Mayfield discussed his disappointment in not receiving a contract extension from Tampa Bay before training camp in his Thursday press conference.
Ranking NFL's top 25 potential free agents in 2027
Article ranks the top 25 potential NFL free agents in 2027, with Baker Mayfield highlighted as a marquee prospect.
Scoring Zone's Take
Baker Mayfield's frustration over the Buccaneers' failure to extend him before camp is a storyline worth monitoring but carries no direct fantasy impact right now — this is a contract dispute, not an injury, benching, or depth-chart change. He remains Tampa Bay's starting quarterback heading into the season, and nothing in these reports suggests his on-field role or workload is in question.
For draft prep, treat Mayfield as you would any other established starting QB with a defined offense, without discounting him for the contract noise. The bigger red flag is the mention that he's being framed as a marquee name on 2027 free-agent lists, which signals real uncertainty about his long-term situation in Tampa Bay beyond this season. That's a dynasty and keeper-league consideration more than anything relevant to a single-season redraft — if you're in a long-term format, this is a nudge to watch for further extension talk (or lack thereof) as camp progresses, since a disgruntled or unresolved contract situation can occasionally affect motivation, negotiating leverage, or even trade rumors down the line.
Bottom line: draft Mayfield based on his standard QB1/QB2 value in Tampa's offense; don't let the contract drama push him down your board yet. This is a low-confidence, speculative situation at this stage — no source indicates any competition for the starting job or a change in offensive scheme. Monitor for updates closer to camp, but there's no actionable start/sit or add/drop move here today.