Through the first couple of days of training camp, there are constant storylines for all 32 teams that fans are following along with. For the Buffalo Bills, the biggest storyline features the changes in the operations under a new head coach in Joe Brady. The new era for the Bills has all of the attention of Bills Mafia, but the Bills should be glad that they don’t have any ongoing drama, unlike a certain team in the NFC South.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers officially have a situation on their hands that may not be resolved anytime soon. Jeremy Fowler from ESPN interviewed quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is entering the final year of his three-year deal with Tampa Bay, and Mayfield did not hold back on the frustrating lack of good negotiations with the front office for a new deal.
Fowler had asked Mayfield what value did the Buccaneers place to make Mayfield feel overall disappointed with the negotiations.
"It was all three between years, average, and guarantees. Probably the most disappointing was years. They didn't offer anything over two [years]. So, when you're told a franchise quarterback and they handle it otherwise, that's disappointing." said Mayfield.
“That’s why I said the deadline was training camp. Focus on the team, focus on getting better and trying to give this team a better chance to win a Super Bowl.” Mayfield added.
Baker Mayfield puts Buccaneers in potential tough spot for after 2026
Mayfield then mentioned how he set the deadline for training camp to have a new contract set in place, otherwise he wouldn’t negotiate after that. Now, Tampa has a potential problem on their hands if Mayfield plays lights out in 2026.
It looks like Mayfield will be playing out the final year of his deal with the Bucs, and if he has a phenomenal season, he will have the opportunity to get paid maximum money in the quarterback market. However, would it be from the Bucs? Or would it be from another team? That remains to be seen.
With all of thie drama unfolding, fans should expect to see all kinds of pieces that discuss who could be a good fit for Mayfield if he does indeed play his last year in Tampa Bay. Austen Bundy from FanSided.com recently created a list of teams that are the best landing spots for Mayfield, and one of the teams is right in the AFC East, and it's the New York Jets.
"Mayfield will probably have better options, hence the above, but he's a guy who loves a challenge and there's no way the New York Jets don't explore a way to get him should he become available one way or another. Geno Smith was a head scratching acquisition to begin with and turning to Cade Klubnik, Brady Cook or Bailey Zappe to step into the starter's role in 2027 and beyond would be insane." said Bundy,
"Should the team go the latter direction, it's going to need a solid quarterback to actually capitalize on the solid talent it gathers. Veteran wideout Garrett Wilson will lose patience eventually, especially with Geno Smith under center. Mayfield could excite him and convince the fanbase the team isn't just going through the motions again, staving off a full on revolt." Bundy added.
Bucs' drama with Baker Mayfield could lead to shakeup in AFC East
Now, I don’t see a world where Mayfield joins the Jets, considering the mess that they have always had at quarterback for what seems like forever at this point. Not to mention, Mayfield had already been part of a tough situation when he was with the Cleveland Browns, so it’s hard to imagine him joining another dysfunctional franchise.
Then again, with Mayfield looking for his first big-time contact of his career, the Jets could very well offer him that kind of deal that would solve their quarterback problems. Either way, all we know right now is that Mayfield is going to finish out the year with the Buccaneers, and then once their season ends, that’s where the watch really begins.
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