Bucs GM Talks Baker Mayfield Contract Extension, Wants QB With Team for 'Long Time'

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht expressed his desire Friday for Baker Mayfield to be the Bucs' quarterback for many years to come.

Speaking to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Licht said the following about Mayfield's potential future in Tampa:

"I love Baker. I love everything he's done for us. 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 initially signed a one-year deal with the Buccaneers in 2023 before signing a three-year, $100 million extension last year. He is currently under contract through the 2026 season.

Originally selected No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL draft after winning the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma, Mayfield posted a 29-30 record in Cleveland and made the playoffs only once over four seasons, prompting the Browns to move him in favor of Deshaun Watson.

Mayfield split the 2022 season between the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams, and he largely struggled, before signing a one-year, prove-it deal with the Bucs to potentially serve as the replacement for Tom Brady.

That decision has worked out ideally for all parties involved, Mayfield has turned in the two best statistical seasons of his career in Tampa Bay, earning a pair of Pro Bowl selections.

In 2023, Mayfield completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and he led the Bucs to a win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.

Last season, Mayfield completed a career-best 71.4 percent of his passes for a career-high 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns, although he did throw a league-high 16 interceptions.

Mayfield won his second consecutive NFC South title in Tampa, and the Bucs won their fourth straight division championship overall.

While the 30-year-old Mayfield is a gunslinger who makes some mistakes from time to time, he has raised the level of the offense's play significantly compared to where it was throughout Brady's final season.

Mayfield has built a great rapport with veteran wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, plus the front office has continued to add weapons to his arsenal, including 2024 third- and fourth-round picks in wide receiver Jalen McMillan and running back Bucky Irving, respectively, and 2025 first-round pick Emeka Egbuka at wideout.

The Bucs aren't likely to find a better quarterback than Mayfield any time soon, but questions remain about his ceiling.

Although he has shown he is capable of putting up numbers and taking a team to the playoffs, the jury is still out on whether he can go on a deep postseason run and contend for a Super Bowl.

Provided the Bucs don't sign Mayfield to a new deal before the 2025 season, it will be a shock if they don't get him locked up ahead of the 2026 campaign, barring an injury or significant drop-off in play.