The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a new quarterback, reportedly agreeing to a one-year contract with Baker Mayfield a month and a half after Tom Brady announced his NFL retirement.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wednesday, citing sources, that Mayfield's deal is worth up to $8.5 million. Schefter's colleague, Jenna Laine, added the agreement starts at $4 million.
It's not a guarantee Mayfield will begin the 2023 season as Tampa Bay's starter, as the Buccaneers theoretically could hand the offensive keys to 2021 second-round draft pick Kyle Trask. But Mayfield's arrival adds veteran competition, if nothing else, as the Bucs turn the page on the TB12 era.
Mayfield, drafted No. 1 overall by the Browns in 2018, spent four seasons as Cleveland's starting QB, a stretch that featured both highs and lows. The Browns traded Mayfield to the Panthers last offseason, and he appeared in seven games (six starts) with Carolina before finishing the 2022 campaign with the Los Angeles Rams.
A lightning rod throughout his NFL tenure and college career at Oklahoma, Mayfield is entering his age-28 season. At this point, it's fair to question whether he's equipped to handle a starting job -- on a good team, at least -- but Tampa Bay didn't have many options. And perhaps Mayfield will benefit from working with news Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales.
Tampa Bay's offense regressed in 2022, with a 45-year-old Brady at the helm, thanks in large to injuries. Turning to Mayfield probably won't solve all that ailed the Bucs as they embark upon a new chapter in franchise history three years removed from winning Super Bowl LV, but it's nonetheless a fascinating move with NFL free agency underway.
