Overview
- The latest public developments came June 12–13 when head coach Todd Bowles said he “absolutely” wants Mayfield long term and GM Jason Licht said the team will keep discussing a deal.
- Mayfield told reporters earlier in June that the sides are “not anywhere close” and set the start of training camp as a hard cutoff for extension talks.
- The core gap is financial: Mayfield’s current $33.3 million average salary sits well below recent top-quarterback contracts in the $50–60M range, so the team and player disagree on market value and guarantee structure.
- Sources report Tampa Bay is weighing Mayfield’s injury history and playing style as it sizes guarantees and term, even as the quarterback continues to attend practices and is not expected to hold out.
- If no extension is reached before camp, the Buccaneers could pause talks until free agency, use the franchise tag or risk losing Mayfield in 2027, outcomes that would reshape Tampa Bay’s cap plans and roster decisions.