Pro Football Rumors
2026 is the final year of Baker Mayfield‘s current Buccaneers contract. That season did not originally contain any guaranteed money, but things have changed in that regard.
Mayfield revealed on Monday (via Fox Sports’ Greg Auman) the Buccaneers have restructured his pact to lock in money for 2026. He did not get into specifics on the situation, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports $30MM of Mayfield’s scheduled $40MM salary has been locked in early. No new years were added to the pact.
This move – which Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times notes was actually agreed to in the spring – represents another indication the Bucs are willing to commit to Mayfield for the long haul. The former No. 1 pick landed a three-year, $100MM pact last offseason and delivered a career year in 2024. If he can deliver another strong campaign, team and player could very well work out another multi-year pact.
“Right now, I’m under contract through ’26,” Mayfield said during an interview with CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco (video link). “So it was really just about getting guaranteed money for ’26, and they did that. And that’s all I can ask for… I trust this place. I love being here. Obviously, used to bouncing around. I’ve done that before, but I don’t want to leave.”
For the coming season, Mayfield is owed $30MM, the same amount he collected last year. Given the current state of the quarterback market, that is a rather team-friendly figure from the Buccaneers’ perspective. Another extension will no doubt come at a higher cost, especially if Mayfield – who has earned a Pro Bowl nod during both of his Tampa campaigns – can maintain a consistent level of play. Turnovers have been an issue in the Oklahoma product’s case (26 interceptions), but he has amassed 8,554 yards and 69 touchdown passes over the past two years.
The Buccaneers have topped the NFC South in each of the past four years, and expectations will be high for a repeat of that feat in 2025. Mayfield will have a central role to play in that effort, and he will enter the season anticipating a new round of extension talks at some point (likely after the campaign has ended). In any case, his financial future for the next two years is assured.
