Baker Mayfield Talks Buccaneers Free Agency, NFL Pro Bowl and More in B/R Interview

Baker Mayfield knows exactly what he wants.

"I have a similar mindset to what I had last year going into it," the quarterback told Bleacher Report as he enters free agency for the second straight offseason.

"Wanting a great organization that puts their guys in position to have success and possibly win championships. That's the most important thing to me, and everybody being on the same page. Less drama is very good. Everybody having the same aligned goal is ultimately how teams are consistently great and have success. I want to be somewhere that has that mindset and those values."

While Mayfield settled for a prove-it, one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last offseason, he will surely generate far more interest this time around after turning in a career-best season. He is also just 28 years old and should remain productive for seasons to come, which will only help his cause in contract negotiations.

But it has been something of a journey to get to this point.

The Cleveland Browns eyed him as the franchise quarterback they have so long searched for throughout their history when they selected the Oklahoma product with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft. There were moments when he looked to be exactly that, and he threw for more than 3,000 yards in each of his four seasons with the team.

Mayfield even led the 2020 Browns to an 11-5 record and playoff win over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, which remains their only postseason victory since the 1994 campaign.

Yet turnovers were an issue with as many as 21 interceptions in a single season and 56 total in 60 games for Cleveland. The AFC North team sent him to the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 2022 season, and he went a combined 2-8 as a starter for the Panthers and Los Angeles Rams as questions about his future arose.

That was the backdrop as he signed the one-year deal with the Buccaneers, but he responded in incredible fashion by completing 64.3 percent of his passes for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

"Honestly, no," Mayfield said when asked if he surprised himself and surpassed his own expectations. "When I got there I realized how special this team could potentially be with the pieces we had and the weapons that I was going to be surrounded by. And I knew that it was very similar to the system I had in L.A. for the last five games of the 2022 year and was comfortable in that and knowing it would play to my strengths."

In addition to setting career-high marks in completion percentage, passing yards and touchdown throws, Mayfield led the Buccaneers to wins in five of their last six regular-season games to capture the NFC South crown. They also defeated the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs before the magic ran out with a one-score Divisional Round loss to the Detroit Lions.

"I had very high hopes," he said of the season. "I was more shocked after we went 3-1 and ended up somehow losing five of six and being 4-7 in the middle of the year. That was the surprise to me. But nobody threw in the towel. We stuck together and found a way to come back and win the division and win a playoff game."

The question now is whether he will return to Tampa Bay and attempt to build on that momentum in what will be a critical offseason for the franchise. After all, star wide receiver Mike Evans is also a free agent. The team also lost offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who became the head coach of the Carolina Panthers.

But there will be some familiarity in place for Mayfield if he does return, as new offensive coordinator Liam Coen was the OC for the Rams in 2022. Mayfield appeared in five games for Los Angeles that season, and his previous OC sounded like he wanted a reunion when he praised the quarterback in his introductory press conference.

"I want him to be here," Coen said. "It's probably more 'want' than 'know.' He's obvious a reason that I'm here. That's real. But at the end of the day, this is going to be collaborative, hopefully. I think he wants to be here, but we know it's a long way to go. It's a long way to go, and I want him to be here."

Mayfield appreciated the comments and the love he has received from Tampa Bay fans who want him to return.

"I love it," he said. "We embraced the city, and they embraced us right from the beginning. So to hear that is pretty special for us. And obviously knowing Liam for those five games, it wasn't a long time but I think he's a great guy. Extremely motivated and smart football mind who is really passionate and a great communicator as well. He's somebody who you enjoy playing for."

Given Mayfield's 2023 success, his familiarity with the new OC and the reality that Tampa Bay likely won't have the chance to select a franchise-changing quarterback prospect such as Caleb Williams or Drake May with the No. 26 overall pick, it makes sense for the team to bring him back.

It's still not a foregone conclusion, though.

"We'll see what happens as we go forward," Mayfield said. "But I've not taken the easy way out a few times in my career so far. So, for me, I want to get what I deserve, but I'm not trying to be selfish. I still want to win at the end of the day."

While the goal is to win and reach the Super Bowl next year, he is still involved in this year's big game thanks to his partnership with Advance Auto Parts for its "False Starts Kill Drives" campaign.

"It obviously aligns because false starts are frustrating for the football industry and the auto industry," he said. "I've had my fair share of false starts when it comes to that. There was a time when my car was sitting in Austin when we got back for the offseason and I ended up being late for dinner because I had a dead car battery. So it hits close to home."

Photo Credit: Advance Auto Parts

Part of the campaign is a contest for the Super Bowl where fans who go to AAPFalseStarts.com prior to Sunday's kickoff can register for the chance to win free DieHard batteries for life. Fans can also win free DieHard batteries with free battery tests at any Advance Auto Parts location on National Battery Day, which is Feb. 18.

"We don't want a sloppy Super Bowl, we just want at least one false start," Mayfield said of the contest.

Mayfield will now get the chance to recharge his own batteries after a career-best season, which culminated in being named to his first career Pro Bowl. He took full advantage of his time in Orlando, Florida, and won the offensive MVP of the Pro Bowl Games while helping lead the NFC to a 64-59 cumulative win over the AFC in the skills competitions and flag football game.

He played well in the game with an impressive touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb, but it was his performance in the Precision Passing challenge when he out-dueled Houston Texans signal-caller C.J. Stroud in the final round that really stood out.

"It was so much fun," he said of his first Pro Bowl experience. "Just to be around all those guys, I always find it an unbelievable experience when you're not directly competing with them and getting to know them on a different level. How family-oriented the atmosphere is there and how welcoming they are about that, it's special to see guys with their loved ones and just enjoying it and having fun. … It was an honor to be there."

In a perfect world for Buccaneers fans, he will return to the team and earn yet another Pro Bowl selection with a second straight excellent season.