Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield gets $50 million contract update amid MVP-level season

Baker Mayfield is playing as well as anyone in the NFL right now.

And when that sentence can be said about a quarterback, it usually means a payday is coming soon. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have no choice but to open up their wallets and give Mayfield a raise.

That's how ESPN's Jeremy Fowler sees it. In a new article breaking down some of the storylines around the league on Wednesday, Fowler zoomed in on what might happen with Mayfield and the Bucs.

"Baker Mayfield's situation also intrigues me," Fowler writes. "He's due $43 million in cash in 2025, yet there's an argument he's underpaid. Mayfield, a 2027 free agent, is producing at a high clip despite significant injuries at offensive line, running back and wide receiver. Not many quarterbacks are throwing the ball with more confidence. The Bucs and Mayfield will play out the season and can work on an extension after that. The Bucs are projected to have around $48 million in 2026 cap space, which they can easily lower by reworking Mayfield's $52 million hit."

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Fowler goes on to say that Mayfield's "per-year average should probably have a 5 in front of it."

"The wild card is the Glazer family, which hasn't always spent big money on players," Fowler writes. "But Mayfield could look to add a tax on this deal, due to leverage and the below-market deal on which he's currently playing."

Given that Mayfield is currently at $43 million, a raise to $50 million isn't preposterous. 

It's certainly warranted given the level Mayfield has played at since joining the Buccaneers. He threw 41 touchdowns last season and is playing even better so far this year.

And in the NFL, QB salaries don't seem to be going down. They only continue to rise.

If Mayfield keeps playing like this, he'll surely benefit from that trend soon enough.

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