falcons and previously worked closely with Liam Coen and Sean McVay in Los Angeles. That matters because Mayfield thrived in Coen’s motion-heavy system two seasons ago, and Robinson is known for getting his top players moving before the snap.
At the NFL Owners Meetings in Arizona, Coen was asked whether he expects a rebound season for Mayfield and the Tampa Bay offense.
“I am,” Coen told the media that were assembled at the NFL Owners Meetings this week In Arizona. “ Obviously their connection - they have a prior relationship, and again, that definitely helps with Baker. He’s going to probably be teed off - a little ticked off to have a better season, get back to the playoffs and do some of those things."
In Other News...
Bucs Suddenly Have A Week 1 Concern They Can't Ignore
The Buccaneers have spent most of camp trying to build momentum for their offense, but the receiver room added an uneasy wrinkle late in the preseason. Jalen McMillan and Emeka Egbuka both sat out the teams recent practice because of injuries, which naturally puts a little more pressure on the build-up to the season opener against the Bengals.
There is still optimism both players could be available, but the situation is enough to keep Tampa Bay on alert this early in the week. Todd Bowles said he will take another look at their status next week, and until then the Bucs are left waiting to see whether two important pieces of their passing attack can get back on the field in time. [Read more 🡒]
Shilo Sanders Just Pulled The Buccaneers Back Into His Latest Controversy
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Since then, Sanders has turned his attention to music, releasing a rap album called World of Headache that leans into the incident and even includes appearances from his father and brother. For a player who spent five college seasons at South Carolina, Jackson State and Colorado, the football side of the story may have paused for now, but his name is still finding a way back into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Just Added A Quarterback Twist To Their Practice Squad
The Buccaneers filled out their practice squad with a familiar group Tuesday, bringing back 15 players who were with the team in training camp and adding one notable name at quarterback. Easton Stick, most recently waived by the Indianapolis Colts, joined Tampa Bays 16-player unit as the club continued sorting out its developmental depth heading into the next stretch of the season.
Stick brings some NFL experience to the room after appearing in six league games, and his path also includes a long run at North Dakota State. The only addition who does not count against the practice squad limit is Paul Rubelt, the International Player Pathway Program member, giving Tampa Bay a little extra flexibility as it rounds out the back end of the roster. [Read more 🡒]