The Buccaneers have their quarterback, in Baker Mayfield. But Mayfield has a contract for only one more season.
Where do things stand when it comes to Mayfield getting a new deal?
G.M. Jason Licht recently appeared on WDAE radio in Tampa, and he was asked whether discussions have commenced.
“Baker is at the forefront of our mind at all times,” Licht said, via JoeBucsFan.com. “All of our plans revolve around Baker, and that’s something that we’ll get to at some point. I have had a lot of discussions with Baker about the team. We texted during the draft about some of the picks. I know he’s excited about the players that we took. We have a great relationship. Listen, nobody here wants Baker playing for [any] other team. So I’ll just leave it at that.”
It’s one thing to want to keep him; it’s another thing to land at the right numbers.
After playing under a one-year deal in 2023, Mayfield became eligible for free agency. Even though the Bucs didn’t apply the franchise tag, no other serious contenders emerged (even though they should have). Mayfield ultimately signed a three-year, $100 million contract.
So what’s the right figure now? Look at the market. Consider where Mayfield fits in it.
The market is the market. The cap is the cap. And both keep going up.
Delay never makes it any cheaper. New deals will be done to push the bar higher.
If there isn’t a new contract before the start of the 2026 regular season, things could get interesting. A big season could put the franchise tag in play. And if the Bucs decide not to tag him again, he could become an attractive option for anyone looking for a new starter in 2027.
Every year, there will be.
Bucs Clips
ESPN won’t comment on whether it will be reviewing the reporting of former ESPN (and The Athletic) reporter Dianna Russini, given the photos published last week of Russini with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel in March 2020. That won’t stop others from reviewing her reporting as to matters relating to Vrabel’s team at the time.
As it relates to the 2021 trade that sent receiver Julio Jones from the Falcons to the Titans, it’s fair to wonder whether the reporting was calculated to help Tennessee secure the player under the most favorable terms.
Tony Farmer, who has been extensively covering the situation on Twitter, has found another report that objectively merits scrutiny.
As Farmer notes, Russini reported — only four days after the March 2020 photos reportedly were taken — that the Titans were “not interested” in quarterback Tom Brady, and that they were instead focused on extending the contract of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who had been named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2019.
While this item lacks the potential strategic benefits to the Titans of the Julio Jones reporting, it’s another bread crumb on a trail that people are now examining. And it’s fair to question whether the Titans were simply putting a positive P.R. spin on the possibility that the Brady had said “no thanks” to the Titans before the Titans created the impression that they were saying “no thanks” to Brady.
Although the 2020 negotiating window had not yet opened, rampant Brady tampering was happening. Teams were talking to him (and about him) before the official window for talking to him (or about him) had opened. It’s not unreasonable to think that, by March 15, he had crossed Tennessee off the list.
For now, it’s another piece of a puzzle that spans at least six years. And it underscores the reality that the NFL insider game isn’t about gumshoe reporting. It’s about leveraging the right relationships in order to be in position to be handed key pieces information, sometimes in ways that potentially benefit the source.
This latest nugget also helps explain ESPN’s relative silence regarding the entire story. ESPN largely ignored it until it had no choice but to cover it. While some have suggested it’s a result of the NFL’s recent acquisition of a 10-percent stake in ESPN, it’s possible ESPN doesn’t want to face the question of what it knew, and when it knew it.
Buccaneers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey is now under contract for the 2027 season.
The Bucs announced on Monday that they have exercised their option on Kancey’s contract for a fifth year. Kancey is now guaranteed $15.451 million for the 2027 campaign and the door remains open for him to sign a multi-year contract extension with the club.
Kancey missed all but three games last season with a torn pectoral muscle and he missed eight games over his first two season with other ailments. He has started 28 of the 29 regular season games and all three postseason games he has played since entering the NFL.
Kancey has 55 tackles, 11.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the regular season as well as seven tackles and 1.5 sacks during his playoff action.
It wasn’t hard to find mock drafts predicting edge rusher Rueben Bain would be off the board in the first 10 picks, but it wound up being a little later in the first round before his name was called.
Bain remained available until the Buccaneers plucked him with the 15th overall selection, which is often the kind of scenario that leads to players saying they’ll have an extra chip on their shoulder toward the teams that passed on him. Bain avoided going to that well in his first press conference with the Bucs, however.
Bain said his “mindset is always to have a bit of edge to me” and that his experience with the draft last Thursday isn’t going to alter that.
“I feel like it won’t change anything,” Bain said, via a transcript from the team. “My motivation is myself. I always want to be the best player on the field no matter what. No outside factor is going to kind of weigh into that. I’m going to play the game just as if I was playing anybody else – that’s with all my effort. When you see that, people are going to see the kind of player I am.”
Bucs General Manager Jason Licht said it was a pleasant surprise that Bain was available to the team with the 15th pick and they’ll continue to celebrate their good fortune if his college production carries over to the NFL ranks.
Veteran offensive tackle Donovan Smith announced his retirement on Sunday.
Smith, 32, played nine seasons in the NFL but has not appeared in a game since 2023.
“Dear Football,” Smith wrote in his announcement. “When I first started out this journey in seventh grade, I didn’t know what the other side would hold. . . . Football has made me feel and experience every emotion imaginable.
“Thank you to all that has helped me through the years along my football career. It has allowed me to grow and experience life in ways I can’t put into words.”
The Buccaneers made Smith a second-round pick in 2015, and he played eight seasons in Tampa. He spent 2023 with the Chiefs.
Smith won two Super Bowl rings, one with the Bucs and one with the Chiefs.
He started all 136 games he played in his career.
Earlier this month, a report surfaced about Rueben Bain’s involvement in a fatal vehicular collision in March 2024. The Bucs were not caught off guard by the news, having done their homework on the University of Miami edge rusher.
Tampa Bay drafted Bain 15th overall on Thursday.
“We’ve known about this for a long time. I know it just came out a couple of weeks ago,” Bucs General Manager Jason Licht said, via Jenna Laine of ESPN. “It was a very tragic accident, tragic experience for the family, and it’s something you never want to see happen. But he’s a good person. He was involved in something that none of us ever want to be involved in or want any of our loved ones to be involved in. But he loves football. He loves football.”
Bain was driving on I-95 in Miami at 4 a.m. on March 17, 2024, when his Land Rover SUV rear-ended another car and slammed into concrete barriers. One of his three passengers, 22-year-old Destiny Betts, was in a coma for nearly three months before dying.
Bain was cited at the time of the incident, but charges were dropped before Betts’ death.
The crash became public knowledge on April 12. The story by The Read Optional included a statement by the Betts’ family, calling it a “tragic accident” and wishing “Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career.”
Bain was asked what the past two weeks have been like after the wreck became public.
“Yeah, you know everything has its ups and downs, but I just try to make everything simple as it could possibly be,” Bain said. “Try to prioritize whatever I prioritize in the moment. And right now, that’s just football and making sure I can just really make it as a main priority for me.”
Bain, at No. 15 overall, is the highest-drafted edge rusher the Bucs have selected since Licht became General Manager in 2014.
University of Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. was one of the most productive players in the country last season. His 30 7/8-inch arm length scared off some teams.
It did not scare off the Buccaneers, who ended up with a player who could prove a steal.
Tampa Bay used the 15th overall pick on Bain, who made 9.5 sacks for the Hurricanes last season and 20.5 for his three-year career.
The Buccaneers badly needed help at the position.
Yaya Diaby led them in sacks in 2025 with only seven, and Shaquil Barrett’s 10 sacks in 2021 was the last time the Bucs had a double-digit sacks leader.
Running back Sean Tucker is back on the roster in Tampa Bay.
The NFL’s daily transaction report shows that Tucker re-signed with the team on Monday. Tucker was tendered as a restricted free agent earlier in the offseason, but did not sign an offer sheet with another team.
Tucker will make $3.52 million under the terms of the tender offer.
Tucker signed with the Bucs after going undrafted out of Syracuse in 2023 and he has appeared in 45 games over the last three seasons. He had career highs with 86 carries, 320 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns during the 2025 season.
Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell will also be part of the backfield mix in Tampa this season.
The NFL has announced the names of the current and former players that will take part in next week’s draft by announcing second-round picks.
The list includes players associated with all 32 teams, including Cardinals running back James Conner. Conner has strong ties to the Pittsburgh area after playing for the Steelers and attending Pitt, which likely made him an easy choice as the Cardinals’ representative.
Former Bears tackle Jimbo Covert, former Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett, former Chiefs defensive lineman Bill Maas, current Vikings tackle Brian O’Neill, former Jets running back Curtis Martin, and former 49ers punter Andy Lee are other Pitt alums who are set to take part.
The hometown team will be represented by four players. Former Steelers Jerome Bettis and John Stallworth will be joined by Joey Porter Sr. and Jr. next Friday.
The other players taking part and their team affiliations appear below:
Falcons: Michael Turner
Ravens: Mark Ingram
Bills: Shane Conlan
Panthers: Jake Delhomme
Bengals: Ken Anderson
Browns: Phil Dawson
Cowboys: Drew Pearson
Broncos: T.J. Ward
Lions: Calvin Johnson
Packers: John Kuhn
Texans: Billy Miller
Colts: Pat McAfee
Jaguars: Paul Posluszny
Raiders: Matt Millen
Chargers: Shawne Merriman
Rams: Tavon Austin
Dolphins: Dwight Stephenson
Patriots: Deion Branch
Saints: Marques Colston
Giants: Osi Umenyiora
Eagles: Brian Westbrook
Seahawks: Cliff Avril
Buccaneers: Ronde Barber
Titans: Jeffery Simmons
Commanders: Mark Rypien
Raymond James Stadium opened in 1998. At a time when at least one younger NFL stadium is being replaced (Cleveland), the Buccaneers are trying to get their 28-year-old building renovated.
Via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, team officials have met with the Tampa Sports Authority to discuss the project.
“I can confirm that we met recently with the Tampa Sports Authority, Hillsborough County, and the City of Tampa to discuss developing a long-term plan that supports the stadium’s ability to continue hosting major events which contribute to the success of our region,” Bucs chief operating officer Brian Ford said in a statement issued to the Times. “As Raymond James Stadium enters its 29th year, our goal is to ensure it remains a competitive premier sports and entertainment venue for the Tampa Bay community well into the future.”
The venue has hosted three Super Bowls. Absent a major renovation, it could be hard to get a fourth.
The Buccaneers face a deadline of January 31, 2027, to exercise an option to extend the lease at the facility for five more years.
The conversations have commenced at a time when the local baseball team hopes to build a $2.3 billion new stadium across the street from the football stadium.
The parties reportedly did not discuss the cost of a significant overhaul. It’s believed to approach if not exceed $1 billion. It also could require the Buccaneers to play a season in Orlando or elsewhere while the upgrades are made.
