Baker Mayfield Hits Bucs Camp Without a Deal and That’s a Real Problem

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield are playing a waiting game neither side wanted. And training camp just started.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Jenna Laine, Mayfield reported to camp without a new contract. Worse than that, the two sides still can’t find common ground on a deal. The reporting says there hasn’t been any significant progress between Mayfield, his agent, and the Bucs front office. A deal is largely not expected before the first practice on July 29, though sources added there’s still time to sort things out.

That last part feels like a polite way of saying they’re stuck.

What’s the holdup?

Nobody’s really saying. But the silence is loud. Mayfield came to Tampa last season on a one-year prove-it deal after getting cut loose by the Panthers and bouncing around. Then he went out and played decent football. Not elite. Not bad. Just good enough to keep the job and make people wonder what happens next.

The Bucs have said they want him back. But wanting something and paying for it are different things. Mayfield’s camp likely wants a deal that reflects his 2023 performance and maybe some upside. The Bucs might be looking at the same tape and seeing a placeholder.

And now camp is here. Mayfield is on the field but technically still working on an expiring contract. That’s a weird spot for a starting quarterback. It puts pressure on everyone. The coaches have to plan around uncertainty. The locker room notices. And Mayfield has to go out and prove himself again while the front office watches with their checkbook half-open.

Will he actually practice without a deal?

That’s the question nobody has answered yet. Quarterbacks usually don’t hold in during camp because they need the reps to build chemistry with receivers. But this is also Baker Mayfield, a guy who’s been doubted his whole career and plays with a chip. He might show up and air it out. He might make a point.

Either way, this situation can’t drag out forever. If Mayfield plays well and the Bucs still drag their feet, he becomes a free agent next offseason with a market. If he struggles, the team moves on. But right now, neither side has a clear advantage. And training camp is a terrible time to have no answers.

More on this as it breaks.