TAMPA, Fla. \u2014 Baker Mayfield\u2019s evolution is far from complete.<\/p>\n
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise quarterback is coming off the best year of his career, which began with a life-changing contract<\/a>, continued with the birth of his first daughter and wrapped with personal bests of a 10-7 record, 4,500 passing yards and 41 touchdowns.<\/p>\n But for Mayfield, it\u2019s not enough.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s how I\u2019m intrinsically wired,\u201d Mayfield told The Athletic on Thursday. \u201cJust don\u2019t be satisfied. That\u2019s the part of this game that you love. The second you take it off the gas, they\u2019ll eat you alive. I\u2019ve dealt with that. I\u2019ve dealt with the ups and downs and realized if I don\u2019t try to bring my best stuff to work every day, it\u2019s going to be a failure.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the point: How good can I get?\u201d<\/p>\n In so many ways, Mayfield has shaken the stigmas that clouded his tenure with the Cleveland Browns, who selected him with the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He toiled in the purgatory of the transaction wire, first dangled in a 2022 summer trade with the Carolina Panthers and eventually a series of spot starts during a late-season stint with the Los Angeles Rams.<\/p>\n Mayfield, now 30, became the rare QB who actually proved it after his prove-it deal in 2023 with the Bucs. He graduated to a three-year, $100 million contract in 2024 and quickly outplayed it as one of the league\u2019s most valuable commodities.<\/p>\n In an era when teams have more quickly rewarded quarterbacks with historic paydays, it should only be a matter of time before the Buccaneers bump Mayfield\u2019s deal.<\/p>\n \u201cI love Baker. I love everything he\u2019s done for us,\u201d Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht told The Athletic. \u201cThe goal for us is for Baker to continue to be the player that he is, and at some point, we reach an extension when the time is right and he continues to be our quarterback for a long time. That\u2019s the goal.\u201d<\/p>\n There are no immediate plans to adjust Mayfield\u2019s deal, but a hot start to the season could quickly change that. More realistically, the contractual conversation is more likely suited for the 2026 offseason.<\/p>\n Mayfield is hardly concerned. As a guy who was on the books for $4.5 million two years ago, he\u2019s got perspective on his side.<\/p>\n \u201cNo matter what I was playing for, I\u2019d still show up and do my job,\u201d Mayfield said. \u201cI think they know that here. I\u2019m living a dream. I\u2019m playing football for a job, and I love the group I have. I wouldn\u2019t change it for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, the financial implications of his next deal are fascinating. Mayfield\u2019s average annual value of $33.3 million ranks 19th at the position. There are 15 quarterbacks earning at least $45 million annually, including 11 in the $50 million club. He\u2019s objectively accomplished more than some.<\/p>\n In theory, the inevitable negotiations could move relatively smoothly for two motivated parties, but there will be complications. If Mayfield wants to hit the $55 million mark that\u2019s in vogue, he can stack his resume against those current earners, especially if he delivers another strong season.<\/p>\n But if the Bucs more closely compare Mayfield to the likes of Kirk Cousins ($45 million annually), Geno Smith ($37.5 million) or Sam Darnold ($33.5 million), that would, of course, lead to more thorough negotiations.<\/p>\n For Mayfield and Licht, a couple kindred spirits who wished they could\u2019ve signed his last deal at a local dive bar, there\u2019s enough reason to believe they\u2019ll find away.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all ecstatic he\u2019s our quarterback,\u201d Licht said. \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing story. What he\u2019s been through with his career and his personal life, to come out of it the way he is, the future is bright for him.\u201d<\/p>\n 7\u20e33\u20e3 touchdowns in two years \ud83d\ude33 pic.twitter.com\/wnv0BIAbrb<\/a><\/p>\n\n