What’s a guy gotta do to get an “A” around here? Bring the teacher an apple?
For Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, apparently putting together back-to-back fourth quarter comeback wins to start the NFL regular season — and both on the road — wasn’t enough.
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski handed Mayfield a “B+” after his gutsy play in a 20-19 win over the Houston Texans in Week 2, somehow slighting the 2-time Pro Bowler after his team’s 2-0 start to the regular season.
To fully understand how gutsy of a performance that Baker Mayfield orchestrated during Monday Night Football against the Houston Texans, he spent the majority of the game playing behind replacement offensive tackles who faced the combination of defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. on a down-by-down basis,” Sobleski wrote on September 16. ” … In the fourth quarter, Mayfield was able to make plays with his feet, particularly the game-winning, 80-year drive continue that included a 15-yard scamper on 4th-and-10 with 1:24 remaining.”
Down by five, 1:24 to play, TB must convert or the game is over. The Texans blitz Mayfield’s lights out, sending six rushers. He doesn’t panic. He doesn’t run for his life. He
Mayfield Playing Behind Patchwork Offensive Line
The Buccaneers will almost certainly be without 3 starting offensive linemen for their home opener in Week 3 against the New York Jets.
While 2 of those will eventually be back in 3-time NFL All-Pro left offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee) and right offensive tackle Luke Goedeke (foot), guard Cody Mauch injured his knee in the win over the Texans and will miss the rest of the season.
That means against the Jets, the Buccaneers will put Mayfield behind a patchwork offensive line that will likely have starting center Graham Barton at left tackle for the third consecutive game, starting guard Ben Bredeson at center in place of Barton, veteran backup Charlie Heck starting in place of Goedeke and backups Elijah Klein and Mike Jordan starting at the guard spots.
Financial Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher For Mayfield
From a purely financial perspective, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Mayfield in 2025.
It’s a far cry from when Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, came to the Buccaneers on a 1-year, $4 million “prove it” contract in 2023 after Tom Brady’s second retirement.
Mayfield led the Buccaneers to an NFC South Division title in his first season as a starter in 2023 and was selected to his first Pro Bowl — the end result being a 3-year, $100 million contract with $50 million guaranteed in March 2024.
In 2024, Mayfield had a career year with 4,500 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions to go with 378 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. Tampa Bay also won a second consecutive NFC South Division title and Mayfield was named to a second Pro Bowl.
To reward Mayfield, the Buccaneers guaranteed an extra $30 million on his current contract before the 2025 season.
If Mayfield continues his ascent it’s not outside the realm of possibility he could land a lucrative contract extension following this season — one that could make him one of the NFL’s highest paid quarterbacks in the range of $50 million to $60 million in annual salary.
“Classy move by Tampa: The #Buccaneers have reworked QB Baker Mayfield’s contract to give him $30M guaranteed in 2026,” JPA Football wrote on its official X account. “He previously had no guaranteed money and was set to hit free agency after the 2026 season. This now gives him guaranteed money on the books while they work towards a longer extension.”
Buccaneers $100 Million QB Gets Surprisingly Low Grade After Fourth Quarter Comebacks