Bucs GM: Team Seeking Long-Term Future With Baker Mayfield

The Buccaneers do not have a history with long-term quarterback partnerships. No one has started more than six years with the franchise at the game’s premier position.

The team’s longest-tenured starting QB is Vinny Testaverde, a former No. 1 overall pick who left in free agency in 1993. Trent Dilfer was also a six-year Buc, leaving in 2000 as a free agent after an injury-shortened 1999 season. Doug Williams lasted five years, but a messy dispute with ownership led to the future Super Bowl MVP’s 1983 exit — after five years in Tampa. Super Bowl XXXVII starter Brad Johnson played four seasons with the team.

Although Ryan Griffin never started a game in Tampa, he is technically the longest-tenured QB in franchise history — at seven years (2015-21). Baker Mayfield is contracted for one more season — which will be his fourth in Tampa — but the club has designs on moving the former No. 1 pick into position to become its longest-tenured quarterback.

Rumblings about a Mayfield extension emerged at multiple points this offseason, and while negotiations do not look to have begun, GM Jason Licht said during a WDAE appearance (h/t Fox Sports’ Greg Auman) the quarterback’s situation is “at the forefront of our minds.” Licht added “nobody here wants Baker playing for any other team.”

Mayfield’s three-year, $100MM deal includes a $39.98MM cap number for 2026. The Bucs made the decision to guarantee $30MM of Mayfield’s 2026 compensation last summer, providing security for a player who has rejuvenated his career during his time in Florida. Two void years are on the contract; if the Bucs do not extend Mayfield by the start of the 2027 league year, they would owe $30.15MM in dead money in 2027.

That number approaches the penalty the Bucs received on their 2023 cap after Tom Brady‘s second retirement. Mayfield arrived in the wake of the three-year Bucs QB1’s decision, with the team staying away from a big-ticket investment due largely to the Brady dead money. Mayfield joined the Bucs on an incentive-laden contract that provided only $4MM in base value. After a bounce-back 2023 season, Mayfield signed his three-year deal on the eve of the ’24 free agency period.

Mayfield then posted better numbers under Liam Coen in 2024, throwing 41 touchdown passes and completing 71% of his throws. The QB regressed last season, seeing his yards per attempt fall from 7.9 in 2024 to 6.8 in ’25; Mayfield also completed just 63% of his passes. The Bucs, though, trudged through an injury-plagued season that featured extensive missed time from skill-position players — including Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving — and O-linemen. The Bucs, who replaced OC Josh Grizzard with Zac Robinson this offseason (with input from their quarterback on the hire), are ready to give Mayfield another chance.

While the Licht-era Bucs have regularly had key starters play out contract years and re-signing them either before or during the following free agency period, it would be a bit surprising to see Mayfield not extended before Week 1. The 31-year-old passer would be an attractive UFA in 2027 were the Bucs to pass on an extension.

Tampa Bay currently has Mayfield on a wildly team-friendly accord, with his AAV checking in 16th among QBs. The Colts giving Daniel Jones a two-year, $88MM deal probably will factor into Mayfield’s Bucs negotiations. While only two teams — the Packers (Aaron Rodgers) and Cowboys (Dak Prescott) — have authorized $50MM-per-year extensions for QBs past their 30th birthdays, Mayfield will be a candidate to at least come in above Jones on his next contract.

Sam Darnold‘s camp will be taking notice of how the Bucs and Mayfield proceed. Although the Bucs would have a franchise tag at their disposal if they are unable to extend Mayfield, that pricey number along with the $30MM-plus dead cap figure — in the event the former Heisman winner does ultimately relocate next year — arms the fourth-year Tampa Bay starter with some leverage ahead of his talks. It will be interesting to see what numbers emerge once serious discussions begin.