Latest Baker Mayfield report reveals Buccaneers' confidence in $47M QB
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are considering using the franchise tag on quarterback Baker Mayfield for the 2027 season, which would cost at least $47 million. Despite a decline in performance last season, Mayfield remains a key figure for the team as they navigate his contract situation.
Why it matters
This highlights the high-stakes financial management of NFL franchises and the evolving market value of veteran quarterbacks.
Baker Mayfield's contract situation in Tampa Bay is getting messier and more fascinating by the week. The Buccaneers quarterback is in the final year of a reworked deal worth $27 million in 2026, with no long-term extension anywhere close to the horizon. And now, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the franchise tag is emerging as a very real possibility for 2027 -- one that could cost Tampa Bay at least $47 million.Could the Buccaneers use the franchise tag instead of giving Baker Mayfield a new contract?A franchise tag has rarely been part of the public discussion around Mayfield's future, but Fowler believes it remains a realistic possibility."While Mayfield would prefer a long-term deal, he’s not afraid of the franchise tag, which would cost Tampa Bay at least $47M in 2027," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote on his official X account on Sunday.From Mayfield's perspective, the financial risk appears limited.
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