Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht insisted he was 'very optimistic' Baker Mayfield would remain in Tampa Bay beyond 2026 after the quarterback felt 'disrespected' by the team’s contract offer
Baker Mayfield admitted he felt 'disrespected' by the Buccaneers' extension offer
Baker Mayfield admitted he felt 'disrespected' by the Buccaneers' extension offer(Image: Getty Images)
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Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht expressed optimism that Baker Mayfield would stay in Tampa Bay beyond 2026 after the star quarterback admitted he felt “disrespected” by the team’s latest contract offer.
Speaking to reporters last month, Mayfield did little to hide his frustration with the lack of progress in talks with the Buccaneers. Despite being presented with a two-year extension, the signal-caller conceded he was "disrespected a little bit" that an agreement wasn’t reached before his self-imposed deadline at the start of training camp.
"That's really the disappointing part — to feel undervalued after thinking you've earned it," Mayfield said, adding that he and his agent were "not presented with an offer that's appealing whatsoever."
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Following Mayfield’s blunt remarks, Licht voiced confidence that the two sides would eventually find a middle ground in negotiations. "I'm very optimistic about it," he said while appearing on the WFLA broadcast of the Buccaneers’ final preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Mayfield confirmed that he would not partake in any contract discussions during the 2026 campaign, but rather revisit the conversation once the season wraps up next February.
"He wants to play,” Licht added. “He wants to prove to us that he is the franchise quarterback that we said that he was. So, we'll just have to see how it plays out.
“I'll never close the door on anything in the short term, but right now, he's focused on football."
Jason Licht expressed optimism that Baker Mayfield would remain with the Buccaneers past 2026
Jason Licht expressed optimism that Mayfield would remain with the Buccaneers past 2026(Image: Getty Images)
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According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Mayfield was hoping to secure a long-term contract with the Buccaneers this offseason, but was left disappointed when Tampa Bay offered him only a two-year extension worth approximately $100 million.
As the negotiation process unfolded, Mayfield pointed to the league’s top quarterback contracts, including those of Packers’ Jordan Love ($55 million per year) and Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence ($55 million), arguing he "needed to be put in that category.”
Yet the Buccaneers were unwilling to budge, believing their offers in the leadup to Mayfield’s deadline were fair and competitive.
"It's disappointing," Mayfield said. "I'm not the first one to go through it like this. This is kind of historically how they've done negotiations. It's disappointing when you think you're a cornerstone of the franchise to be treated like that.
“I know the contract and salary cap, what's going on. Franchise tag isn't exactly in play for them. There'd be a lot of dead money. So it is what it is. And like I said, I'm fortunate, but on the side — I'm in the best shape I've ever been in, in a really good place."
Mayfield insisted he was not seeking sympathy from fans or peers, concluding: "This is not a 'poor me' thing. There's a lot other people that have it way worse off, but I can sit here and look at other quarterbacks and peers and evaluate myself based on that and put myself in certain categories that I deserve to be compensated for that.
"And I think I'm a franchise quarterback. I've been told I'm a franchise quarterback. It's been said publicly from ownership down here. And so to not have a deal done is very disappointing. But I said the deadline was a deadline, and I addressed the team to let them know I meant that. It's all ball."