Former first overall pick re-signs with Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield will return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a career-year with the team, signing a three-year, $100 million contract to stay, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Mayfield will get $30 million guaranteed in Year 1, as well as a $10 million signing bonus and a $10 million injury guarantee that becomes fully vested in 2025.
The deal gives Mayfield a sense of continuity for the first time in years. After he joined the Buccaneers last season, they became the fourth team he had suited up for in three seasons.
The move comes just six days after the Buccaneers re-signed wide receiver Mike Evans on a two-year, $52 million contract.
Tampa Bay also issued the franchise tag to All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to keep another one of its key pieces off the open market ahead of NFL free agency.
The Cleveland Browns took Mayfield with the first pick in the 2018 NFL draft.
Despite in the 2020 season leading the Browns to their first playoff win in 26 years, Mayfield was traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2022.
The move came after Cleveland acquired Deshaun Watson.
Mayfield’s time there at Carolina didn’t last long, with the quarterback going 1-5 as the starter before he was released.
He finished the regular season with the Los Angeles Rams and appeared in five games.
Mayfield joined Tampa Bay on a oneyear, $4 million deal and had a career resurgence, taking over the position left vacant by Tom Brady’s retirement. He started all 17 games for the team and threw for a career-high 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns while earning his first Pro Bowl nod.
With Brady gone, few expected much from the Buccaneers in 2023, but the team got hot to end the regular season and wound up winning the NFC South title for the third consecutive season.
In the playoffs, the Buccaneers ripped apart the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles 32-9, with Mayfield throwing for 337 yards and three touchdown passes in the wild-card win.
In the divisional round, Mayfield threw for 349 passing yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in the 31-23 loss to the Detroit Lions.