Baker Mayfield is not hiding his financial displeasure with the Buccaneers.
The quarterback spoke candidly Thursday on his and the team's failure to agree to an extension before the start of camp, explaining none of the club's offers came close to enticing him to sign before his deadline of that start of training camp.
In fact, Mayfield said he felt "disrespected" by the Bucs' proposals.
"I wanted a deal done and set the deadline and told them it was gonna be all ball after that," Mayfield explained. "I did mean that, and I don't know if they thought I was just gonna take some of the offers they gave. I'm at the point in my career, understanding what I've brought to this franchise -- I'm very, very thankful for the chance they gave me, don't get me wrong about that -- but I also know, I really know what I brought to this franchise, leadership-wise and play-wise. It's been some of the best years of my career, and I think it's only gonna trend upwards, just being comfortable and feeling that.
"So, disappointing in that regard to not have … to feel disrespected a little bit. That's really the disappointing part, to feel undervalued after thinking you've earned it. This is not a 'poor me' thing. There's a lot amount of people who have it way worse off. But I can sit here and look at other quarterbacks and peers and evaluate myself based on that and put myself in certain categories that I deserve to be compensated for that.
"I think I'm a franchise quarterback. I've been told I'm a franchise quarterback. It's been said publicly from ownership down here. So, to not have a deal done is very disappointing. But I said the deadline was the deadline."
This situation comes with plenty of baggage to unpack. Mayfield's own career journey informed him in how quickly things can change in the NFL, and the rapid pace at which a team can dump a player if he's no longer in the club's plans.
He found a second football life in Tampa, joining a franchise that needed him as much as he needed them following the (second) retirement of Tom Brady. Mayfield provided the Bucs with an immediate, low-cost replacement, produced a career year in 2023 that kept Tampa Bay atop the NFC South hierarchy for a third straight season, and happily accepted a three-year extension that paid him $33.3 million per year.
He followed up that prove-it season with an even better showing in 2024, resetting career-high marks while leading the Buccaneers to a fourth consecutive division title. But in 2025, cracks began to show. After a white-hot start that garnered some early NFL MVP chatter, Mayfield suffered multiple injuries, attempted to play through them and saw his performance suffer, contributing to a late-season collapse that resulted in Tampa Bay's first postseason spent at home since 2019.
In one half of a season, the same concerns that prompted the Browns to move on from Mayfield in 2022 appeared in Tampa. Even worse, it happened just before Mayfield entered another contract year, justifying the Buccaneers' hesitance to throw a blank check at the 31-year-old quarterback.
Mayfield's role in Tampa Bay's transition from Brady into their current era, however, shouldn't be overlooked. The Buccaneers were facing a nightmare scenario entering 2023 that required them to either take a swing on a veteran or hand the keys to inexperienced backup Kyle Trask. Then, Mayfield enjoyed some late-season success as a mercenary for the Los Angeles Rams, hit the free-agent market without much demand and found an ideal partner in Tampa Bay.
They needed each other. Now, it seems the Buccaneers don't feel pressed to pony up for the quarterback who -- while admittedly streaky in his performance -- has been a primary reason they've remained competitive over the last three seasons.
Mayfield has long been a player who operates with a gigantic chip on his shoulder. He bet on himself as a collegiate prospect, turning down small-school opportunities to walk on at Texas Tech. When former coach Kliff Kingsbury chose Davis Webb over Mayfield as the Red Raiders' starter (and with Patrick Mahomes' eventual arrival looming), Mayfield took another leap of faith by transferring to Oklahoma in 2014 and joining the Sooners as a walk-on.
Those risks paid off. Fueled by perceived disrespect, Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy in 2017 and was drafted No. 1 overall by Cleveland in 2018, filling a long-vacant role as the Browns' franchise quarterback before that marriage disintegrated after the 2022 season.
Another high-stakes pairing worked out for Mayfield in Tampa Bay. But after three seasons with the Buccaneers, Mayfield has proven his high ceiling doesn't come with the most reliable floor. His insistence on playing through most ailments has negatively affected his play, and with the bad taste associated with Tampa Bay's 2025 collapse still lingering, Tampa Bay appears content to let Mayfield earn the money he desires.
Mayfield is relishing the opportunity, which he knows could lead to a lucrative opportunity elsewhere as a free agent in 2027.
"If you've waited this long to take care of your franchise quarterback, that's too bad because it's only going to get worse from here," Mayfield said. "I'm going to have a really good year."
A great year could command entry into the $50 million-per-year club, a desire Mayfield made known Thursday when speaking with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. That group currently includes 12 quarterbacks, with Mahomes seated at the top at $64 million per year, and Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts bringing up the rear at $51 million per year.
Should Mayfield deliver on his prediction, he could price himself out of Tampa Bay and into the welcoming arms of another NFL club (Pittsburgh, perhaps?). It sounds as if Mayfield is open for such a development when the time comes.
"When you're not presented with an offer that's appealing whatsoever, yeah, it's easy to turn the page," he said.
Mayfield made it clear to reporters that he and his wife, Emily, "love it" in Tampa, where they've made a home with their two children. But as Tampa fails to meet his financial desires and also grapples with a trade request submitted by fellow franchise pillar Vita Vea this week, the optics don't look great for the Buccaneers.
Mayfield will let his 2026 performance and the 2027 free-agent market fuel his value next year. For now, as Mayfield communicated to his teammates, he's focused on football.
"It's disappointing to say the least, but it's all ball here," Mayfield said. "I know what I have to do here. I know this team, the things that we went through last year put us in a good spot for this year depth-wise; a lot of guys have been thrown to the fire to be able to grow and learn fast. It didn't go the way we wanted, but it's a new season, and it's gonna help us in the long run this year. … I'm excited about it.
"It's all ball from here. I'll answer a few more questions about the contract, but after today, I'm not answering any more because I don't have to negotiate anymore."
