Baker Mayfield’s place in the NFL’s offseason pecking order took a hit, and the numbers tell the story. After being ranked No. 50 last year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback landed at No. 77 in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026, a 27-spot slide that reflects how sharply his 2025 season tailed off.
That drop comes on the heels of a Buccaneers year that unraveled after a fast start. Tampa Bay opened 6-2, with Mayfield playing at an MVP level early, but the back half of the season brought a much different version of the offense. The Bucs finished 8-9 and missed out on the NFC South, and Mayfield’s play declined along with the team’s results.
Even with that downturn, Mayfield still made the list, which is voted on by NFL players and serves as a yearly snapshot of how the league views its own best talent. And while his ranking slipped, the respect around him clearly hasn’t disappeared.
One of the voices in his corner came from an NFC South opponent, New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough.
"I grew up watching what he did, just the swagger, the demeanor that he plays with," Shough said in the video. "His personality, I really resonate with it.
Being able to go play the Bucs each year, you're gonna go out there and compete. It kinda motivates you, obviously, to go up against him, someone you look up to."
Mayfield also drew praise from Houston Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. and cornerback Derek Stingley after Tampa Bay’s 20-19 win over Houston on prime time in 2025. Anderson was especially direct about what stands out when he watches Mayfield.
"I think he has one of the biggest hearts in the game," Anderson said of Mayfield. "He just has that, 'Man, whatever it takes to win this game, I'm gonna do it.
I'm gonna put the team on my back, man.' I have a ton of respect for him."
Now Mayfield is heading into a contract year on the final season of his $33 million APY deal, with extension talks hanging over the start of camp. He has given the Buccaneers a training camp deadline to get a new deal done, and that clock is ticking with camp set to begin on July 28th.
For Mayfield, the next chance to change the conversation starts there.
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For Tampa Bay, the unease is less about one bad stretch than the broader questions that have followed Mayfield at different points in his career. The concerns center on inconsistency, accuracy, decision-making and turnovers, all of which matter even more when a team is preparing to invest heavily in its starter. The Bucs may still be headed toward a long-term commitment, but Clarks comments are a reminder that the discussion around Mayfield is not nearly as settled as the fan base would like. [Read more 🡒]
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Bucky Irving Just Got The Disrespect Buccaneers Fans Will Hate
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Instead, Irving was left on the outside of the conversation entirely, not even landing in the honorable-mention tier as other backs such as Breece Hall, Quinshon Judkins, Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara drew support. For a player who flashed like a future centerpiece in Tampa Bay, the omission is the kind of slight that tends to linger, especially when the Buccaneers are still trying to figure out just how high Irvings ceiling can be once hes healthy again. [Read more 🡒]