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Though Baker Mayfield had a resurgent 2023 season that proved that he can be a franchise player, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have to move on from him. He was on a heavily discounted one-year deal, and he earned a lengthy and lucrative deal, but the Bucs might not be able to afford it.
He could earn somewhere around $20 million AAV, and that's not an ideal price tag for the Buccaneers. That's why one NFL insider believes they'll take a look in the draft for a replacement.
There are a few first-round quarterbacks, and they believe Michael Penix Jr. is a great fit for the team, if he's still around when the Bucs get to pick. Kyle Stackpole of CBS Sports mocked the Washington QB to Tampa:
"Bruce Arians is no longer the head coach in Tampa Bay, but he still holds a lot of power as a senior adviser to GM Jason Licht. And one QB who he has gushed over is Michael Penix Jr. In this mock, the Buccaneers get the all clear about Penix's medicals and draft the Washington signal-caller to replace Baker Mayfield in 2024."
The Bucs are picking 26th, which may make it difficult. Most analysts believe all but maybe one first-round QB will be taken by then, and there could be a run on them.
Why the Bucs might not keep Baker Mayfield
It was a tremendous season for Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He put together a career year and proved that he could be the guy if the team wants him. They just might not be able to.
Mike Evans is a free agent. Lavonte David and Devin White are, too. Those players won't be cheap to retain for the Bucs, and adding Mayfield's potential salary makes it even harder.
Plus, Mayfield's offensive coordinator, who may have largely been responsible for the turnaround, is with the Carolina Panthers now, so there might be a step down for the QB. All of that, plus the cheap nature of rookie QBs, makes it hard to see whether or not Tampa will be able to keep Mayfield.
