Baker Mayfield bet on himself last season.
This may be a cliché, but consider that betting on yourself usually means there is no better market. But Mayfield gave hope to everyone else taking on the challenge.
Mayfield had a good season on a cheap one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and his gamble paid off in a big way.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Baker and the Bucs are reportedly close to a deal that would keep Mayfield in Tampa for three years, paying him $100 million with half of that guaranteed.
source: #Bucks They are close to signing QB Baker Mayfield, helping to establish a home base for Tampa Bay's starting pitcher. He signs a three-year contract worth $100 million with $50 million guaranteed.
The Bucks continue to work on preserving their core. pic.twitter.com/Ir28N6cDt1
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2024
This is an impressive career comeback considering where Mayfield will be at the end of the 2022 season.
Baker Mayfield makes a strong comeback
Mayfield signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Buccaneers. Reserve players like Taylor Heinicke and Jarrett Stidham earned more money per season with deals last offseason. But for Mayfield, it was a chance to become a starter on a team with salary cap issues due to Tom Brady's retirement.
Mayfield won the job with a solid preseason and continued to do so once the regular season began. He threw for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns. The Buccaneers also won the NFC South and playoff games. Mayfield made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.
His career had stalled before then. The Browns were so eager to move on from him that they agreed to pay him $10.5 million of Mayfield's $15.5 million annual salary when they traded him to the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers benched Mayfield, who was struggling in a bad situation. Mayfield had some good moments with the Rams, including leading them to a win over the Las Vegas Raiders just days after being released and signed as an emergency starter during the season. Despite this, there wasn't much interest in him last offseason.
But Mayfield found the right person.
Mayfield and the Bucks had a good game.
The Buccaneers and Mayfield offered each other a lifeline. For the Bucs, it was a low-cost gamble on the former No. 1 overall draft pick as they move away from Brady. It was a way for Mayfield to get back on track as a starting quarterback in the NFL. It worked out as well as anyone expected.
Mayfield is not getting old. He is only 29 years old and has many prime years ahead of him. He is a former No. 1 draft pick, had some strong moments with the Cleveland Browns in the past, and had a Pro Bowl season with the Buccaneers. What used to be an unlikely career path was no different in college. Mayfield started his career as a walk-on and became the first player to win the Heisman Trophy.
Mayfield has bet on himself before and won. This gamble ended up paying off in my favor.
