With NFL Free Agency set to open this week, one of the top names has been taken off the board.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield, who was projected to be either the best or second-best quarterback on the open market behind Kirk Cousins, agreed to a three-year deal Sunday to remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Mayfield confirmed the news to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and released a statement to Schefter, saying, “I wanted a chance to come back. I love Coach Bowles and the staff. I’m happy to be here and I want to win more in the postseason.”
The three-year contract is worth up to $115 million after incentives and $50 million of the contract is guaranteed.
This is the latest in a career full of twists and turns for Mayfield, who was originally drafted first overall in the 2018 NFL Draft following his 2017 Heisman Trophy-winning season. He spent the first four seasons of his career with Cleveland, going 29-30 in 59 games as the starting quarterback. Mayfield became the first Browns quarterback since Brian Sipe (1979, 1980, 1983) to have multiple 25-plus passing touchdown seasons for the team, which he did in 2018 and 2020.
Once the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson before the 2022 season, they drafted Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers, where he struggled. He started just six games for the Panthers, throwing six touchdowns and six interceptions before being replaced by P.J. Walker as starter. Mayfield was released in December and spent the final month of the season with the Los Angeles Rams.
Before the 2023 season, Mayfield signed a one-year deal with Tampa, where he turned his luck around. Mayfield led the Bucs to a 9-8 record and eclipsed the 4,000-yard passing mark for the first time in his career, finishing the season with 4,044 yards and a career-high 28 touchdowns. He went on to throw three more touchdowns in Tampa’s Wild Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles before the team’s season came to an end against the Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round.
[ESPN]
