Baker Mayfield Was Pursued by Ravens Before Signing With Bucs, per Report

Before Baker Mayfield signed a one-year deal with Buccaneers earlier this month, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL draft was reportedly pursued by the Ravens, according to JoeBucsFan.com.

Mayfield reportedly received an offer in free agency from Baltimore but chose to decline the offer as he was seeking a starting role at quarterback for the 2023 season. At the time of the offer, it still appeared that Jackson was a sure bet to return to the Ravens as the starter. The news of the failed deal between Mayfield and the Ravens surfaced days after Jackson tweeted that he requested a trade from Baltimore.

The Ravens gave Jackson the non-exclusive franchise tag this month, but he has yet to sign the tender. Other teams across the league are allowed to negotiate with the 2019 NFL MVP and the Ravens have the right to match any offer he receives. Baltimore has publicly shared a desire to sign Jackson to a long-term contract, but no deal has been made. 

Mayfield’s one-year deal with Tampa Bay is worth $4 million with the potential for it to increase to $8.5 million, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The 27-year-old recently completed his fifth NFL season. Through 12 games with the Panthers and the Rams in the 2022 campaign, Mayfield threw for 2,163 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 60% of his passes.