The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could soon be on the lookout for a new quarterback.
Baker Mayfield is the team’s franchise quarterback and has more than lived up to his billing since arriving in 2023. Mayfield has gone to the Pro Bowl twice and led Tampa Bay to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons.
However, he has an uncertain future in Tampa Bay due to his contract situation. Mayfield is entering the final year of his contract and is seeking a new deal before the start of the season. The 31-year-old quarterback had set a hard deadline at the start of training camp for resolving the situation.
If the Buccaneers and Mayfield are unable to come to terms on a new deal in the near future, Tampa Bay will be forced to find another franchise quarterback. As Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano predicts in his 2027 NFL Mock Draft, he projects the Buccaneers to select USC’s Jayden Maiava with the No. 16 overall pick.
“Taking a quarterback in 2027 now seems probable after Tampa Bay and Baker Mayfield failed to agree on a contract extension this summer,” said Manzano. “The 6’4″, 230-pound Maiava has ideal size, arm strength and often flashed playing with Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane last season. He’ll need to do it again playing with a receiving corps that may not be as talented as last year’s group.”
Jayden Maiava Finished as Davey O’Brien Award Semifinalist
The 6-foot-4 Maiava has emerged as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks while at USC. The 22-year-old posted 24 touchdowns — with six rushing touchdowns — against 10 interceptions with a 157.8 passer rating last season, finishing as a semifinalist or the Davey O’Brien Award, given to the nation’s best quarterback. Maiava ended the year ranked fifth among all quarterbacks in passing yards.
Athlon Sports’ Luke Easterling writes in his scouting report of Maiava’s strengths that the senior quarterback has the “prototypical” size for a quarterback and has a strong enough arm.
“Maiava has prototypical size for a traditional NFL pocket passer, and enough arm strength to effectively deliver the ball with adequate zip to all levels of the field,” writes Easterling. “He shows the ability to put the right amount of touch on the ball when needed, as well as the velocity to hit deep shots and cross-field routes from the opposite hash. Maiava has a smooth, sharp release, and he’s able to adjust his arm angles at times to get the ball where it needs to go.”
Buccaneers Will Probably Draft Young QB if Baker Mayfield Leaves
In his weaknesses for Maiava, Easterling writes that the quarterback’s “mechanics” leave some room for improvement.
“There can be some disconnect between his lower-body and upper-body mechanics at times, as Maiava’s base can freeze mid-throw, which leads to underthrown balls downfield that are missing the power that should be coming from that leg/hip torque,” writes Easterling.
Based upon Manzano’s draft projections, he’s predicting the Buccaneers to fall just short of a playoff appearance for the second consecutive season. That could lead to a reload for the franchise, leading to the departures of Mayfield and head coach Todd Bowles.
If that ends up being the case, the Buccaneers could simply trend young and select their quarterback of the future rather than being aggressive in free agency for a veteran quarterback. Maiava would certainly be a viable option.
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