Baker Mayfield pulled the plug on contract negotiations with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when a new deal wasn't done by his self-imposed deadline of the start of training camp, which was July 28. Shortly thereafter, information about the contract discussions started to surface. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported at the end of July that the Buccaneers had offered Mayfield a two-year contract extension worth slightly more than $100 million while the quarterback was adamant about a longer commitment.
There were structural issues with the offer as the guarantees were considered insufficient. Mayfield preference for a longer deal was a reasonable demand. It is consistent with the market place.
Matthew Stafford, who is 38, is the only quarterback to have ever signed a deal averaging at least $50 million per year with fewer than four new years. The one-year extension Stafford received from the Los Angeles Rams in May is at $55 million per year. ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter cited length of contract as a major sticking point for Mayfield during an Aug. 19 appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show." He also said the Buccaneers' offer would have put Mayfield among the NFL's five highest-paid quarterbacks.
Four other quarterbacks besides Stafford have contracts averaging $55 million per year (Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love). Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott are the only members of the $60 million-per-year club. NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo revealed on Aug. 20 to "The Rich Eisen Show" that Mayfield was open to a two-year extension.
His camp reportedly countered the Buccaneers with their own two-year proposal before talks broke down. Mayfield is in the final year of a three-year, $100 million contract, averaging $33,333,333 per year worth up to $115 million with incentives, he signed in March 2024. He is making $40 million in 2026 consisting of a $10 million base salary and a $30 million 10th day of the league year roster bonus.
Mayfield's 2026 salary cap number is $39.975 million, which includes $1 million of the $5 million of incentives in 2026 being classified as likely to be earned. Mayfield's 2026 compensation is being erroneously reported as $27 million in some circles because $13 million of the $30 million roster bonus was prorated on the salary cap during an April 2025 contract restructure. The entire $30 million was paid to Mayfield on June 15.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
