Getty
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers watched their season come apart in 2025 thanks to injuries and, unfortunately, the erratic play of quarterback Baker Mayfield in the 2nd half of the season.
While there was some question as to whether Mayfield may have actually been dealing with injuries that impacted his play, he never missed a start, and the Buccaneers finished the season with an 8-9 record and missed the playoffs for the 1st time since 2019.
All of that has made Mayfield’s 2026 season 1 of great importance not only to the Buccaneers but to any NFL team that might be looking for a starting quarterback in 2027 as he plays out the final season of the 3-year, $100 million contract he signed in March 2024.
Mayfield’s hot start to 2025 brought the buzz of a possible contract extension that never materialized. Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht addressed his quarterback’s future on the 1st day of the annual NFL owners meetings on Monday in Phoenix, telling AP NFL Reporter Rob Maadi he wants Mayfield with the Buccaneers for the foreseeable future.
“Baker is a true pro,” Licht said. “He’s a leader for this team. We love Baker. Baker is still our quarterback. He’s one of the toughest guys on the team. He’s a great leader. Everything kind of revolves around the quarterback spot. At some point, I’m sure we’ll figure something out. There’s no timetable on that.”
Oddsmakers Don’t Think Much of Bucs’ Chances
With Mayfield leading the way — and without veteran leaders in wide receiver Mike Evans (free agency) and inside linebacker Lavonte David (retirement) — Vegas oddsmakers are giving the Buccaneers little hope of success in 2026.
The opening totals for the Buccaneers on DraftKings for over/under wins in 2026 were still set at 8.5 wins on Monday. The other 3 teams in the NFC South Division are all vastly improved, which could mean a rough road ahead for the Buccaneers.
Reactions to Licht’s Optimism on Mayfield
The internet isn’t the best place for optimism of any kind, and Licht’s remarks were met in kind on Monday with well-deserved skepticism.
Any contract for Mayfield, if he plays well, would likely begin at around $50 million per year.
“TF? Extending Baker for taking a team that won the division twice and a Super Bowl to losing the South and missing playoffs?” Brutal as Bucs wrote on its official X account on Monday. “LOL … The Bucs Org loves extending people for mediocrity, First Bowles and now Baker.”
“Hope y’all ain’t planning on paying him $50M+ a year,” Buccaneers fan Will Crist wrote on X. “Just because other teams pay a QB that, doesn’t mean you have to.”
“Hopefully Licht is fired before that happens because that would only set this franchise back even further,” Buccaneers fan T. Barnes wrote on X.
“How about a QB that can manage a full game?” Buccaneers fan Harry Stark wrote on X. ” I’m exhausted with these endless comebacks in the last 2 minutes. Would be nice to have a lead in the last 2 minutes.”
“I just threw up in my mouth reading this,” Buccaneers fan Mike Styrk wrote on X.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
More Heavy on Buccaneers
Loading more stories