Baker Mayfield Earned His New Contract
March 12th, 2024
Deserved new contract.
One publication that Joe knows is on Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht’s radar approves.
Matt Verderame and Gilberto Manzano, typing for SI.com (Licht had their colleague, Conor Orr’s prediction of two wins for the Bucs in 2023 pasted up on his office wall) aren’t sure Baker Mayfield is the long-term signal-caller for the Bucs.
But the duo is of the mind that Mayfield earned the right to prove he can lead the Bucs offense for the long haul.
As for Mayfield, the extension was well-earned. After playing for the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams over the 2021 and ’22 seasons, the ’18 No. 1 pick in the draft looked like a journeyman. However, Mayfield bounced back with 4,044 passing yards and 28 touchdowns last year, helping Tampa Bay win the NFC South and a playoff game.
Mayfield may not be the long-term answer for the Bucs, but he deserves the opportunity after a standout campaign.
Verderame and Manzano are grading each and every signing in the NFL this week. So how did they see the Bucs getting Mayfield back in the fold?
They gave the signing a “B.”
March 12th, 2024 at 12:13 am
Technically this is the Bucs giving a QB his second contract for the first time in a long time. No matter what side you’re on in the Baker/Kyle debate, this guy out-performed most expectations especially given how Kyle sounded like he was doing as good as if not better than Baker in the preseason last year. But, underwear football doesn’t equate to real NFL football; just ask Earnest Graham.
Let’s hope we can build on last year and keep surprising people. I hope the Bucs are underdogs the whole year, especially with the “over-hyped” Captain Kirk in the division. Why people are anointing the Falcons to win the division is beyond me. There is way too much turnover on that team and the division is still between the Bucs and Saints.
March 12th, 2024 at 12:38 am
Need to get him some help on that O line. We need Jackson Powers at C and move Hainsey to LG which is another hole we need to fill. And yes, somehow somewhere we need to find a way to draft Cooper Dejean. We have another hole at DB to fill now.
Im thinking Powers and Dejean are both there for the taking and we grab one then trade back up for the other….i dont know….it just needs to work.
March 12th, 2024 at 12:43 am
I don’t think he’s worth the money…
But my lively hood not tied to the decision good luck Bowles and litch
March 12th, 2024 at 12:57 am
Everyone needs to stop Kvetching at signing Baker. It was the Logical decision given our Position.
March 12th, 2024 at 12:58 am
Who set us in said position is up for debate.
March 12th, 2024 at 1:03 am
He did over perform last season and he is one of a small number of people in the world who can play the QB position at the NFL level. It’s a big number but not the biggest number for his position. The contract also doesn’t tie us up for years. It gives the team a solid three years to ensure BMs performance last season is sustainable and maybe he can even improve a little before signing him to a longer contract.
March 12th, 2024 at 1:07 am
Baker might not be the next Tom Brady BUT he is surely better than the plethora of bad qbs the Bucs had before Brady…
Hopefully this will buy time for the Bucs to find a young talent at qb to replace BM when the time comes!
March 12th, 2024 at 1:10 am
Matt Verderame and Gilberto Manzano, who are they except more lazy “journalists” who do not do original research? These are the kind of guys that repeat the lies that Baker was a washed out failure. Now the same crew says they need to see more. Hope Joe is taking names because Baker is going to, if he stays healthy, have a sensational year in 2024.
March 12th, 2024 at 1:18 am
The question isn’t whether he earned Daniel Jones or Carr type money. The question is whether a team is smart to sign a Jones or a Carr
March 12th, 2024 at 1:20 am
Where’s Winston’s big deal again? Umm
March 12th, 2024 at 2:51 am
where is devin white’s big deal as well ?
March 12th, 2024 at 3:07 am
Sam Darnold is getting a 1-year deal worth 10M and Jocoby Brissett is getting a 1-year 8M contract. Even if you think Baker doesn’t deserve the money he got (he does!), you still have to factor in that we got him for 4M base last year. If you include that, this new contract is such a bargain for a playoff winner.
March 12th, 2024 at 3:18 am
“Mayfield may not be the answer for the Bucs long term…”
Everyone knows this is FOOL’S GOLD. He has so many terrible games last season.
March 12th, 2024 at 3:20 am
‘Mayfield has achieved something never accomplished by any of the 27 QBs drafted by the Bucs.
A second contract.
That is a mind blowing stat. Is NFL QB really that hard?
March 12th, 2024 at 3:40 am
Yawn
Just glad we didn’t overpay and glad we have outs so when Jen disappoints we aren’t cash strapped. Prove me wrong baker. Show me
March 12th, 2024 at 4:57 am
Absolutely agree. Baker earned his contract. So happy he is staying.
Would the Bucs ever trade Trask for Justin Fields as backup?
March 12th, 2024 at 5:05 am
Man, I liked Earnest Graham..
March 12th, 2024 at 5:23 am
Trask To The Future Says:
March 12th, 2024 at 3:18 am
“Mayfield may not be the answer for the Bucs long term…”
Everyone knows this is FOOL’S GOLD. He has so many terrible games last season.
^^^^^^^^^
The guy that loves the backup QB knows more than the Bucs brass? Uh, okay.
March 12th, 2024 at 7:07 am
It was either sign Mayfield, Cousins or draft a rookie. Rookies are for teams that don’t make the playoffs the previous year. Obvious Licht is trying to get enough other pieces for a deeper run next year
March 12th, 2024 at 8:07 am
Bucs had to get up off the snide. But Baker got the going rate. Actually, we got him a tad cheaper than the going rate for quality QB’s. Highest we ever paid a player. Lets go Baker. SuperBowl time Baby!!
March 12th, 2024 at 8:16 am
Go Bucs. Now we gotta draft a Edge rusher, a CB, and OL. IF Laiatu Latu is there at 26 I would be VERY tempted.. kid can rush and cover. perfect in this D.
March 12th, 2024 at 8:47 am
Second half of the season Baker was killing it—whether it was finally getting in sync with his teammates, Canales figuring better schemes, dunno. 17 TD’s/5 picks in the last 8 games, extra 5 points per game, then he kills it in the playoffs…. The guy was slowly working it out all year. Get some better protection from IOL, a semblance of a running game, he’ll be fine
March 12th, 2024 at 2:43 pm
when targeting RBs last year, Baker had insane numbers.
Out of 35 QBs, he ranked:
#2 in completion rate (87%) (career high)
#4 in EPA/att (+0.15)
#6 in YPA (6.8)
#10 in success rate (44%)
When not targeting RBs, he ranked:
#17 in EPA/att
#21 in success rate
#22 in YPA
#30 in completion rate
March 12th, 2024 at 2:43 pm
Were doomed
March 12th, 2024 at 3:26 pm
Doomed to what? Another nfc south title? Another shot at a playoff run?
March 12th, 2024 at 3:33 pm
We are doomed to the sniveling drivel of the persistent pessimists who know so little that it makes them angry. We are doomed to over exaggerations, eternal freaks outs and sad thoughtless exclamations. We are doomed to share our franchise with half wits who have such little insight and understanding it’s pains to hear the opinions on a daily basis.