Holdout From Bucs QB Baker Mayfield Unlikely
Baker Mayfield has set a training camp deadline for a contract extension with the Buccaneers, but the two sides are far apart heading into June.
Despite the gap in asking and offering price, negotiations have not been “ugly,” per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, though they are “relatively fresh and new.”
“It’s not like they have been talking for months and hit an impasse,” Fowler adds. “They just have to make some progress based on the initial talks.”
Both sides have repeatedly expressed interest in coming to an agreement. The Buccaneers have been thoroughly rewarded for taking a shot on the former No. 1 overall pick back in 2023. He emerged as a high-end starter before playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in 2024. Injuries – to himself and several of his best teammates – hampered him last season, so there is reason to believe he can bounce back this year.
From Mayfield’s perspective, the Buccaneers resurrected his career after the Browns let him go in favor of Deshaun Watson. He then received a $100MM contract and a guaranteed starting job into his 30s, all while playing with the best skill position players (and arguably offensive line) of his career.
Mayfield is not likely to stage a holdout from mandatory minicamp, which starts on June 16, and his stated timeline indicates that the same is true for training camp.
But despite the 31-year-old quarterback’s interest in getting a deal done within the next six weeks, he and his camp have not sent a counter to the Bucs’ original offer, according to Rich Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. As always, it takes two to tango, but mutual interest in extending this partnership should get both sides to the negotiating table soon.
Lions Have Chance To Capitalize On Depressed Markets
An inability to build around the likes of Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford shortened these greats' tenures in Detroit. Stafford asking for a trade in 2021 brought another rebuild, one that now stands as a signature overhaul in the 21st-century NFL.
Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell ignited a moribund franchise. As former Lions peers in the NFL basement go through more structural turnover, we are now in Year 6 of the Holmes-Campbell regime. Although Sanders lifted reasonably talented rosters in the 1990s -- albeit without consistent quarterback play -- it is safe to call the current Lions setup the most well-run operation in the Motor City since the AFL-NFL merger 56 years ago.
The team is now in a third offseason where extensions are due for homegrown talent. The 2024 offseason brought timely paydays for Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell and Jared Goff. The Lions later circled back to extending Taylor Decker and Alim McNeill as well. Last year brought re-ups for Kerby Joseph and Jameson Williams. This offseason does not supply decisions at cornerstone positions, giving it less flash but arguably more intrigue.
The Lions' batch of extension candidates entering the offseason play positions featuring three depressed markets, with the fourth candidate -- safety Brian Branch -- coming off an ACL tear. Detroit already paid Jack Campbell, who is now the NFL's second-highest-paid off-ball linebacker, and must decide on Jahmyr Gibbs' value and whether to let Sam LaPorta play out a contract year or reach an agreement now. The positions these young talents play present an interesting opportunity, though having so many candidates for top-market deals at low- or medium-priority areas will require a critical macro evaluation from the Holmes-led front office.
Bucs, QB Baker Mayfield ‘Not Anywhere Close’ To Extension
The clock is ticking on a contract extension for Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. Entering the last year of his deal, Mayfield told reporters on Friday that he and the team are “not anywhere close” to an agreement (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times). Mayfield added that he has set a negotiating deadline for the start of training camp in late July.
“Would love to be here long term but as of right now that’s not exactly the case,” Mayfield said. “But I’m under contract for 2026. The guys in that locker room, the staff know that I’m still gonna be me. I’m still going to do everything I can to help this team win a Super Bowl. To me that’s the priority. Everything else will take care of itself. “
Mayfield entered the NFL in 2018 with the Browns, who drafted the Oklahoma Heisman Trophy winner first overall in a class that included four other first-round signal-callers: Sam Darnold (No. 3, Jets), Josh Allen (No. 7, Bills), Josh Rosen (No. 10, Cardinals) and Lamar Jackson (No. 32, Ravens). After an up-and-down four years with the Browns, Mayfield’s stock dropped further in a half-season in Carolina in 2022. The Panthers had both Mayfield and Darnold on their roster that year, but neither panned out for them. They waived Mayfield in late December, and he went on to finish the season with the Rams after they claimed him.
Mayfield’s performance improved in Los Angeles, where he made four starts filling in for an injured Matthew Stafford. However, with Stafford entrenched as the Rams’ top QB, it was obvious Mayfield would have to look elsewhere if he wanted a chance to start in 2023. That led him to Tampa Bay on a one-year, $8.5MM pact, which turned out to be a steal for general manager Jason Licht.
Mayfield beat out Kyle Trask for QB1 duties and went on to set career highs in completion percentage (64.3), yards (4,044) and touchdowns (28, against 10 interceptions) over 17 starts. He earned Pro Bowl honors for the first time and led the Buccaneers to a 9-8 record and an NFC South title. They crushed the Eagles in the wild-card round, 32-9, but bowed out the next week in a 31-23 loss to Detroit in the divisional round.
Convinced Mayfield was their answer under center, the Buccaneers prevented him from leaving in free agency with a three-year, $100MM extension in March 2024. Once again, he exceeded expectations in the first season of the accord. Although Mayfield tossed too many picks (16), he made up for it by establishing new career highs in completion rate (71.4), yards (4,500), TDs (41) and passer rating (106.8). Mayfield made his second straight Pro Bowl, and the Buccaneers went 10-7 on their way to another division title. However, they could not get past the Jayden Daniels-led Commanders in a 23-20 wild-card round loss at home.
The Buccaneers were the clear favorites to win the NFC South entering 2025, and it looked as if they would coast to the crown during a 6-2 start. Mayfield was drawing MVP hype then, but a slew of injuries took their toll on the team in the second half of the season. The Buccaneers lost seven of their last nine and finished 8-9, which tied the Panthers and the Falcons for the best record in a bad division. But the Bucs lost the tiebreaker to the Panthers, who represented the NFC South in the playoffs.
After Mayfield completed 63.2% of passes for 3,693 yards, 26 TDs and 11 picks during his third straight 17-start year in 2025, he will work with yet another new O-coordinator this season. The Buccaneers fired Josh Grizzard and replaced him with former Falcons OC Zac Robinson. He will be Mayfield’s fourth play caller in as many years in Tampa Bay, which had Dave Canales in place during the signal-caller’s first season there.
Licht made it known last summer that the Buccaneers wanted to extend Mayfield. While that still hasn’t happened, it remains a top priority for the team. Last July, the Buccaneers guaranteed $30MM of Mayfield’s $40MM salary for 2026. A new deal should come at a higher price, especially with the salary cap continuing to skyrocket. Eleven quarterbacks are averaging over $50MM per year. The leader, the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, is earning a league-high $60MM per annum.
Prescott was 31 years old when he signed his extension, a four-year, $240MM pact with $231MM in guarantees. Mayfield is the same age now as Prescott was when he re-upped with Dallas in September 2024. That doesn’t mean Mayfield will do as well on his next contract, but as someone who ranks just 16th at his position in AAV, a raise is clearly in order. Thanks to Mayfield’s self-imposed deadline, the Buccaneers are running out of time to make it happen.
NFL Mailbag: Browns, Garrett, Rams, Donald, Brown, Steelers
This week's PFR mailbag touches on some of the most impactful developments from a busy week around the NFL. The Myles Garrett and A.J. Brown trades, the possibility of an Aaron Donald return and the Steelers' pass rush outlook are addressed.
Stephen asks:
Did the Rams give up too much for Myles Garrett? Do you like this move for the Browns?
I wasn’t surprised that it wound up being the Rams who landed Garrett (although I also wasn’t expecting him to get traded on Monday, to be fair). The price hurts from Los Angeles’ perspective, but that was always going to be the case when acquiring a future Hall of Famer.
Bears Moving Toward Indiana Relocation
The Bears have called the state of Illinois home since they began play in 1920, but they now have one foot out the door. Their board of directors voted to advance stadium development at a to-be-determined site in Hammond, Ind., chairman George McCaskey and president and CEO Kevin Warren announced in a joint statement.
“We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana to the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city,” McCaskey and Warren said. “It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses.”
The Bears, who will soon leave the 102-year-old Soldier Field for a new stadium, identified Hammond and Arlington Heights, Ill., as potential sites for a domed facility earlier in this process. In an announcement on May 21, they claimed the city of Chicago does not have a “viable site.” Their chances of at least staying in Illinois would have improved had the Senate voted to approve a proposal to give tax breaks for megaprojects of $100MM or more. However, that bid fell short before the Senate adjourned on May 31.
While it appears the Bears will end up in Hammond, which is approximately 35 minutes from Chicago, it isn’t a fait accompli, Courtney Cronin of ESPN reports. “Illinois can still get back in the race,” a source told Cronin. Meanwhile, a source informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “There is more work to do but barring anything very strange, it’s a done deal.”
For his part, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun is already spiking the ball. In a celebratory statement, Braun announced (via WSBT CBS 22): “Hoosiers, help me welcome the Chicago Bears to our great state! We look forward to building a partnership as strong as the ’85 Bears defense, creating opportunities and economic growth that will benefit our state and the Bears organization for decades to come. An NFL franchise in Northwest Indiana will be an economic boost to the entire region like we haven’t seen before.”
If the Bears leave for Indiana, they would join the Colts as the state’s second NFL franchise. The Colts would welcome them with open arms.
“We’re happy for the Bears and wish them the best in their stadium initiative,” the Colts stated Friday (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star). “We also hope this will mean great things for community and economic development for our fellow Hoosiers in northwest Indiana.”
Hammond is within 75 miles of Chicago, which means the Bears already have the marketing rights there.
Myles Garrett Trade Fallout: Rams, Eagles, Carter, Browns, Verse, McCoy
The trade that sent longtime Browns defensive end Myles Garrett to the Super Bowl-hopeful Rams was a long time in the making — two months and four days, to be exact. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, that’s how long it took for negotiations between Rams general manager Les Snead and his Browns counterpart, Andrew Berry, to conclude.
This wasn’t the first time the Rams had sent an offer to Cleveland; it wasn’t even the second. Los Angeles went shopping for pass rushers around the trade deadline in 2022 and, among offers to several other teams, offered two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder for Garrett, though Berry has no interest in trading him at the time. Then, following this past season, Snead called the Browns in late March and upped the offer.
The offer purely comprising of draft capital was not going to be enough, as Cleveland made clear following the draft that Rams defensive end Jared Verse would have to be a part of any trade, but it demonstrated how serious Los Angeles was about getting a deal done.
Over the long course of these negotiations, Berry made sure to keep Garrett in the loop. Per Breer, Garrett wasn’t the only one hearing from Berry. The seventh-year GM reportedly reached out to three well-known personnel executives in other sports. St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti, and Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas were trusted for advice and expertise, especially given Bloom and Presti’s trade experience in their respective sports. The trio’s input led to the team’s insistence on getting a player — not just draft picks — in the return-side of the trade.
Before ultimately agreeing to the final terms, Jimmy Haslam and his family hosted Berry and Garrett for one last meeting to reminisce and make sure Garrett was good with how things were concluding. Garrett’s contract included a no-trade clause, so his go-ahead was a crucial part of the deal, and according to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop, it was a decision Garrett needed to “sleep on” before finally waiving the no-trade clause.
In the immediate fallout of the trade, some rumors emerged that the Eagles had been a team that expressed interest in trading for Garrett and that defensive tackle Jalen Carter was a potential trade target for Cleveland. Negating that notion, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported this week that Philadelphia “never made a play” for Garrett and that “there’s zero chance they would’ve wanted (Carter) in return.”
The player the Browns did want, Verse, also had some negative feelings about being traded, not towards his new team but in regard to leaving his home of the past two seasons. After the Rams drafted Verse at No. 19 overall in 2024, Verse rewarded them with two Pro Bowl campaigns to go along with his own Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
In his introductory news conference in Cleveland (via Andy Backstrom of Yahoo Sports), Verse told the media, “I loved LA. I loved the coaches, the organization, my teammates, everybody a part of it, the fans — I loved the whole vibe of LA, the Los Angeles Rams, and it was upsetting. I was upset for a good little bit of time.”
The last tidbit of information relayed by Breer pertains to a different trade the team performed in the offseason. Los Angeles traded its second first-round pick in this past year’s draft, the 29th overall pick, to Kansas City in a package of picks that landed them Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie in return. Per Breer, the Rams had interest in Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy at the end of the first round, but when his draft stock plummeted for medical reasons, the team pivoted and made the move for McDuffie. McDuffie and Garrett now stand as two gigantic additions to a team looking to make the most of veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford‘s last few good years.
Broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper Arrested
Broncos outside linebacker Jonathan Cooper was arrested on Thursday night, according to TMZ. He is being held in a Colorado jail on two counts of domestic violence and one count of criminal mischief.
Cooper’s girlfriend was also arrested on misdemeanor domestic violence and criminal mischief charges, Mike Klis of 9News reports. While arguing over cheating allegations, she admitted to taking Cooper’s phone and throwing it across the room. Cooper then grabbed her arm and took his phone back, according to the affidavit.
Cooper faces a misdemeanor charge “of criminal mischief from $300 to $999,” per the Denver Post’s Luca Evans and Parker Gabriel, who add his girlfriend is facing an additional charge of “petty criminal mischief less than $300.” After retrieving his phone, the 28-year-old defender told the woman he would break her phone if she did not leave his apartment. When she refused, the player allegedly bit her phone and caused “disabling damage.”
“We are aware of the matter and gathering more information,” the Broncos stated (via Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette).
Obtaining a personal recognizance bond, Cooper was released from custody, according to the Post. His girlfriend remained in custody at the Douglas County Jail as of Friday afternoon.
Cooper has developed into a key defender for the Broncos since they drafted him in the seventh round in 2021. The former Ohio State Buckeye worked as a reserve in his first two seasons, during which he combined for 86 tackles and 4.5 sacks over 30 games (14 starts). Since 2023, though, Cooper has put together three consecutive 17-start seasons and combined for 27 sacks. He recorded a career-high 10.5 in 2024, and the Broncos awarded him a four-year, $60MM extension during the season. There are still three years left on the deal.
Thanks in large part to an elite defense, the Broncos went 14-3 last year, earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC and made it to the conference title game. Their defense easily led the league in sacks (68) and ranked second in yards and third in scoring. Cooper played the unit’s ninth-most snaps (682, good for a 60.68% share) and posted 50 tackles, 16 QB hits and eight sacks. The 28-year-old also chipped in a sack in the AFC championship, but the Broncos were unable to overcome the absence of injured quarterback Bo Nix in a 10-7 loss to the Patriots.
As Denver tries to get over the hump this year, it will again count on Cooper to join two-time Pro Bowler Nik Bonitto as its top edge rushers. However, the Broncos may go some portion of the season without Cooper if his arrest leads to a suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
49ers Announce Front Office Updates
This week, the 49ers announced a number of updates to their front office. For starters, while we had known San Francisco had reunited with former director of football research & development Kwesi Adofo-Mensah following his dismissal from a role as Vikings general manager, but we didn’t know his title. Alongside the announcement of several promotions, the team disclosed that Adofo-Mensah’s title in his return will be vice president, personnel & strategy.
Also earning the VP moniker this week was Austin Moss II, who was promoted from senior director, player affairs & development to vice president, player development & team dynamics. Moss started with San Francisco in 2018 as the team’s director of player engagement and was promoted to his most recent position in 2024.
Formerly working as manager, football administration, Jeff Weidemeyer worked his way up to senior manager, football administration & roster management. Weidemeyer’s NFL career began as a salary cap analyst/staff counsel in Philadelphia from 2012-16. After six years as executive vice president and general counsel at Select Sports Group, Weidemeyer returned to the league as football contract administrator for the 49ers in 2022, getting promoted to his most recent role in 2024.
In the scouting department, Nathan Biehl was promoted from NFS scout to area scout. Biehl joined the team in 2024 after four years interning in video with the Buccaneers. Replacing him as NFS scout will be Ryan Carter, who has been promoted from scouting assistant. Carter is also in his third year with the team.
Another third-year scouting assistant, Casey Filkins also earned a promotion and will now work as a player personnel scout filling a role made vacant when former player personnel scout Jordan Fox was promoted to pro scout. Like many others here, Fox joined the 49ers two years ago, doing so after a two-year stint as a scouting assistant for the Jets.
Also, in the personnel department, Grant Bordelon has been promoted from football personnel systems analyst to football systems and personnel operations specialist. He also joined the 49ers in 2024 after a playing career as a defensive lineman at MIT. Lastly, former assistant to the general manager Michael Gonzalez has been promoted to head of general manager operations. Unlike everyone else here, Gonzalez joined the team in 2014 as a football operations intern, working different roles over the past 12 years “supporting the club’s executive football leadership across personnel operations and strategic planning.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/5/26
Friday’s only minor moves:
New York Jets
- Waived from reserve/PUP list: C Gus Hartwig
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Zion Wilson
- Waived: WR Brandon Hayes
The Eagles are bringing in another undrafted rookie, though Wilson didn’t go undrafted in the same way as the rest of the team’s UDFA class. Per Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia, Wilson had sought a sixth year of eligibility to transfer to Virginia after he didn’t appear in any games during his true and redshirt freshman seasons at East Carolina. Ultimately, his sixth-year waiver was denied by the NCAA, so he will, instead, turn to the NFL.
Rams Would Welcome Aaron Donald Unretirement
JUNE 5: The Rams plan to keep the door open for a Donald return well into the season, SportsBoom.com’s Jason La Canfora notes. This could mean an early-season return or a Suh- or Joseph-like midseason reemergence. Although Donald has been away much longer than those two DTs when they joined the Eagles midway through the 2022 season, plenty of smoke has emerged here since the Garrett trade.
JUNE 4: Aaron Donald ended one of the greatest careers in NFL history at age 33, stopping after 10 Rams seasons. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year made a case as the greatest defensive tackle ever during that period, but the Rams have been able to get by defensively without the all-time great.
The Rams have been able to stay afloat defensively due in large part to successful front-seven draft investments. The team hit on Kobie Turner and Byron Young in the 2023 third round and then landed Jared Verse and Braden Fiske in the 2024 draft’s first two rounds. Los Angeles used Verse as the headline asset in the Myles Garrett package, and Donald took notice of another future Hall of Famer joining the Rams’ defense.
Going a whole two seasons without a surefire Hall of Famer on defense, the Rams acquired Garrett and will pair him with the Young-Turner-Fiske trio. Donald, however, created considerable buzz in the wake of the trade by indicating he is considering a return to football. The Rams’ three-year, $95MM Donald — agreed to months after Super Bowl LVI — contract carries one more season, in the event Donald would want to follow Philip Rivers in delaying his Canton clock.
Unlike Rivers, Donald is a no-doubt first-ballot Hall of Famer. He also plays a far more rigorous position. Unsurprisingly, Sean McVay said (via ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop) the Rams would welcome a Donald return. But the former superstar, who regularly posts workout videos to social media, is far from certain to complete a comeback even with Garrett headlining Chris Shula‘s third defense.
“Aaron’s a guy that I stay really close in touch with and I know the respect that he has for Myles,” McVay said. “Talked to [Donald] about the opportunity to be able to bring [Garrett] on board. If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off at the age of 35, I bet you he could still do it at a pretty high clip.”
Perhaps the only D-lineman whose peak rivals Donald’s this century, J.J. Watt also teased an unretirement earlier this decade. Retiring after the 2022 season, when a heart scare occurred, Watt said he would consider a comeback to join the Texans or Steelers. But the CBS analyst said that window would close after the 2024 season. Donald is further removed from his career than his former peer was when he mentioned the prospect of a comeback, offering another complication.
Rather than rejoining the Rams this summer and going through another training camp, Donald could delay an unretirement for a bit and consider an in-season return. This seems like the more realistic path, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer offers. Mentioning Eric Weddle‘s unretirement in time for the 2021 playoffs — after the Rams had lost multiple safeties — as a potentially notable example (Weddle initially retired after the 2019 season).
The Eagles also signed Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph in mid-November 2022, adding the vets to their D-line after neither had gone through training camp or played in the first half of that season. Both played rotational roles for the NFC champions that year.
Donald playing a rotational role would be rather strange given his abilities pre-retirement. After missing a chunk of the 2022 season due to injury, Donald roared back with a seventh first-team All-Pro season in 2023. He finished that ’23 season with eight sacks and 16 tackles for loss, helping a Rams team that had themed 2023 around cost-cutting moves back to the playoffs.
Los Angeles has Fiske and Turner as locked-in regulars on its D-line. Donald returning would stand to cut into the younger 3-4 ends’ playing time. But a defense rostering Garrett and Donald to go with some rising young talents would obviously be formidable. Beyond a 2022 high ankle sprain, Donald does not have much of an injury history. Prior to 2022, the only two games he missed were due to a 2017 holdout. This may be a storyline to monitor well into the season — or until Donald shuts it down — as the Rams are viewed as early Vegas favorites to win a Super Bowl set to take place at SoFi Stadium.