With Baker Mayfield’s extension talks stalling, Texas Tech’s dual-threat sensation, Brendan Sorsby, emerges as a high-stakes gamble for Tampa Bay following his permanent NCAA gambling ban.
The NFL Supplemental Draft may actually be interesting in 2026.
That's because it is likely to include Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, whose NCAA eligibility was revoked after it was found out that he had placed over 9,000 bets during his time with the Cincinnati Bearcats and Indiana Hoosiers.
Sorsby was ruled ineligible to continue his collegiate career. On Friday, the NCAA rejected Texas Tech's latest appeal to have its new QB reinstated. Barring an unexpected ruling from a court in the near future, Sorsby's college career is over. Expectations are that he will declare for the Supplemental Draft, to be held sometime in July.
With Friday's revelation that the Tampa Bay Buccanneers and QB Baker Mayfield are "not anywhere close" in contract negotiations, could the Bucs be the team that takes Sorsby next month?
How The Supplemental Draft Works
First, there must be eligible players who declare for the draft. If nobody declares, there is no supplemental draft. There hasn't been one since 2023, which saw zero players actually selected. The last time a player was drafted in one was in 2019, when the Arizona Cardinals bid a fifth-round pick for safety Jalen Thompson.
If a team is interesting in drafting a player, they must submit a bid of a specific-round pick, without knowing if any other teams have bid on the same player, or what any potential bid is. The team who submits the highest bid, determined by a weighed lottery formula, is awarded the players. The team then forfeits its pick in that round in the next NFL Draft.
It's a complicated system, and one that usually is on an afterthought. Though seldom used, the Supplemental Draft has produced fantastic players like wide receivers Cris Carter and Josh Gordon, as well as QB Bernie Kosar.
This year, it is expected that a team will sacrifice either its first or second-round pick in the 2027 NFL to take Sorsby in July. Could that team be the Bucs? There are both pros and cons in doing so.
Pros
Sorsby is widely considered a first-round talent. He is a true dual-threat QB with a cannon for an arm and top-tier rushing ability. Sorsby has prototypical size at 6'3 and 235 pounds. He has the talent to become a franchise QB for whatever team that takes him.
If Tampa is unwilling to pay Mayfield upwards of $50 million/year in an extension, drafting Sorsby would allow the Bucs to bring his successor on board a year early. If the Bucs were to bid, say their second-round pick, they could possibly have a new franchise QB for a tiny fraction of what Mayfield will cost.
That is extremely tempting. Even if it is a risky proposition.
Tampa is also likely to not earn a top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. The Bucs are expected to win the NFC South in 2026. If they do, their first-round pick would fall at least into the 20s, making it difficult to draft one of the top QBs in 2027. Taking Sorsby now would Tampa a first-round talent at a second-round cost.
Cons
Taking Sorsby in the Supplemental Draft would almost certainly end any hope of retaining Mayfield long-term. It is possible the team could use the franchise tag on Mayfield in 2027 if it doesn't believe Sorsby is ready to take the reins. Doing so would likely infuriate Mayfield, who has strongly outperformed his current contract and is looking for the type of mega-deal given to top QBs.
Having both Mayfield and Sorsby on the Bucs in 2026 would likely cause a circus-like atmosphere throughout the season. Mayfield would essentially be a lame-duck quarterback, risking an extremely ugly exit from Tampa, exactly how his time in Cleveland ended after the Browns decided to trade for Deshaun Watson. Baker deserves better than that.
Carrying both QBs on the roster in 2026 could create a tense dynamic for a team hoping to make the jump into contender status.
Final Thoughts
The Bucs know what Mayfield is asking for in his next contract. They also know whether they are willing to meet his number, or at least come anywhere close. If Tampa knows it will not be able to get a deal done, it would be smart business to pivot to Sorsby. Using a second-round pick on a potential franchise QB is a good move for any team. The Bucs' future at the game's most important position would be settled.
Mayfield's self-imposed training camp deadline to reach an agreement lines up perfectly with the Supplemental Draft. If Mayfield hasn't inked an extension, the writing may be on the wall for his exit, with or without Sorsby in the mix.
Both Mayfield and the Bucs will have a better perspective on how this is likely to end. If it looks like Baker is on his way out, drafting Sorsby would be the most logical solution. Or Tampa could decide to pay Mayfield his market value and keep the franchise QB it already has.
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