Baker Mayfield’s future remains up in the air as the quarterback enters the new NFL season in the final year of his current three-year deal with the Buccaneers.
Mayfield has made it clear he wants to remain in Tampa Bay for the long haul, but uncertainty surrounding the contract negotiations has one Super Bowl champion raising concerns.
Willie Colon Believes Tampa Bay Must Settle the Baker Mayfield Situation Quickly
Former NFL offensive lineman and Super Bowl winner Willie Colon recently weighed in on the situation during a segment on “Good Morning Football.:
“I didn’t think it was a big deal, but the more I stood on it, I’m starting to think it is a big deal,” Colon said. He believes the Buccaneers are facing a bigger question than just dollars and cents, as they’re trying to figure out what Baker Mayfield actually is at this stage of his career.
“Is Baker Mayfield still a franchise quarterback? Or is he a high-end stabilizer?” Colon said about the Buccaneers’ perspective.
Mayfield is now 31 years old, and he had a rough 2025 season, throwing for just 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns after back-to-back seasons of 4,000+ yards. According to PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, he posted an impact score of 73.4 last season, ranking 24th in the league. In 2024, he was ranked seventh in the league with an impact score of 85.0.
Injuries played a role, sure. But the Bucs still have to make a decision about their future. Colon also gave Mayfield credit for what he’s built in Tampa by adding, “When Brady left the building, he gave him a lot of credibility. He’s tough, he plays tough, he’s shown that he can lead a playoff outfit.”
Still, he pointed out that the organization might be weighing whether to “open up some flexibility to roll in a new era.” With quarterback prospects potentially available in future drafts, that’s not an unreasonable thought.
.@willcolon66 weighs in on the @bakermayfield contract negotiations 📝 pic.twitter.com/dXEqSiH7Rf
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) June 8, 2026
Colon made it clear that Tampa Bay can’t afford a distracted Mayfield heading into training camp, as the Bucs just lost Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David, and the roster is already thinner.
The last thing they need is a quarterback controversy brewing before a single snap is taken. “They can’t afford that, so they have to figure this out. Hopefully sooner than later,” Colon added.
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Mayfield himself broke his offseason silence about the contract negotiations recently. Contract talks are happening, but they’re “not anywhere close to what we were thinking,” he said.
He and his agent, Tom Mills, have set their own deadline. Get it done before training camp, or the conversation goes on pause. “As soon as training camp starts, we’re not doing any contract stuff. It’s all ball,” Mayfield said.
The money side of things makes the situation more complicated. Mayfield is currently earning $33.33 million per season, which ranks him 16th among quarterbacks. For a guy who led Tampa Bay to back-to-back division titles and set personal bests in 2023 and 2024, that number feels low to his camp.
Still, Mayfield isn’t threatening to hold out or cause problems. He’s under contract for 2026 regardless. “I’m still going to do everything I can to help this team win a Super Bowl,” he said. “Everything else will take care of itself.”
The Buccaneers have a big decision to make before training camp begins in late July, and it will be interesting to see what they will do.
