“Are the Bucs testing this corollary by refusing to come to terms with the pending 2027 unrestricted free agent on a contract extension? He unquestionably exceeded the initial expectations on him when he joined Tampa Bay to compete with Kyle Trask for the starting job. Mayfield hasn’t missed a start in three years, he won a playoff game over the Eagles in 2023, and he ranks 14th in QBR over his run with the Bucs, between quarterbacks such as Jared Goff (12th) and Trevor Lawrence (16th). Goff makes $53 million per year, while Lawrence is at $55 million. You can understand why Mayfield wants to be in a ballpark with his fellow former first overall picks, and given cap inflation since those deals were signed, pushing for $60 million doesn’t seem like an unreasonable suggestion.”
