How Baker Mayfield’s expiring contract makes him the most motivated QB in the NFL right now | NFL News
Baker Mayfield is heading into 2026 on the final year of a three-year, $100 million deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — and without a new contract in sight. Extension talks collapsed before training camp even began. Mayfield set his own deadline, the Buccaneers didn’t meet it, and now he’s playing out the year at $33.3 million annually — ranked 16th among NFL quarterbacks. For a player who finished 2025 as an MVP candidate before the season unravelled, that number stings.
Why is Baker Mayfield playing without a new contract in 2026?
The Buccaneers and Mayfield were never close. By the time OTAs wrapped in June, Mayfield had already told reporters his camp was “not anywhere close” to a deal with the front office. He wanted a contract comparable to what top quarterbacks earn today — Justin Herbert, for reference, sits at $52.5 million per year at No. 10 on the pay scale. The Bucs, for their part, reportedly pushed for a shorter deal, possibly influenced by incoming CBA considerations. Mayfield refused to negotiate once camp opened, and that was that.What makes this unusual is that Mayfield isn’t sulking. He showed up, locked in, and made it clear where his head is. “I want my lick back in 2026 — we didn’t play well enough in 2025, so it’s on go,” he said bluntly. Elsewhere he put it even simpler: “It’s ball from here.” Not a lot of quarterbacks in his position would be throwing touchdown passes to Emeka Egbuka and building chemistry with rookie wideout Ted Hurst III at training camp with this kind of energy. Baker Mayfield is.There’s also something worth noting about his physical condition. He said on the 4th and South podcast that he’s in the best shape of his career. “I feel really good. You find your routine in the later years and figure out what works for you.” That kind of deliberate preparation doesn’t come from someone going through the motions on an expiring deal. It comes from someone who knows exactly what this season means.
Can Baker Mayfield earn a massive payday with a strong 2026 season?
The math here is straightforward. A strong 2026 season doesn’t just mean another contract from Tampa Bay — it could mean a bidding war. Mayfield turns 31 this season. If he plays close to his best football, the Buccaneers will face a franchise tag decision next offseason while other teams circle. His cap hit of nearly $40 million this year becomes leverage, not a ceiling, if he outperforms it.The 2025 season wasn’t a disaster — he threw for 3,693 yards, 26 touchdowns, and had Tampa sitting at 6-2 before things fell apart. That’s a floor, not a peak. With a revamped offense under coordinator Zac Robinson, a loaded receiver room, and something personal to prove, Mayfield has every reason to come out swinging from Week 1.Contract years have a way of bringing out the sharpest version of a player. For Mayfield, this one carries extra weight.
