Recently-hired New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt could bring in a resurgent Pro Bowl quarterback in Baker Mayfield.
The two worked together with the Cleveland Browns in 2020 and 20201, and SB Nation Pats Pulpit writer Bernd Buchmasser anticipates a potential reunion in Foxborough. Mayfield turned in a career year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 2023, and he be sought after in free agency.
“Mayfield staying in Tampa Bay seems likely after what was a bounce-back season for him in 2023. However, if the Patriots want to bring him aboard they would have the resources to do so and now an offensive coordinator who has experience with him,” Buchmasser wrote.
“While the Browns decided to ship him off when Deshaun Watson became available, he did play some solid football under Van Pelt in 2020 and 2021,” Buchmasser added. “Starting 32 combined regular season and playoff games, he completed 602 of 975 passes [61.7%] for 7,040 yards with 47 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.”
Baker Mayfield gets a late add to the Pro Bowl festivities and walks away with the Precision Passing victory. Cracks some jokes along the way. #GoBucs
Mayfield only improved on those numbers in 2023 as he completed 64.3% of his passes for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns versus 10 interceptions. He led the Buccaneers to the NFC Divisional Round, and he did that once before with the Browns in the AFC playoffs for the 2020 season.
Tampa Bay made it a little harder for teams to lure Mayfield away with the recent hire of offensive coordinator Liam Coen. They worked together with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.
“Great guy,” Mayfield told reporters regarding Coen on Friday. “If they lock that down for sure, it’s a similar system. Obviously, same system. Just some different terminology in how he wants to call things. There’s something to say about that continuity in the offense for the skill guys, the offensive line … it’s important to have.”
Patriots Still Have a Chance at Baker Mayfield
Before the Buccaneers’ move, Mayfield informed NFL Network’s Cam Wolfe that offensive coordinator is a major consideration for him in free agency. Pay is also a significant consideration as Mayfield could command a four-year, $108.51 million deal or $27.1 million annually, based on Spotrac’s free agent market projections.
New England has more spending money than the Buccaneers do. The Patriots have $67.48 million in salary cap space, per Spotrac.
As for the Buccaneers, the team has $35.57 million in cap space with other key free agents to re-sign. In addition, the Buccaneers face another cap hit once the franchise processes the recent retirement of center Ryan Jensen.
Patriots Could Lure Baker Mayfield by Signing Mike Evans
The Patriots could also pull an additional string besides money to land Mayfield in Foxborough — signing Buccaneers wide receiver and pending free agent Mike Evans. New England has been tied to Evans in free agency rumors before, and Mayfield has been vocal about Evans staying in Tampa.
“If I’m back, I want Mike back,” Mayfield told reporters on January 21.
Evans will cost a lot, too, but worth it amid his 10-consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He could require a four-year, $95.34 million deal or $23.8 million annually, per Spotrac.
Landing Mayfield would give the Patriots a seasoned playoff starter, who can work in Van Pelt’s system, and Evans would provide an elite receiver the team doesn’t have at the moment. It could jumpstart the rebuild in New England under a new regime in 2024.
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Patriots Analyst Connects Dots on Potential Signing of Pro Bowl QB