NFL Insider Hears Tension Between Buccaneers And Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield informed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that all talk of a contract extension would stop once training camp began, and he has stuck to his guns.

The two sides were not able to meet on middle ground, and Mayfield spoke out about his displeasure with the Bucs' offer following the Bucs' second training camp practice.

Mayfield made it known that the contract offered to him was a bit of a slap in the face, which apparently didn't sit well with some.

Adam Schefter Hints At Tension Between Bucs, Baker Mayfield

During an appearance on ESPN's Get Up! morning show, NFL insider Adam Schefter described the rift that is forming between the two sides.

“[Mayfield] is within his right to say, ‘I don’t like this offer.’ But to call the offer disrespectful, you judge for yourself,” Schefter said, per JoeBucsFan. “[The Bucs] essentially offered a two-year extension averaging over $50 million a year. And the money, the total money in the three years would have put him in the top-5 quarterbacks in the game. But I don’t think he liked the length of the deal. I don’t think that he liked that it was a two-year extension that would contractually tie him to three years. The money is his mind was off and he felt disrespected.

“So Baker was insulted; we heard from him. The Buccaneers, I think, were disappointed with the way everything went down and what he said. And it creates a rather uncomfortable situation for everybody.”

Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfiel — Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Two things can be true.

Mayfield has every right to be upset with the Bucs' offer, and the Buccaneers have every right to be upset with how Mayfield responded to questions regarding the situation.

While at the outset this can be seen as the start of a dissolving relationship between the front office and quarterback, it's important not to dig too deep into things.

The organization has continuously called Mayfield their "franchise quarterback", but did they really think that a franchise QB only gets two-year deals?

If the team and the Glazer family believe that Mayfield is the franchise guy they have been searching for, then why not offer him more years?

Mayfield has bitten his tongue plenty since he arrived in Tampa Bay to turn his career around, so it's hard to blame him for reacting the way he did considering the circumstances.

While it seems like this could be something bigger, it will all likely become a moot point.

Mayfield has said it's all about ball now, and he has shown that by showing up ready to work every day. And during camp, we have seen Mayfield continue to have a good relationship with general manager Jason Licht, the coaching staff and his teammates.

Mayfield wants to be in Tampa, and the Buccaneers want him in Tampa. It's time for the Glazers to either pony up and pay Mayfield or decide to let him walk after this offseason with no clear direction on their future at the position.

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