Buccaneers Defensive Player Says 'Time is Ticking' in Baker Mayfield Contract Talks

A Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker wants Baker Mayfield's deal done as soon as possible.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) at the line of scrimmage in the third quarter | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have plenty of contracts to take care of both this offseason and in the next one.

The most pressing matters are current ones, and two Bucs players are looking for new deals. One of them is defensive tackle Vita Vea, who "held in" at mandatory minicamp and could do the same at training camp if his requests are not met, but the other is quarterback Baker Mayfield — and that's the most important one on the docket.

Mayfield is currently playing on the last year of his $33 million APY deal and wants a raise more in line with the league's top 10 quarterbacks (around $50 million APY). Mayfield has given the Bucs a deadline of the beginning of training camp — just four days from now — to get a deal done, or he won't negotiate with the team until after the season.

Then, of course, there's next offseason.

One of the players who is set to be a free agent and is looking for an extension is outside linebacker Yaya Diaby, who has had two seasons of seven or more sacks. He'll be looking to secure his future in Tampa Bay as soon as possible as well, so this year could be a big one for him.

He isn't worried about his own contract situation, though, in his own words. He's worried about Mayfield's.

Yaya Diaby Says Buccaneers Must Get Baker Mayfield 'Right'

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Yaya Diaby (0) walks off the field during halftime against the Los Angeles Rams | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Diaby recently spoke on the PewterReport podcast as training camp draws closer, and when asked about how his own contract talks are going as free agency looms, he said there wasn't an update on that front.

He did, however, explain that the contract extension he's looking forward to the most is Mayfield's, and that if Mayfield's deal gets done before camp, the morale of the whole team will improve.

"For me, I just want them to get Baker's deal done," Diaby said. "If you guys have been watching the whole 'Quarterback' series, that man is a dog. He deserves every penny that he gets. Time is ticking — I know [the executives in Tampa Bay's front office] are on vacation right now, but they gotta get my dog Baker right and make everybody happy going into training camp Wednesday."

Diaby will play alongside first-round draft pick Rueben Bain Jr. in hopes of netting double-digit sacks and proving his worth on the defensive side of the ball. Mayfield, meanwhile, will look to pilot the offense to a big bounce-back year.

If both players can do that, the Bucs should be a in a good spot to return to the playoffs in 2026.

Training camp starts on July 28 for Tampa Bay. And according to Diaby, the team would get a big morale boost heading into it if Mayfield's new deal is done by then.

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