Baker Mayfield grabbed the headlines last week amid his contract extension standoff with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not only did he call out the franchise’s treatment, he also declared the window for negotiation with the Buccaneers closed after training camp started in earnest.
On Thursday, Bucs general manager Jason Licht revealed the franchise’s fondness for Mayfield amid the quarterback’s contract drama.
Jason Licht’s Comments on Baker Mayfield Draw Reactions
“I’m not going to get into specifics about the contract and all that stuff, but yeah, we do think he is [a franchise quarterback],” Licht said. “And we love Baker. Our feelings for Baker haven’t changed.”
“Baker is in a great place,” Licht added. “I’ve had discussions with him. He’s focused on winning. I’ve never seen him this focused.”
Licht also indicated that the Buccaneers will not hesitate to use the franchise tag on Mayfield next year if needed, but reaffirmed the stance that they are “in a good place,” and the star quarterback is “focused on having the best year of his career.”
NFL fans on X had mixed reactions to the Tampa Bay general manager’s comments about the divisive quarterback:
One fan dismissed Licht’s comments about Mayfield’s value to the Bucs and wrote, “Of course he’s going to say all this!! Doesn’t want to spark up the media and piss off baker even more. Just a typical GM answer lol.”
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An account named ‘JaVale’ challenged Licht to pay Mayfield what he’s worth on the market.
“Then pay him. He’s not asking for top 5 money, and he most certainly is a top 15 QB,” ‘JaVale’ posted.
Then pay him. He’s not asking for top 5 money, and he most certainly is a top 15 QB
— JaVale (@wildalpaca37) August 6, 2026
One user on X was anxious for Mayfield to get his contract extension in Tampa to avoid his team getting linked to the quarterback. The user wrote, “Give him an extension soon then. On God, I don’t wanna hear about bruh being rumored to my team next season.”
Daniel Bolden had a simple solution for Licht and the Bucs, as he said, “Then pay the man.” Another fan carried the same tone and wrote, “Then pay him?”
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Since joining the franchise as a free agent in 2023, Mayfield has been a consistent presence for the Bucs under center, and he hasn’t let the franchise miss Tom Brady.
The former Oklahoma Sooners star had his best season in Tampa in 2024, when he registered 4,500 passing yards on 71.4% completion, 41 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions, while adding 378 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.
Last season, Mayfield’s production dipped as he dealt with various injuries, including a sprained MCL and PCL, a biceps contusion, and a left shoulder injury. He earned a PFN QB Impact score of 74.4, No. 22 in the NFL after tallying 3,693 passing yards on 63.2% completion, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
The Buccaneers will hope that Mayfield returns to elite-level production in the upcoming season and that they can have smooth contract negotiations with the quarterback next year.
