How Much Should The Buccaneers Pay Baker Mayfield On His Next Contract?

NFL contracts for every position are constantly growing with the salary cap rising every year, and that's especially true at the quarterback position. Finding a marquee quarterback in the NFL is very difficult, so when a team does, they typically want to lock them up long term and sign them to a big deal that will look much cheaper a few years down the line as contract prices trend upward.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers think they have that quarterback in Baker Mayfield. Since coming to Tampa Bay in 2023, Mayfield has thrown for 13,108 yards, 103 touchdowns and boasts a passer rating of 98.4 (all including playoffs), and after a team-friendly three-year, $100 million deal, Mayfield is set to be a free agent after this upcoming season.

Naturally, both Mayfield and Bucs GM Jason Licht want to get that extension done before the start of this season. But Mayfield said Friday that the two sides are nowhere close on negotiations, and if he and Tampa Bay can't agree on a number before training camp starts, he won't talk to the Bucs about an extension until the season is over.

Baker Mayfield says contract talks are not close and once training camp starts, “They know all the talking stops,” and he will focus on the regular season. pic.twitter.com/vqSPOVUdyn
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) June 5, 2026

So with all of that in mind, how much money does Mayfield want, exactly? And how much should the Buccaneers pay him? The answer, as always, is a bit complicated.

Baker Mayfield Likely Looking for a Top Deal

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) throws a pass against the Carolina Panthers | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Mayfield is currently playing on the last year of his three-year, $100 million deal, making around $33 million a year. Mayfield balled out during his first year of that deal in 2024, throwing 41 touchdowns, and he played like an MVP candidate during the first half of his second year of that deal last year. During the latter half of the year, though — due to injuries or something else — he had a sharp downturn and played some very bad football, which is likely a big reason why both sides are at an impasse right now.

The magic number Mayfield is likely looking to eclipse is $50 million APY, or average per year. As it stands, Mayfield is the 16th-highest paid quarterback in the NFL, and 11 of those quarterbacks have eclipsed the $50 million mark. Spotrac estimates Mayfield's current market value at $53.6 million APY, which would put him tied for the seventh-highest paid QB in the league with the Detroit Lions' Jared Goff and the San Francisco 49ers' Brock Purdy.

That makes a lot of sense. We don't know what number Mayfield is asking for, but if his own comments are to be believed, Tampa Bay's initial offer is quite far apart from what he was expecting.

The Buccaneers may be cautious when it comes to Mayfield's contract after his drop in play last year, and they also may be waiting to see what happens with the team's record and head coach Todd Bowles at the end of 2026. Licht has repetitively stressed that the team wants to get something done with Mayfield, but whether or not the Bucs want to pay him to a top-10 deal remains to be seen.

And with that, there is another option, and it may be increasingly more realistic if the two sides don't get an extension done in the offseason.

Could the Buccaneers Use the Franchise Tag on Baker Mayfield?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) looks on against the Atlanta Falcons | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Bucs will certainly be waiting to see how Mayfield does in 2026 if they don't extend him now, but if he plays average or shows some flashes without playing good enough to warrant a huge deal, there is one other option — the franchise tag.

The franchise tag allows NFL teams to lock one player in on a one-year deal worth either 120% of the player's previous contract or the average of the top five salaries at whatever position that player plays for the current year. This year, it's $43,895,000 for quarterbacks, but Over the Cap estimates it to be about $50,671,000 next year when Mayfield is a free agent. That would be about what Mayfield is likely seeking, and it would also give Tampa Bay one more year to evaluate him, especially if their coaching and staff situation remains in flux.

If the Bucs end up paying Mayfield, they will definitely have to pay around that $50 million mark. If Mayfield plays at an MVP level and they wait until after the season to sign him, it could be quite a bit more than that, but that's the general benchmark for his upcoming deal.

The Bucs and Mayfield will hold their third week of OTAs next Tuesday before beginning mandatory minicamp on June 16.

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