With the 2023 NFL season over, the offseason has begun. A big part of the offseason is free agency, starting March 13. Before that, though, teams must look at their own rosters and bring back any impending free agents before they hit the open market.
For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there are multiple players to look at. Arguably most important of all is quarterback Baker Mayfield. Recently, an NFL insider revealed what he could be looking for in a new contract. What is it?
Baker Mayfield Commanding Geno Smith-Type Deal
In 2023, Mayfield found himself as a finalist for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award. A big reason for that was the former first-overall pick found his groove again. He passed for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in his first year as the Buccaneers’ signal caller.
However, he signed just a one-year deal with the team, meaning he needs a new deal or will likely hit the market as the best quarterback available. At 29 years old, Mayfield’s resurgence is similar to that of Geno Smith of the Seattle Seahawks in 2022
Smith hadn’t been a starter in six seasons but finally got the opportunity again and burst onto the scene with 4,282 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, winning Comeback Player of the Year. As a result, the Seahawks signed the 32-year-old him to a three-year, $75 million deal in the 2023 offseason.
According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Buccaneers could value Mayfield more than anyone on the open market. He also reported that a starting point “would be a tick above” Smith’s deal. Smith’s contract also featured an out after one year, in case he reverted and the Seahawks wanted to move on.
It’s unlikely the Buccaneers would be able to use the franchise tag, as they still have to prioritize deals with wide receiver Mike Evans and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. as well, who will both command a lot of money in their own right. The deadline to apply the tag is 4 p.m. ET on March 5, with the window opening on Feb. 20.
Mayfield was drafted by the Cleveland Browns No. 1 in the 2018 NFL Draft. Since then, he’s played for the Browns, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams, and Buccaneers. He has one Pro Bowl appearance in 2023 and was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2018.
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In his six-year NFL career, Mayfield has played in 89 games, starting 86 of them. He has passed for 20,332 yards, 130 touchdowns, and 74 interceptions. His career record as a starting quarterback is 40-46, with him taking both the Browns and Buccaneers to the playoffs and winning a game each time.
The Buccaneers could, however, save nearly $11 million on their 2024 salary cap if they agree to contract extensions with Mayfield, Evans, and Winfield by Monday, Feb. 19, afternoon. The reason? All three have void years in their contracts, meaning those cap hits are moved back to 2024 after automatically voiding on Feb. 19.
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