Buccaneers Expected To Target Baker Mayfield As Potential Starter

According to Ian Rapoport, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to target Rams QB Baker Mayfield as a potential starting option once free agency begins. 

Mayfield will compete with former second-round QB Kyle Trask, who is currently the only other quarterback on the roster. 

Tampa Bay has come up as a potential suitor for Mayfield, as they’re one of the best spots for him to still land a starting gig in 2023. They also don’t have a lot to spend and Mayfield could be cheap, perhaps costing only $8 million or so. 

The legal tampering period begins Monday at noon which is when teams can start negotiating deals with potential free agents, though these conversations usually have begun much earlier. 

Mayfield, 27, was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick out of Oklahoma in 2018. He played out the fourth year of a four-year, $32.68 million rookie deal that included a $21.85 million signing bonus. 

The Browns exercised Mayfield’s fifth-year option which would have cost Cleveland $18.858 million fully guaranteed in 2022. However, Cleveland traded Mayfield to Carolina in exchange for a conditional 2024 fourth-round draft pick. 

Cleveland agreed to cover $10.5 million of Mayfield’s salary with the Panthers paying out the rest. However, Carolina cut Mayfield during the season and he was claimed off waivers by the Rams. 

In 2022, Mayfield appeared in seven games for the Panthers and five games for the Rams. He completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,163 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown.

We’ll have more on Mayfield as the news is available.