Right when Baker Mayfield was seemingly about to seriously entertain leaving Tampa Bay, he reportedly signed a three-year, $165 million deal to remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The deal is set to pay Mayfield a whopping $55 million annually, and ensures that he's locked in for the foreseeable future.
It’s a 3-year, $165M deal for Baker Mayfield. That comes in at $55M per year. https://t.co/WP925JWhFs
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 8, 2026
As is the case with every major quarterback deal, major ripple effects can be felt everywhere you turn following this extension. Let's discuss how this deal impacts the Bucs, the quarterback position and the NFL at large.
Buccaneers fully commit to Baker Mayfield-led offensive core
Extending Mayfield now, fresh off a major collapse down the stretch of last season, is a signal of belief that he is still their long-term solution under center. The Buccaneers could've easily made Mayfield prove that this season, particularly with how 2025 finished. It felt as if they were going to go in that direction by not having a deal done to this point. However, Tampa clearly believes he's the guy.
And now they're locked in with their core. Mayfield is the quarterback for the next three years, at least. Guys like Tristan Wirfs, Luke Goedeke, Emeka Egbuka and Cade Otton are all under contract beyond 2027. Whether Bucs fans want it or not, this is the group on offense.
Was extending Mayfield the right decision? That can be debated. What can't be debated is that the Buccaneers' Super Bowl hopes hinge on this offensive foundation. It'll be interesting to see if they can come close to achieving the ultimate goal.
The market for mid-tier quarterbacks has officially been changed
Mayfield was ranked 14th in FanSided's 2026 quarterback rankings, a tick above average at the position. Normally, you'd expect a quarterback who is average or maybe slightly above to be paid with a contract that reflects that. Mayfield, however, was paid like an elite quarterback.
Quarterback | AAV |
|---|---|
Patrick Mahomes | $64 million |
Dak Prescott | $60 million |
Baker Mayfield | $55 million |
Matthew Stafford | $55 million |
Trevor Lawrence | $55 million |
Jordan Love | $55 million |
Josh Allen | $55 million |
Joe Burrow | $55 million |
Brock Purdy | $53 million |
Jared Goff | $53 million |
Mayfield is tied with the likes of Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Matthew Stafford for the third-highest AAV at the quarterback position despite being roughly middle of the pack. Does that really make any sense? Is Mayfield really at the level of the other guys making $55 million or even $53 million?
This is ultimately how contracts in the NFL work. Mayfield was the next quarterback up looking for a contract, and he was able to completely reset the market at his talent level. This is an outcome that other QBs are going to love and other general managers are going to hate.
The focus of other QB-needy teams is now almost solely on the draft
Mayfield held out for a deal to his liking, not only because he knew he had earned a substantial raise from his previously signed three-year, $100 million contract, but because he knew the options beyond him next offseason were rather unappealing. If the Buccaneers let Mayfield walk, here's a look at the free agent options in the 2027 class.
- Deshaun Watson
- Mac Jones
- Justin Fields
- Jacoby Brissett
- Marcus Mariota
- Geno Smith
There isn't a single appealing name on that list, which explains why the Bucs felt the urgency to overpay Mayfield. They think Mayfield on an inflated salary is better than the alternative, and they might be right.
Unfortunately, teams that need a quarterback (Steelers, Jets, Dolphins, etc.) are out of luck. They now have no choice but to turn their focus entirely to the draft. They can no longer attempt to throw money at Mayfield, hoping to pry him out of Tampa Bay, and that only adds more pressure to the teams needing a solution at the most important position in sports.
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