NFL Insider Predicts Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield's Contract Number
NFL Free Agency is one of the more exciting times of the offseason.
Players changing teams always creates a buzz in the league and is sure to set the media and social world on fire with any big signings or perhaps no big signings. The landscape of the NFL transforms almost immediately as we get our first glance at franchises' rosters leading up to the NFL draft and can begin to have more insight into what will happen as the regular season approaches.
For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they likely won't be making any huge splashes when it comes to signing a free agent from another team, but they do have some in-house work that is more than vitally important for the team's immediate future. They locked down WR Mike Evans for the next couple of seasons on Monday, and now all their attention will turn to reaching a contract negotiation with QB Baker Mayfield after he proved himself on his one-year deal with the organization last season.
It has been reported that both Baker and the Bucs would love to rekindle their relationship, but it has also come to light that Mayfield won't necessarily give the Bucs a "hometown" deal if you will, for him to return to Tampa Bay in 2024.
Bleacher Report's NFL Insider Jordan Schultz gave a glimpse into the type of contract we could see Baker reach with the Buccaneers now that Mike Evans is under contract.
Schultz believes that Baker Mayfield can play a bit of hardball with the Buccaneers in order to get the type of contract he believes he deserves. Being able to garner more interest from around the league after achieving career highs in passing yards and passing touchdowns definitely plays a factor in things. However, Baker has made it known that if the Bucs did everything in their power to build around him that he would love to be back given the right circumstances.
The Bucs have met those needs with the hiring of Liam Coen as the OC and by re-signing Mike Evans. There will be suitors for Baker if he does indeed reach free agency and that could drive the price up on him as the Buccaneers likely will try and match whatever contract another team has to offer.
Getting Baker back for between $30-35 million won't break the bank for the Bucs and it is clear that Baker would rather win games as he tries to make a Super Bowl rather than be one of the highest-paid QBs in the league.
Either way, there is still much to unfold as we approach the one-week mark until free agency opens. Buckle up cause things are about to get fun and a lot of money to be made.
Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2024 offseason.
