Baker Mayfield Rumors: Bucs Contract Isn't 'a Slam Dunk'; Falcons Linked to QB in FA

It has seemed at times this offseason that Baker Mayfield returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a career season was almost an inevitability, but that might not be the case.

"The feeling is that they want to get something done," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said on Sunday's SportsCenter. "They're going to be talking. They're hoping to re-sign Mike Evans and Baker Mayfield but it's not a slam dunk.

"This is a guy who's going to have a pretty strong market here. You look at several teams that are going to want to get in on Mayfield, talk to him about potentially playing. You look at Atlanta as a team that definitely needs a quarterback. They passed on him last year, maybe they'll try to right that wrong."

The mention of the Atlanta Falcons is notable, as they were seemingly a quarterback away from being a true playoff contender in the NFC South with playmakers such as Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts and Drake London leading the way.

Mayfield going to a division rival would be quite the blow for the Buccaneers, who just saw him complete 64.3 percent of his passes for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while leading the team to an NFC South crown and playoff win this past season.

He surpassed expectations after signing a one-year deal with Tampa Bay last offseason and has said multiple times he loved his time with the team and would be interested in returning.

Whether the Buccaneers are able to figure something out with the quarterback to make sure he is still under center and that he isn't playing for a division rival in the Falcons could ultimately determine their 2024 outcome.