Baker Mayfield is heading into his third season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the team and fans alike seem to be pretty pleased with how the quarterback has performed for the Bucs in that short time.
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht hopes the team can keep Mayfield around for a long time, too, past the final year of the quarterback's contract in 2026. As of now, Mayfield is projected to be a free agent in 2027.
Licht spoke to The Athletic recently and shared that as of now, the organization plans to extend Mayfield next offseason.
“I love Baker. I love everything he’s done for us,” Licht said. “The goal for us is for Baker to continue to be the player that he is, and at some point, we reach an extension when the time is right and he continues to be our quarterback for a long time. That’s the goal.”
Mayfield's current annual salary is $33.33 million, which ranks 19th among NFL quarterbacks right now. It isn't expected for the Buccaneers to make any NFL history with Mayfield's extension, but it's very possible that annual salary could increase depending on how the quarterback and the team do in the 2025 season.
Mayfield has led the Bucs to the postseason in his previous two seasons there, so as long as he continues that streak, things will likely be in his favor when it comes to contract negotiations next offseason.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bucs GM Reveals Team's Long-Term Plans for Baker Mayfield Amid Extension Talks.