With contract talks stalled, analyst Mark Schlereth warns Tampa Bay's front office that failing to secure Baker Mayfield long-term risks fracturing locker room trust and organizational stability.
The biggest story surrounding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers right now is what Baker Mayfield's future is.
2026 will be the last year of Mayfield's three-year deal, and the two sides aren't close to reaching a new one.
So there's a chance the Buccaneers head into the next offseason looking for a new quarterback, and for at least one analyst, the franchise would be fools to let that happen.
“It would be malfeasance, organizational malfeasance, not to sign Baker to a long-term deal, not to rip up that contract after two years,” three-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth said on "The Stinkin' Truth Podcast" Wednesday. “If you make him play on a $33 million contract on a one-year deal, shame on you.
For those who don't know, "malfeasance" is described by Webster as "a formal, legal, and professional term for the intentional commission of an unlawful, wrongful, or dishonest act. It almost always refers to someone in a position of authority or public trust—like an elected official, corporate executive, or trustee—who abuses their power to commit a bad deed."
“I don’t believe Jason Licht, their GM, will do that," Schlareth said. "I believe that he will have a new deal before the season starts, because if you don’t, what message does it send to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? What message does it send to the fan base? What message does it send, more importantly, to the guys within that locker room?”
If the Bucs don't sign Mayfield before training camp, the QB said he will put negotiations on hold and focus on the season ahead.
The "$33 million contract" Schlareth referred to is what Mayfield is currently making, which puts him 16th among NFL starters.
Among the QBs making more than Mayfield in 2026 are Daniel Jones ($44,000,000), Deshaun Watson ($46,000,000), and Brock Purdy ($53,000,000).
To Schlareth's point, Mayfield having to play the 2026 season without a new contract would not be an ideal scenario. It's a big year for the Buccaneers, who are coming off one of the most embarrassing seasons in recent memory, going from 6-2 and Super Bowl contenders to 8-9 and out of the playoffs, even in a division where nobody finished with a winning record.
This is a season where the Bucs must mean business, and it's hard to mean business when the players know that the organization hasn't taken care of its quarterback yet.
Mayfield has made it clear that he doesn't want to leave Tampa, having built a family with his wife, Emily, who added a second child in late April.
The Bucs say they want Mayfield back, too, but the only way for a franchise to prove that to a free agent-to-be and to its fanbase is to sign him long-term.
Until a resolution is reached one way or the other, expect plenty more stories on Baker Mayfield.
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