Buccaneers

• According to Pro Football Talk, Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield‘s three-year, $100 million contract extension includes a $10 million roster bonus due three days after signing and a guaranteed $10 million 2026 base salary. 
• In 2027, Mayfield is due a guaranteed $48.65 million roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year and a $1.35 million base salary. 
• In 2028, Mayfield has a $50 million base salary that’s guaranteed for injury at signing, with $20 million becoming fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2027 league year and the remainder a year later in 2028. 
• In 2029, Mayfield has a $2.5 million roster bonus due on the fifth day of the league year and a $52.5 million base salary. 

Panthers

Panthers owner Dave Tepper hadn’t taken questions from reporters for the past three years before a short press gaggle recently, but media members have long memories. One of the first things Tepper was asked about was his glowing praise for QB Bryce Young after drafting him with the No. 1 pick in 2023, including saying he believed Young could win multiple Super Bowls. Tepper was asked if he still had that much confidence in Young. 

“I think he has a lot of talent,” Tepper said via The Athletic’s Joe Person, “and with the right weapons and the right situation, yeah.”

Tepper was cagey when asked about whether the team had offered Young a long-term deal — “I’m not saying we have or we haven’t. You should talk to (GM) Dan (Morgan)” — but he did say he believed Young could make another stride forward in his game. 

“You saw it. He can and he has performed at a high level against high-level competition,” Tepper said. “It seems to bring the best out of him. Bryce is the sort of guy that doesn’t feel the pressure. You saw that against the Rams twice. When you have that kind of performance, you know it’s there. Can he bring it every single game? I believe he can. You know it’s there. Like I said, I’m a believer and hopefully it comes true.”

Panthers

The Panthers made the playoffs last year for the first time since owner Dave Tepper bought the team. However, the team is still chasing another important milestone, and that’s where Tepper has his sights set. 

“I’ve said it for a long time about the Carolina Panthers, and maybe it’s in the water. So I won’t say just one season. I’d like to have two (consecutive) winning seasons for the first time in this franchise’s history,” via The Athletic’s Joe Person. “So I’d like to win this year and I’d like to win next year. I’d like to string wins. In other sports that I own, we string wins. Winning seasons. This one we haven’t. So I’d like to string winning seasons. That’s success.”

Even though the Panthers won the NFC South last year, they were still just 8-9 so the team has a long road ahead to meet Tepper’s goal. He went in more detail on his expectations for this year and balancing those against outside expectations, which seem to be more modest. 

“Last year’s team, I kind of said we’re not a playoff team but we can get in the playoffs. I think we’re more of a playoff team this year than we were last year coming into it,” Tepper said. “When you have winning seasons in the preseason, it kind of plays into your depth. So I think Dan’s done a good job building the depth. I think the pieces are there and we have everything we need.”

“I know all the expectations you guys write about,” he added. “I know what the odds are, that we have 7.5 wins (this) season. Those are the expectations, and the expectations are based on last year. So if we improve on some of those things (from) last year — for instance, we can’t have all come-from-behind wins in the NFL. If we get fast starts this year, fast starts to games, we’re gonna win.”