Baker Mayfield Might Walk if Bucs Don’t Pay Up, According to Mike Florio

Baker Mayfield isn’t the type to just roll over in contract talks. And NBC Sports’ Mike Florio thinks Tampa Bay needs to understand that before it’s too late.

Florio, writing for Pro Football Talk, laid out a scenario where Mayfield digs in during negotiations. The reason? Other quarterbacks with similar or even worse track records are now hitting that $50 million average per year mark. Mayfield has reportedly set a deadline before training camp opens on July 28, and the Bucs aren’t exactly rushing things.

“The Bucs are reportedly in ‘no rush’ to extend Mayfield’s contract,” Florio wrote. “Mayfield has imposed a deadline for getting something done before the start of training camp.”

That deadline is just 19 days away right now. So there’s some real pressure building.

Florio went further on his PFT Live show Wednesday. He warned Tampa Bay that if they drag this out into 2027 free agency, Mayfield might hold a grudge. And not just a mild one.

“Come March of 2027, Baker Mayfield may take less from another team just to stick it to the Buccaneers for not doing the right thing,” Florio said.

That’s a pretty specific threat. But it’s not hard to see why Mayfield would feel some type of way. Since joining the Bucs in 2023, he’s completely flipped his career around. He went from bouncing around the league to being the guy who kept Tampa Bay competitive in the NFC. He’s the starter now, no question.

The thing is, quarterbacks who prove themselves don’t usually wait around forever. And the market has shifted. Guys like Daniel Jones and Geno Smith got paid. Jared Goff got his extension. Even Trevor Lawrence, who hasn’t exactly lit it up every week, got the bag. Mayfield’s camp probably looks at those deals and figures he deserves something in that range too.

Tampa Bay has other priorities this offseason, sure. But letting this linger into camp when Mayfield has already set a deadline? That’s a gamble. If he walks or holds out, the Bucs are suddenly looking at Kyle Trask or some veteran stopgap. And that’s not a great look for a team that just made the playoffs.

Training camp opens in less than three weeks. Whether the Bucs meet Mayfield’s deadline or let this drag out could define their next few seasons.