With 19 days until camp, Baker Mayfield's deadline for a new deal is closing in, and Tampa Bay isn't budging yet.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is known for a chip on his shoulder, and that’s how the situation with his contract is beginning to feel as that time is starting to run out.
The Bucs report to camp in just 19 days on July 28.
While Tampa Bay is reportedly not looking to rush the situation, understandably, Mayfield is looking to resolve things ahead of training camp and the upcoming season.
Now, the problem is obviously the bottom line and what the price tag is looking to be.
There’s certainly a range for veteran starters from around $20 million to $60 million. Mayfield’s current APY is $33.33 million, and he only has $27 million in cash owed to him this year with up to $5 million via incentives.
The Bucs are still confident that they’ll top any competing offer.
And they strongly believe that Mayfield will take that offer, according to PFF’s Mike Florio.
But the chip on Mayfield’s shoulder may come back to haunt them if he believes he’s worth what comparable or less-than quarterbacks are garnering on the market, especially those who are making more than $50 million APY.
To read more about the contract situation as it continues to unfold, here is the full story from Bucs Roundtable writer Joe Smeltzer.
Tampa Bay is betting on the fact that a similar scenario unfolded in 2023, and no fish came biting for Mayfield.
But there’s a point in which they may end up pushing their signal caller away, and into the arms of a team that might not even be willing to pay as much but seem to value him just a bit more as the time continues to tick on.
