NFL contract negotiations rarely unfold without tension. And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers know that reality all too well. Currently, their franchise quarterback, Baker Mayfield, is entering the final season of his three-year, $100 million contract, with a $33.33 million average annual salary. And according to the Buccaneers’ general manager, Jason Licht, the front office might have a hard time negotiating a contract extension for Mayfield.

“He’s going to ball no matter what. And we’ll continue to have discussions and try to get this to a closure,” said Licht. ”But when you have these types of situations, they’re never easy.”

A lot goes into negotiating a contract extension for an NFL quarterback, including the current market trends for the position, individual performance, age, and more. Take the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ contract extension as an example.

In February 2026, the Chiefs executed a contract restructure to lower Mahomes’ immediate 2026 cap hit from $78.2 million to $34.65 million. The move was made to get compliant with the league’s budget. However, a few days ago, the Chiefs extended him through 2033 at an NFL-record average of $64 million per year in new money.

Patrick Mahomes now faces a $90.3 million cap hit in 2027, with future hits expected to quickly balloon past $100 million as more inevitable restructures happen. Such decisions generally come at a higher price for a franchise, and yet, the front offices make it to retain their standout players. But what further complicates an extension is the regression.

In the case of Baker Mayfield, Bleacher Report‘s journalist Alex Ballentine has already warned about the possibility of a downward trend.

“Mayfield has been on an upward trajectory since joining the Bucs in 2023. But it’s worth noting that year-to-year consistency has been an issue for him,” Ballentine wrote. ”On one hand, he’s used to working with a new coach just about every year. On the other, there seems to be a pattern of Mayfield only performing well when he has a good coach orchestrating the offense. That’s going to put even more pressure on Grizzard to pick up where (Liam) Coen left off. Things will get ugly if Mayfield regresses with this much talent around him.”

But in Mayfield is clear about what he wants. “Obviously, yes, I would love to have a long-term deal done, but they know my deadline: As soon as training camp starts, we’re not doing any contract stuff. It’s all ball,” said Mayfield. “It’s not up to me when that gets done. So hopefully before that. If not — still going to have a good year.”

Baker Mayfield has been quite consistent since joining Tampa Bay. In 51 regular-season games, Mayfield racked up 12,237 passing yards and 95 touchdowns. During his standout campaign in 2024, the 31-year-old broke the franchise record by completing 407 passes for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns.

Statistically, Mayfield does make a suitable fit for the Buccaneers. But that may not be the only factor in his contract extension, when offered.

Mayfield’s current 2026 cap hit is $39.975 million due to previous restructures. An extension allows the team to convert his current $17 million roster bonus and base salary into a signing bonus. It will also spread that accounting hit over future years and instantly free up millions in 2026 cap space.

Other than that, the Buccaneers could also use Mayfield’s extension efficiently for the team’s overall benefit. Knowing Mayfield is locked in long-term, the front office can draft and sign free agents specifically tailored to his skill set. Instead of constantly planning for a potential post-Mayfield rebuild.

Now, only time will tell what decision Tampa Bay will ultimately make around their star QB’s contract situation.