Todd Bowles is overhauling the Buccaneers’ coaching philosophy with a risky move, and Baker Mayfield’s future in Tampa could be the ultimate price. During the 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, the Buccaneers head coach revealed a new, streamlined approach to his coaching staff. 

“Todd Bowles said the Bucs won’t have an assistant QBs coach or one working with corners this season, saying he decided it was better to have fewer coaches in those rooms,” NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on X.

Bowles explained that this was a deliberate choice to keep coaching rooms smaller, which he believes will create more direct and effective teaching moments between the primary coaches and the players. 

While the coaching move to a new coaching structure is designed to help, there are legitimate ways this “risky” turnover could negatively impact Baker Mayfield’s career longevity and bank account. 

The real shift isn’t a lack of coaching, but a change in philosophy. By hiring Zac Robinson as the new Offensive Coordinator and Chandler Whitmer as the new Quarterbacks Coach, Bowles is transitioning the offense, possibly into the highly successful “McVay-style” system.

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This shift suggests that the primary position coaches, including Bowles himself, will take on a more significant role in the daily development of these key units.

Chandler Whitmer, at 34, a high-profile hire from Indiana University, now leads the quarterback room. Whitmer is coming off a massive collegiate season where he helped guide the Hoosiers to a national title and coached Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.

Under this new structure, there is no assistant role designated beneath him, leaving Whitmer as the sole voice for the team’s quarterbacks.

This restructuring follows a major overhaul of the Buccaneers’ staff after a disappointing 8–9 finish in 2025. In January, the team parted ways with several key assistants, including offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard and long-time cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross. 

With the retirements of veteran staff members like Tom Moore and Nick Rapone, Bowles is entering 2026 with a leaner, more consolidated group of coaches, ensuring they do not neglect players like Baker Mayfield.

The Buccaneers provide an update on QB Baker Mayfield’s contract

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are taking a “wait and see” approach with quarterback Baker Mayfield after a rocky 2025 season. While the team started strong at 5-1, they struggled significantly late in the year, finishing with an 8-9 record and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. 

One of the reasons is Mayfield’s performance. Just one year after a breakout season where he ranked as a top-four fantasy quarterback with 44 touchdowns, the former first-round pick saw a significant dip in his production.

In 2025, he managed only 3,693 passing yards and 26 total touchdowns against 14 turnovers, dropping him to the QB12 spot. This decline was largely fueled by a rotating door of injured wide receivers and a struggling offense that never found its rhythm in the post-Liam Coen era. 

Following the unit’s regression, Tampa Bay moved on from offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard after just one season, hiring Zac Robinson for 2026 in hopes of revitalizing the scoring attack. Because of this late-season slump, the front office could feel no rush to hand out a massive new contract extension right now.

“Bucs GM Jason Licht gave no timetable for extending the contract of QB Baker Mayfield but says their assessment of Mayfield has not changed,” according to Rick Stroud, a reputed NFL reporter for the Tampa Bay Times.

At the NFL scouting combine this week, General Manager Jason Licht and Head Coach Todd Bowles made it clear they still value Mayfield. They’ve even built much of the offense around him and new coordinator Zac Robinson. 

As Bowles praised Mayfield’s toughness, he also gave some direct advice on how the veteran needs to change his game to stay on the field. 

“I don’t want to say it’s sustainable. I think that’s who he is,” Bowles said. “He’s got to be smarter than that, especially in the second half of the season, when you get guys down. So he’s got to be a little smarter taking care of his body, so we can have the availability there, but being with us three years now, we know who he is. We trust him completely.” Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times shared Bowles’ comments on X.

The timing of this advice is critical as Mayfield enters the final season of his three-year, $100 million contract in 2026. While management has expressed full trust in him, talks of a new contract are currently on hold. 

This upcoming season serves as a high-stakes audition where Mayfield must prove he can balance his natural aggression with the longevity and “smart” football that Bowles is looking for.