Baker Mayfield to play 2026 season without new contract with Bucs - NBC Sports

What the report says

NBCSports.com’s Pro Football Talk reported that Baker Mayfield is expected to enter the 2026 NFL season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers without a revised deal, after the quarterback arrived for training camp Tuesday. The report, by Myles Simmons, cited Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times and Greg Auman of FOX Sports as saying contract discussions between Mayfield and the team have ended for now.

According to NBCSports.com, that account contrasts with an ESPN report suggesting there was still a window for the sides to reach an agreement. Mayfield had indicated during the offseason that the opening of training camp would serve as his cutoff point for negotiations. With that deadline now passed, the quarterback is positioned to play the final season of his current contract.

The article reported that Mayfield carries a 2026 salary-cap figure of $39.975 million and is scheduled to become a free agent in March. It also noted that Tampa Bay could use the franchise tag in the 2027 offseason depending on how the season unfolds, which would put him in line for a one-year tender worth $47.97 million. NBCSports.com added that the Buccaneers may have to weigh whether that would be the best allocation of team resources.

The development matters because quarterback contract decisions can shape roster planning, salary-cap flexibility and a team’s long-term direction. For now, the Buccaneers and Mayfield appear headed into the season with his future beyond 2026 unresolved.