Baker Mayfield is in a situation where he may end up playing for his fifth NFL franchise. Once the calendar flips to March 2024, as he’s set to be an unrestricted free agent.
However, judging by his red-hot December down in South Florida, the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers may end up preventing him from making one more NFL address change.
NFL World Reacts to Baker Mayfield’s December Charge
Mayfield shredded the Jacksonville Jaguars with 26-of-35 passing for 283 yards and tossed two touchdowns on Sunday, leading to the 30-12 rout of the stumbling Jags.
But his Week 16 outing adds to his December dominance. He now has eight touchdown throws in his last three games.
.@bakermayfield's last three games:
🔴 947 passing yards
🔴 8 TDs
🔴 0 INTs
🔴 3-0 pic.twitter.com/N41f4Lvqye— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2023
It wasn’t long ago the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft became a castoff and journeyman. Mayfield was traded by the team that drafted him, the Cleveland Browns, before the 2022 preseason games.
The Carolina Panthers then waived him. The Los Angeles Rams swooped up what many believed was a broken-down Mayfield — only to see him end their long losing streak.
Times are far different now. Mayfield has the Bucs in a position to clinch a franchise-record fourth consecutive division title. Even before lifting the Bucs to 8-7 overall, Mayfield began to win over analysts with his streak of resurgence. Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Cowher is one in awe of Mayfield’s play.
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“His love for the game has really defined the resiliency that this man has played with,” the CBS Sports analyst said on NFL Today.
Fans, meanwhile, believe Tampa is home for Mayfield.
“Baker Mayfield is a franchise quarterback,” one fan said on X (formerly known as Twitter).
One Bucs sent this message to the franchise.
“Extend Baker Mayfield,” the fan directed to the Bucs on X.
Even Sports Illustrated writer Alex D’Agostino is embracing the renaissance of Mayfield’s career.
“Baker Mayfield is fun to watch again and I like that,” D’Agostino posted.
How Did Mayfield and Tampa Bay Buccaneers React to Win?
With Mayfield firing on all cylinders, head coach Todd Bowles is in a position to win his second-ever division crown. He’s been impressed with Mayfield guiding the Bucs.
“He’s been outstanding,” Bowles told reporters postgame. “That’s what you want from your quarterback in December.”
Bowles described how Mayfield has helped get the offense on the same page this late in the year.
“Everybody knows each other’s plays right about now, but we’re trying to make a push. And when your quarterback is playing great, it gives us a chance,” Bowles said.
Mayfield, meanwhile, was more impressed with how the team fared versus his individual accolades in the final month of the year.
“It’s singular focused,” Mayfield told CBS Sports’ Melanie Collins after the win. “We played some complementary football there in the first half. Defense played great all day. Offensively, we’ve got to close out better. We had opportunities there to really increase it and put it out of reach. But it’s complementary football, singular focused and that’s the way it needs to be.”
"We're getting hot at the right time, but we can't lose focus."
– Baker Mayfield keeping that same energy for the @Buccaneers | @Melanie_Collins pic.twitter.com/1XCTpLkLCa
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 25, 2023
He’s had a fiery streak during the push for the division title. Mayfield is also continuing to distance himself from the falling out he had at Cleveland and Charlotte, but he sent one last message to the Bucs.
“We’re getting hot at the right time, but we can’t lose focus,” Mayfield said.
Is Mayfield Granted Another Year With the Bucs?
Mayfield is now two touchdowns away from shattering his previous best of 27 touchdown throws in his 2018 NFL debut campaign. He’s also approaching only his second-ever postseason appearance if the Bucs continue the roll they’re on.
And he’s putting it all together in a contract year.
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Mayfield is PFN’s No. 2 ranked free agent passer ahead of the 2024 cycle. But are there already the thoughts of the Bucs making their attempt to keep him? NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport provided some Sunday morning details about Mayfield’s pending T.B. future.
“Sources say there is mutual interest for Mayfield and the Bucs to run it back in 2024,” Rapoport reported. “The former Browns, Panthers, and Rams quarterback might have found a stable home.”
While this sounds promising for Mayfield, Rapoport adds there are still some things to iron out.
“There are potential issues to work through, however, with Mayfield set to enter free agency having renewed leverage,” Rapoport said. “But based on what the team has meant to him, and what the QB means to them, both parties want to do it again next year.”
Rapoport includes that Mayfield is now in a position to earn an additional $1 million thanks to play-time incentives. He could earn an additional $1 million if the Bucs make the postseason.
The 29-year-old is again facing a still nebulous 2024 regarding where his next destination will be, but based on his 2023 play, that potential fifth NFL spot for him may likely be put off a little longer — thanks to the resurgence he’s displayed in Tampa.
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