3 Instant Reactions to Baker Mayfield's Reported Bucs Contract After Brady Retirement

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have found their replacement for Tom Brady, signing Baker Mayfield to a one-year, $8.5 million deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The move gives the Buccaneers a high-upside option at a minimal cost, which is key for a squad struggling with the salary cap. The organization entered Wednesday with the third-lowest amount of cap space in the NFL, per Spotrac.

Here are some instant reactions to the latest NFL signing.

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Bucs Can Still Contend in Weak NFC South

Mayfield is one of the most criticized players in the league, but the 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick has proven he can be productive in the right situation.

The quarterback produced a 95.9 rating in 2020 with the Cleveland Browns, helping the team go 11-5 with a win in the playoffs. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt took the pressure off Mayfield, and he responded with an efficient season.

Mayfield struggled with the Carolina Panthers last year, but he had quality moments after joining the Los Angeles Rams, throwing four touchdowns with two interceptions in five games.

If he can stay efficient and avoid trying to do too much, the Buccaneers have enough talent to carry the rest of the load on both sides of the ball.

Tampa Bay won the division with an 8-9 record last year and aside from the Saints' addition of Derek Carr, there hasn't been a lot of change so far. With elite defensive playmakers and quality offensive skill players like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Rachaad White, the Bucs won't need a lot from the quarterback position to win the NFC South.

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Baker Must Earn Starting Spot Over Kyle Trask

Though Mayfield is a high-upside addition for the Buccaneers, there is no guarantee he even wins the starting job.

As Jenna Laine of ESPN noted, the contract is worth just $4 million with incentives pushing it up to $8.5 million. This puts his deal in line with backup quarterbacks around the league.

Kyle Trask will instead have every opportunity to prove himself as the starting quarterback despite throwing just nine career passes in two NFL seasons.

The 2021 second-round pick earned high praise from Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales last month:

After two years with the organization learning behind Brady, Trask has the chance to step into the spotlight and prove himself as an NFL starter.

Mayfield is the bigger name, but there is no guarantee he is under center in Week 1.

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QB Still a Priority in Draft for Tampa Bay

No matter who the Buccaneers currently list as QB1, the team likely needs to find a long-term answer at the position.

Mayfield is on a one-year deal and Trask is mostly a mystery through two seasons.

Tampa Bay currently has the No. 19 pick in the draft and likely won't be able to get one of the top four quarterbacks—C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis—but the team could still target a signal-caller at some point in the draft.

Former Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee could be the type of high-upside prospect the Buccaneers select on Day 2. He's physically imposing at 6'6", but needs to refine his skills after struggling with consistency during his two seasons as a starter.

Tampa Bay should add depth to the position with a bigger chance that one of the players can emerge as a starter for 2024.