Baker Mayfield signed a new deal with the Buccaneers on Tuesday that adds three years to his existing contract. Under the new terms, Mayfield is set to make $37 million in 2026, $50 million in 2027, $50 million in 2028 and $55 million in 2029, for four years and $192 million overall, which averages to $48 million per year over that span.
The deal puts Mayfield in a tie with five other quarterbacks for third-highest average salary in the league at $55 million per year: Matthew Stafford, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence. Dak Prescott makes $60 million per year, and Patrick Mahomes' new-money average in his most recent deal was $64 million. In eight NFL seasons, Mayfield has made two Pro Bowls, with his highest finish in MVP voting at 11th.
Mayfield's contract was set to void three days after the Super Bowl and would have triggered a $30 million dead-money cap charge for 2027, giving him some leverage in negotiations. With Mayfield's new deal establishing what the article calls the 'Baker Line' at $55 million per year, the piece points to a busy 2027 quarterback extension market, naming Lamar Jackson and Drake Maye as two players who could exceed that threshold.
Jackson enters this season with two years left on his contract, making $52 million this year and scheduled to make $52 million next year. His deal includes a clause prohibiting the Ravens from using the franchise or transition tags on him when he becomes a free agent in 2028, along with a no-trade clause, giving him significant leverage in any future extension or trade scenario.
Maye, entering his third year, will be eligible for a contract extension once the Patriots' season ends, having finished second in MVP voting and led the team to the Super Bowl in his second season. The Patriots hold a fifth-year option for 2028 that would give them time next spring to negotiate an extension.
