Baker Mayfield has training camp deadline for contract extension with Buccaneers
What Baker Mayfield wants and what he gets might be two different things.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is heading into the final season of his contract and wants to extend his stay. However, neither side has found an agreement that works yet and it remains to be seen whether they will. Mayfield spoke with reporters on June 5 about the contract negotiations, providing an update.
"Contract stuff, it's happening," Mayfield said, via Fox Sports' Greg Auman. "It's starting, the talks, but not anywhere close to what we were thinking.
"Would love to be here long-term and as of right now that's not exactly the case."
It leaves the two sides with little time to close the gap and reach an agreement, since Mayfield made it clear he had set a deadline for the negotiations.
"I would love to have a long-term deal done, but they know my deadline is as soon as training camp starts, we're not doing any contract stuff," Mayfield said. "It's all ball. It's not up to me when that gets done by, so hopefully before that. If not, we're still gonna have a good year."
Even though negotiations haven't gotten anywhere yet, Mayfield is focused on fulfilling the contract he's currently playing under.
"I'm under contract for 2026," Mayfield said. "The guys in that locker room, the staff know that I'm still gonna be me. I'm still gonna do everything I can to help this team win a Super Bowl and to me, that's the priority. Everything else will take care of itself."
Mayfield is set to wrap up a three-year, $100 million deal with the Bucs that he signed after the 2023 season. It was a year that got the quarterback's career back on track after an unceremonious departure from the Cleveland Browns, leading to stops with the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams.
He posted a 9-8 record with the Bucs in 2023, completed 64.3% of his passes, and threw 28 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions while playing on a one-year, $4 million deal. Mayfield's success hasn't just been personal either. It also extended to the coaching staff.
The quarterback's play helped his offensive coordinator land a head coaching job in two of those three seasons. Dave Canales ended up with the Panthers in 2024 and Liam Coen was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2025.
Whether Mayfield can continue parlaying that success into another extension from Tampa Bay is up in the air. One way or another, it appears to be a place that the quarterback has no interest in leaving.
"We built roots here in Tampa," Mayfield said. We love the community. We love being here. They've embraced us and we enjoy being here. Obviously gonna raise kids here."
The ball is now in the Bucs' court. And time is ticking.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Baker Mayfield says contract negotiations aren't close with Buccaneers