Bucs GM Makes Long-Term Plan Involving Baker Mayfield Clear

Baker Mayfield joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023 after a mixed stint in 2022 with the Carolina Panthers and the Los Angeles Rams.

Bucs GM Makes Long-Term Plan Involving Baker Mayfield Clear

Baker Mayfield, Jason Licht (Images via Tampa Bay Times/Outsports)

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In 2022, the Cleveland Browns wrote him off. The stints in Charlotte with the Carolina Panthers almost washed him out. It was a disappointing storyline, especially considering he was the first walk-on to ever win a Heisman. Yes, the talking point is Baker Mayfield.

The 30-year-old was one of the highlights of the past season – a spectacle to set one’s eyes on. Mayfield finished the 2024 season with a career high record of 4500 passing yards, 41 touchdowns, with a completion rate of 71.4 in the regular season. The Austin-native, who came in as the replacement for legendary quarterback Tom Brady in Tampa Bay, took the Bucs to a second straight division title under his command.

Despite an early exit in the playoffs, Mayfield still shone, throwing 185 while completing 15-of-18 passes for 185 yards with two touchdowns in the wildcard game. The successive playoff appearances have impressed the management.

After an initial one-year contract, the Bucs extended Mayfield to 2026, signing him to a deal worth up to $100 million, with $50 million guaranteed. If he continues to put forth similar numbers in 2025, the management will be hoping to build around him for some years down the line. In an interview with Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the Bucs’ general manager, Jason Licht, expressed his adoration and his plans for Mayfield.

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.

Licht also expressed enthusiasm about hvaing him as the franchise quarterback, noting that his journey has been quite remarkable.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ trust lets Baker Mayfield thrive by being himself

Baker Mayfield made instant noise in the league as the first pick in 2018, and his impressive numbers earned him seven consecutive Rookie of the Week awards. However, his years in Ohio soon became tumultuous. Five losses marked his time in Charlotte, and just one win. The LA Rams saw him being back to the CFP champion and the impressive rookie.

Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield (Image Via Imago)

However, it was in Tampa Bay where Mayfield proved himself. In a sit-down with Travis and Jason Kelce on the New Heights podcast, Mayfield revealed that the change in the philosophy was what boosted his numbers.

He explained that the Bucs allowed him to be himself rather than being a toned-down franchise quarterback, which made him feel like he was walking on eggshells, also adding that the Bucs made him feel at home right from the moment he walked into the building:

When you step in and your GM and your head coach say, ‘Hey, just be you.’ After I’ve been told at every stop and everywhere I go, ‘Hey, you need to tone it down a little bit. You need to be a franchise quarterback.’ That’s just not who I am. I wear my emotions on my sleeve. … But when it’s time to turn the lights on and go and do something, I’m gonna do it.

In the interview, Mayfield also pitched in his two cents on the upcoming season, which has marginally become more important to him – a chance at an extension. He admitted being excited about the new rookie from Ohio State, Emeka Egbuka. With Egbuka, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin healthy, Mayfield can potentially record higher numbers.

However, the Bucs will be without the strategist Liam Coen, who left for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the offseason. They will be playing under a new offensive coordinator, Josh Grizzard, who served as pass game coordinator last year.

Also Read: Analyst Connects Arch Manning to Rams Amid Sean McVay’s Transition Post-Stafford