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BY IRA KAUFMAN

The Buccaneers suddenly face an uncertain future at the game’s most critical position.

After a Pro Bowl season in 2024 and an exhilarating start last year, Baker Mayfield was part of the problem during Tampa Bay’s startling collapse. In the process, he may have cost himself a contract extension while generating doubts in the front office at One Buc Place.

Baker Mayfield

If Mayfield had finished strongly and the Bucs had avoided a post-bye meltdown, he’d likely already be in possession of a lucrative new deal. Instead, he heads into the final year of his contract needing a successful season to convince the Glazers he should be the face of the franchise going forward.

How much did Mayfield’s performance impact the 2025 Bucs? In Tampa Bay’s eight wins, Mayfield threw 12 TD passes and one interception. In the nine setbacks, he threw 14 scoring passes and 10 picks.

It was a tale of two halves for both Mayfield and the franchise.

During the 6-2 start, he threw only two interceptions. During the 2-7 debacle, he threw nine picks. Injuries to his shoulder and knee contributed to an uneven season, yet Mayfield took virtually every snap. Perhaps a more credible option than Teddy Bridgewater would have prompted Todd Bowles to sit Mayfield down for a game during the tailspin to heal up. We’ll never know, but the fact remains that Mayfield was picked off 11 times and lost seven fumbles.

That lack of ball security irked Bowles down the stretch and things came to a head after a 20-17 loss at Miami in Week 17.

“We’ve got to be better at the quarterback position and we’ve got to be better at the signal-caller position, and we’ve got to be better at blocking it,” Bowles said.

Well, signal-caller Josh Grizzard was dismissed quickly after the season. Mayfield will have a big voice in choosing the next offensive coordinator — as he should. He turns 31 in April and he’s one year removed from an outstanding season. But Mayfield regressed in 2025 and the Bucs averaged seven points less per game than the previous season.

The easy explanations include injuries to the offensive line, the departure of Liam Coen and the lack of production from Bucky Irving, before and after he was hurt.

Whatever the reason, Mayfield simply wasn’t the same quarterback. His average yards per pass attempt, a key metric, fell from 7.9 to 6.8. That ranked 25th in the league, despite being sacked less than in each of his first two years at One Buc Place.

Fewer throws were dropped but Mayfield topped 200 passing yards only three times in the final eight weeks.

The Bucs have plenty of holes to fill heading into the draft, especially on defense. But considering Mayfield’s cloudy future, Jason Licht should consider taking a late-round flier on a quarterback.

Bowles surely enters the 2026 season on a searing hot seat, but he’s not alone. Mayfield has forged a powerful bond with Buc fans, but that support won’t last if the team stumbles through another losing season.

Mayfield’s competitive drive and toughness should never be questioned, but his mistakes played a key role in the 2-7 finish. He wants a new contract while the Bucs want the old Mayfield back, the gunslinger who threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns the year before.

When the Bucs line up for the 2026 season opener, Mayfield will be under center … and under scrutiny.

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