The Buccaneers are staring down a contract crunch, and Cody Mauch may end up caught in the middle of it.
Baker Mayfield and YaYa Diaby are both heading toward huge paydays, and that alone could shape everything Tampa does after the season. Mayfield is chasing a long-term deal worth more than $50 million per year after playing out the three-year, $100 million contract he signed in 2024. Diaby, meanwhile, is still on his rookie deal, but after turning into one of the Bucs’ best edge defenders and a strong run stopper, he could be looking at a jump that dwarfs his current salary.
That kind of money doesn’t leave much room for everyone else.
Mauch is right there in the mix as another key member of Tampa’s 2023 draft class set to hit free agency next year. The second-round guard has been making an average of $1.8 million per season on his rookie contract, and if he reaches the market, his next deal could land at roughly 10 times that number.
Josh Queipo and Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report dug into the situation, and the takeaway is clear: Mauch has played his way into the conversation as a core piece.
Tampa’s offensive line has a case as the best in the league, and Mauch’s rise has been a major part of that. His season-ending injury in Week 2 last year showed just how much he matters. Without him, the line slipped well below expectations in 2025, and the offense felt the effects all season.
Queipo sees Mauch’s value in the $17-19 million per year range, with a floor around $15 million annually. If he puts together another strong season, Queipo believes Mauch could push past $20 million per year.
The problem for Tampa is that Mauch is not the only expensive decision on the horizon. Vita Vea’s extension through next year makes the financial picture even tighter, and the Bucs also have to figure out how much they’re willing to spend on Mayfield and Diaby.
That’s where the debate gets interesting. Queipo and Reynolds raised the possibility that Mauch could end up being a higher priority than Diaby, especially with Rueben Bain Jr. already drafted and 2025 fourth-round pick David Walker waiting in the wings after missing his entire rookie year with an injury.
Wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. is part of the equation too. He’s signed through 2027, but his guaranteed money disappears after this season.
Tampa could decide to move on from him, especially with Emeka Egbuka, Ted Hurst, and Jalen McMillan positioned as the future at receiver. If that happens, the Bucs could redirect that money toward keeping Mauch.
For Tampa, the choices after this season are going to be brutal. Mayfield is the biggest domino, but once that gets settled, the Bucs will have to decide whether Mauch, Diaby, or maybe even Godwin gets the stronger push. And unlike Diaby or Godwin, Mauch doesn’t have the same obvious in-house replacement waiting to take his place.
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