Baker Mayfield's Contract Talks: Should the Bucs Pay the QB?
Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield discusses his contract talks and where they are in the discussions, revealing the urgency and dynamics of NFL negotiations.
Video Transcript
But in the NFL, contracts always go higher.
And if you're next in line, you're going to ring that cashier.
Baker Mayfield is seeking a contract, Joe, worth $65 million a year.
Before I get your info on that, let's actually hear from Baker if this is true right now.
Yeah, I think first and foremost, regardless, we've built roots here in Tampa.
We love the community.
We love being here.
They've embraced us and we enjoy being here and obviously going to raise kids here.
But yeah, contract stuff, it's happening.
It's starting, the talks and whatnot, but not anywhere close to what we were thinking.
So would love to be here long-term.
And as of right now, that's not exactly the case, but I'm under contract for 2026 and the guys in that locker room, the staff know that I'm still going to be me.
I'm still going to do everything I can to help this team win a Super Bowl.
And that's, to me, that's the priority.
Everything else will take care of itself.
Obviously, yes, I would love to have a long-term deal done, but they know my deadline is as soon as training camp starts, we're not doing any contract stuff.
It's all ball.
So it's not up to me when that gets done by, but so hopefully before that.
If not, then it's still going to have a good year.
By the way, Joe, biggest fallacy in sports is always like once training camp starts, we're not going to negotiate.
Oh, if they give you exactly what you want a day later, you're not going to accept that contract.
Stop it.
But also understand this, Joe, he's got to cash in.
He's made a lot of money, but some people around him squandered a lot of his money on bad investments and took it from him.
So my man's trying to cash in.
I can't be mad.
Listen, I mean, and you can hear the level of frustration in his voice here too, Dottie, which is never good going into a season.
But somehow we, you know, this is not a new story.
Somehow or another, usually these things with your, you know, your starting cornerback work themselves out before the season starts.
