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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are making preparations to keep their starting quarterback Baker Mayfield after he's become a free agent and could technically switch teams for the fourth time in three years, pundits claim it's a question of money.
Baker Mayfield is now a free agent
During his 2023 campaign in the NFL Mayfield managed to complete 64.3% of his passes for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while going 9-8, he also took the Bucs to the first place of the NFC South.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay general manager, Jason Licht spoke to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times after signing receiver Mike Evans and mentioned the possibilities for Mayfield.
"A lot of [the team's pending free agents] know what the market is at this point," Licht elaborated. "I think the start of the negotiation period is really almost the same as the start of free agency because they're already talking and negotiating."
"So, as we get to Monday, any of our players that aren't signed, it doesn't mean they're not coming back. It just means that maybe we've got an agreement that, hey, they'll see what [their] worth [is]. We have a disagreement right now, and then let's just try to work it out. We don't want the player to be unhappy, either." He claimed.
Keeping it simple, it means that the Bucs have made a considerable offer to stay with the team, but at the end of the day, Mayfield thinks it should be more than what they offered and may be shopping around for another offer, something that is expected from a professional player.
"You always have to have - as [former Bucs head coach] Bruce [Arians] would say - to look behind Door 2 and 3 and 4 and 5," Licht said. "So, yeah, we always feel like we need options. Yeah, we always have to have plans. We also like Door No. 2 that's right here."