Baker Mayfield’s deadline for a new contract has come and gone without one.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback says he’s disappointed with the way talks have gone with the two-time Pro Bowler now set to enter the final year of his three-year, $100 million deal.
“I wanted a deal done and set the deadline and told them it was gonna be all ball after that,” Mayfield told reporters on Thursday. “And I did mean that. I don’t know if they thought I was just gonna take some of the offers they gave, but I’m at the point of my career [where] I’m understanding what I brought to this franchise.”
The 31-year-old Heisman Trophy winner expressed his gratitude to the organization to help re-establish himself as a starting QB in the NFL after a rocky campaign that saw him split time between the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams in 2022.
“I’m very, very thankful for the chance they gave me, do not get me wrong on that,” Mayfield said. “But I really know what I’ve brought to this franchise, leadership-wise and even play-wise. It’s been some of the best years of my career and I think it’s only going to trend upwards.”
The Oklahoma product feels as if he and the team don’t see eye to eye on his value.
“[It’s] disappointing in that regard,” Mayfield said, “to feel disrespected a little bit. That’s really the disappointing part, to feel undervalued after thinking you’ve earned it. This is not a ‘poor me’ thing. There are a lot of people who have it way worse off, but I can sit here and look at other quarterbacks and peers and evaluate myself on that and put myself in certain categories and deserve to be compensated for that. 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, so to not have a deal done is very disappointing.”
Noting that he hopes ownership also takes care of veteran defensive tackle Vita Vea with a new deal, Mayfield insisted that his deadline was set in stone - “I’m not negotiating anymore” - and his focus has turned to the season.
“I know I’m going to have a good year,” Mayfield said. “I know this team, the things that we went through last year put us in a good spot for this year. Depth-wise, a lot of guys have been thrown into the fire, to be able to learn and grow fast. It didn’t go the way we wanted, but it’s a new season and it’s going to help us in the long run.”
The Bucs open up their preseason campaign on Aug. 14 against the New York Jets. Their regular season gets underway on Sept. 13 with a visit to the Cincinnati Bengals. Mayfield is set to play in his ninth NFL season and fourth in Tampa Bay.
