Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is facing an uncertain future as he heads into a contract year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Mayfield is heading into the final year of his three-year, $100 million contract with the Buccaneers. While both sides have been open to extension talks, the former top pick made it clear that an extension is not close.
Mayfield said he wants to stay with the Buccaneers, but he also set a firm deadline for negotiations before his focus shifts fully to the season.
“First and foremost, regardless, we’ve built roots here in Tampa,” Mayfield said. “We love the community, we love being here, they’ve embraced us, and we enjoy being here and obviously gonna raise kids here. But yeah, contract stuff, it’s happening, it’s starting, the talks and what not, but not anywhere close to what we were thinking.
“So, we’d love to be here long-term, and as of right now, it’s not exactly the case. But as of now, I’m under contract for 2026, and the guys in that locker room, the staff know that I’m still gonna be me. I’m still gonna do everything that I can to help this team win the Super Bowl. To me, that’s the priority. Everything else will take care of itself. Obviously, yes, I would love to have a long-term deal, but they know my deadline is as soon as training camp starts, we’re not doing any contract stuff, it’s all ball. So, it’s not up to me when that gets done. So, hopefully before that. If not, we’re still gonna have a good year.”
Baker Mayfield Revived Career With Buccaneers After Browns Breakup
The Browns made Mayfield the No. 1 pick in 2018, and he helped deliver the franchise’s first playoff win since the 1994 season. But the partnership eventually unraveled before Mayfield played out his rookie deal. Mayfield played through a shoulder injury during a difficult final season with the Browns, and Cleveland moved on by trading for Deshaun Watson in 2022. Mayfield was later traded to the Carolina Panthers.
His career appeared to be at a crossroads after brief stops with the Panthers and Los Angeles Rams. Tampa Bay gave him a one-year prove-it deal in 2023, and Mayfield turned it into a career reset. He helped stabilize the Buccaneers after Tom Brady’s retirement and earned a long-term opportunity with the franchise.
Since then, Mayfield has turned that opportunity into one of the NFL’s better comeback stories. He led Tampa Bay to back-to-back division titles in 2023 and 2024 and earned consecutive Pro Bowl selections, including a career-best 2024 season with 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. He remained productive in 2025, throwing for 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns
Browns Still Searching for Long-Term Answer at Quarterback
While Mayfield looks to secure his future, the Browns haven’t come any closer to solving theirs at the quarterback position. Cleveland’s made a massive bet on Watson, but injuries and inconsistency have limited him to just 19 games since 2022.
Watson is entering a contract year of his own, while Shedeur Sanders is also in the mix as Cleveland evaluates its future under center.
Cleveland’s recent trade of franchise icon Myles Garrett only added to the sense that the franchise is shifting toward the future. The Browns sent Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for DE Jared Verse and a package of draft picks, including a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick.
That extra draft capital could eventually help the Browns target a quarterback of the future if Watson or Sanders do not convincingly seize the job this season.
Ex-Browns Star Baker Mayfield Gets Bad News on Future