Buccaneers

• Former agent and CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry takes a look at the contract standoff between the Buccaneers and QB Baker Mayfield. Corry wouldn’t be surprised if Mayfield, who is currently the 16th-highest-paid quarterback in the league, wants at least $50 million per year on his next deal. The two sides are reportedly not close at the moment.
• Corry notes that Colts QB Daniel Jones, who got a two-year deal averaging $44 million a year with $60 million in guarantees, is one good comparison point for negotiations.
• He adds that the average of all veteran starting quarterback salaries would fall somewhere between $47.5 million and $51.75 million, which is another potential data point as the two sides seek a compromise.
• If the Buccaneers balk at this number, Corry says the franchise tag comes into play. That would be at least $46.77 million in 2027 and could be higher depending on how the market and the salary cap develop in the next nine months. The average of two franchise tags, often used to establish an annual salary baseline in contract talks, would be at least $51.447 million, per Corry.

Falcons

The Falcons’ upcoming quarterback competition between veteran Tua Tagovailoa and third-year former first-rounder Michael Penix Jr. is generally seen as a close one, though Tagovailoa has had a big advantage by virtue of not needing to rehab a torn ACL, unlike Penix. Tagovailoa still has supporters, though, from his former team who are confident he’ll re-establish himself as a starting option.

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