NFL Rumors: Bucs Want Baker Mayfield as 2024 QB1; QB Eyes ‘Real, Big-Time’ Contract

Perry Knotts/Getty Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Baker Mayfield share “mutual interest” in his return for 2024, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

“My understanding is, the Bucs want Baker Mayfield back next year,” Rapoport said Sunday on NFL Network’s NFL Game Day. “He wants to be back as well, potentially cash in on a real, big-time quarterback deal.”

The team also has the franchise tag as an option, Rapoport noted. The quarterback tag is projected to cost around $36.3 million next season.

Mayfield, who is set to lead the Bucs Sunday afternoon in a divisional round contest against the Detroit Lions, joined the team on a one-year deal as Tom Brady’s successor. The contract includes incentives of an additional $250,000 for each playoff win.

After four underwhelming seasons with the Cleveland Browns and one more split between the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams, the No. 1 pick of the 2018 draft finally started to fulfill expectations this season with the Bucs.

Mayfield racked up 4,000 passing yards for the first time in his regular-season career while recording a career-high 28 touchdowns in 2023.

He continued that success into the postseason Monday against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Tampa Bay quarterback threw for 337 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in a 32-9 Wild Card win.

Mayfield’s one-year “prove it” deal offered a $4 million base salary with a potential extra $4.5 million in incentives, including up to $1 million for playoff wins in which he takes at least three quarters of the snaps.

Of those possible incentives, Mayfield has so far added $2.85 million to his deal, per NBC Sports’ Mike Florio. That’s thanks to him taking over 85 percent of regular-season snaps while finishing top-ten in the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns, while the Bucs qualified for the postseason and won a playoff game.

If the Bucs win again today, Mayfield will have done more than up that incentive total to $3.35 million.

He will also take Tampa Bay to the franchise’s first NFC Championship since their 2020 run to the Super Bowl, while all but guaranteeing himself a far more significant contract for 2024.

Although the Buccaneers might face some competition in offering Mayfield that deal, the quarterback has said he “would love to be here” in Tampa Bay, per NFL.com’s Bobby Kownack.