Baker Mayfield arrived at Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp without the contract extension he wanted. The quarterback said the team’s latest offer left him feeling “disrespected” and “undervalued.”
So, Mayfield plans to finish the final year of his deal before potentially testing free agency in 2027. The standoff drew a strong reaction from football analyst Colin Cowherd, who questioned whether Mayfield deserves the contract he is seeking.
Colin Cowherd Calls Out Baker Mayfield For His Contract Demand
The Buccaneers quarterback reportedly wants a long-term extension worth more than $50 million per season, a figure that would place him among the NFL’s top-12 highest-paid passers.
“I like Baker Mayfield a lot,” Cowherd said while analyzing the Mayfield situation on his show “The Herd” on Monday.
“But he doesn’t like the fact that the Buccaneers have not given him a new deal, so he’s going to play out his current deal. And I like him. But Baker, two years ago, was a $7 million cap hit. Last year he was a $26 million cap hit. This year he’s a $40 million cap hit. He’s not talented enough to win big with that,” he added.
“Baker two years ago was a $7M cap hit. This year he’s a $40M cap hit. He’s not talented enough to win big with that.”@colincowherd weighs in on Baker Mayfield’s contract dispute with the Bucs pic.twitter.com/VedorAPEu9
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 3, 2026
Cowherd’s comment upholds the notion that Mayfield’s asking price exceeds his overall value, even if he remains a productive starter. Still, the 31-year-old quarterback has been the face of Tampa Bay’s offense.
Mayfield guided Tampa Bay to consecutive NFC South crowns in 2023 and 2024 while earning two Pro Bowl selections. Pro Football Network’s QB Impact Metric ranked him fourth across the league in 2024 with an impressive 86.1 QBi score.
However, injuries took a toll in the 2025 season. He finished with 3,693 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions across 17 games, and the Bucs missed the playoffs. His QBi ranking dipped to 22nd last season. Although his commitment never came into question, the decline in production appears to have convinced Tampa Bay not to hand him the lucrative long-term extension he wants.
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Now, going into the season, the Buccaneers face an uncomfortable situation with their starting quarterback still unhappy over his contract. If the deadlock drags on, the franchise risks watching Mayfield reach free agency in 2027. General manager Jason Licht admitted the whole situation has become a challenge.
“My biggest stressor right now is not just this year, but keeping the team together and going back to a great staff,” Licht said on “Inside Football.”
“We’ve drafted some really good players and have contracts that are either going to be up after this year or going to be, you know, eligible after this year. And unfortunately, the negative side of having some great drafts is you can’t pay everybody,” he added.
Licht stressed that every financial decision directly impacts future roster construction. Still, the ongoing standoff could ultimately work in Mayfield’s favor. If he meets expectations and replicates his performance from the 2023 and 2024 seasons while staying healthy, the veteran quarterback will enter free agency with maximum leverage.
Teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings could view him as a veteran solution at quarterback and sign him to a lucrative long-term deal once he hits free agency.
