Baker Mayfield: PAID

[Grahamburn]

You’re arguing that a better QB would have won a championship with this roster. Tom Brady literally had this exact some roster and couldn’t do what Baker Mayfield did.

Brady didn’t have the exact same roster… circumstances, or playbook, or coaching staff.

The anyone but Baker crowd are clearly out of touch for likening his year to Winston. Just let them, no need to swing to the other way.

Preaching either extreme just hurts credibility… for whatever credibility on a niche fan board matters haha

Not exactly but damn close.

[Deja Entendu]

Baker absolutely earned the right to a second contract here, but I do hope the team is verrrrry cautious with the structure (i.e. pack a parachute).

[Deja Entendu]

Brady didn’t have the exact same roster… circumstances, or playbook, or coaching staff.

The anyone but Baker crowd are clearly out of touch for likening his year to Winston. Just let them, no need to swing to the other way.

Preaching either extreme just hurts credibility… for whatever credibility on a niche fan board matters haha

Not exactly but damn close.

Not close enough, especially considering the other massive changes I mentioned.

[Grahamburn]

Not exactly but damn close.

Not close enough, especially considering the other massive changes I mentioned.

I wasn’t the one saying this 2023 Bucs roster was championship caliber being held back by poor QB play.

[These Are The Days]

It doesn't happen a lot but when it does....



I agree with Bootz here. What are we gonna do *RIGHT NOW* that's better than Baker? What exactly did he have to do more? Or better. $100 million guaranteed is the going rate for what we got from him. Moreover. Why can every front office in the universe figure out how to navigate a reload and cap hell but we can't? We won a playoff game and won the division. It's a start. It's better than anything we ever got with Winston. We need to do what great franchises do in this situation. Keep grinding and find a way to win. Keep building around him. Unless of course you want another 5 win season with some rookie or Trask. By all means go ahead. For all we know we'll be in the NFCCG next year and Baker tosses 30 tuddys and you will look foolish for balking at $100 million guaranteed.

We were 1 bad quarter away from it happening THIS YEAR. What in God's name does this team have to lose after being irrelevant for 15 years before we had the dream that was Tom Brady?

[Deja Entendu]

Another part of this is, if we continue to build around Baker and he turns out to not be the answer, we should have a very good and more seasoned roster to plug a new QB into in a year or two.

No one is saying throw everything we have at him, or sacrifice being able to fill other holes.

We got this far with Baker with clearly greater deficiencies than QB play. Address those needs, and roll into next year with the expectation we are even better after improvements to the roster and more continuity.

[acmillis]

So can this franchise at qb…

Give us a name then of someone who WILL be better in 2024 than Baker was in 2023.

Next year - probably nobody available to us which is why I’ve said repeatedly, tag him.
In the future- half the starting qbs in the league now, and half the rookies coming into the league.

I’m focused on the long term success of this franchise, and personally, I think Baker detracts from that LONG TERM

[Bootz]

Give us a name then of someone who WILL be better in 2024 than Baker was in 2023.

Next year - probably nobody available to us which is why I’ve said repeatedly, tag him.
In the future- half the starting qbs in the league now, and half the rookies coming into the league.

I’m focused on the long term success of this franchise, and personally, I think Baker detracts from that LONG TERM

So your answer is upwards of 20+ guys, which means you don't have one.

[Navybuc]

Who might be better than Baker that’s out there? Bo Nix. JJ McCarthy. Michael Penix. Those are guys who will could be available when we pick. Jayden Daniels may be there, too, depending on his workouts. Now will they be better than him? That’s something for the GM to figure out and decide on. They very well could.

If I was to move on from Baker, I think the draft is the best strategy. I’m not for going after someone like Cousins or Jimmy G. Russel Wilson? Maybe.

[acmillis]

Next year - probably nobody available to us which is why I’ve said repeatedly, tag him.
In the future- half the starting qbs in the league now, and half the rookies coming into the league.

I’m focused on the long term success of this franchise, and personally, I think Baker detracts from that LONG TERM

So your answer is upwards of 20+ guys, which means you don't have one.

Wrong. I’m saying that bad Baker, which based on his history will be who we get next year, is so bad that there will literally be 20 dudes that are better than him…so take your pick, chief.

[Grahamburn]

Moxie. Swagger. Guts. Dude’s entire career was on the line and he delivered.

Pay him. He earned it.

[Primeminister]

@CannonFire is on a level of delusion rarely seen

[Bootz]

@CannonFire is on a level of delusion rarely seen

It’s like something cracked and he’s gone from the realm of reality.

[Primeminister]

@CannonFire is on a level of delusion rarely seen

It’s like something cracked and he’s gone from the realm of reality.

The arguments don’t make any sense at all either

[uscbucsfan1]

You’re arguing that a better QB would have won a championship with this roster. Tom Brady literally had this exact some roster and couldn’t do what Baker Mayfield did.

Brady didn’t have the exact same roster… circumstances, or playbook, or coaching staff.

The anyone but Baker crowd are clearly out of touch for likening his year to Winston. Just let them, no need to swing to the other way.

Preaching either extreme just hurts credibility… for whatever credibility on a niche fan board matters haha

Brady also didn't play well. We are allowed to say that Brady wasn't good last year while acknowledging that the pieces around him didn't do well either. He was distracted, tired, whatever...but not the same dude.

[Primeminister]

Brady didn’t have the exact same roster… circumstances, or playbook, or coaching staff.

The anyone but Baker crowd are clearly out of touch for likening his year to Winston. Just let them, no need to swing to the other way.

Preaching either extreme just hurts credibility… for whatever credibility on a niche fan board matters haha

Brady also didn't play well. We are allowed to say that Brady wasn't good last year while acknowledging that the pieces around him didn't do well either. He was distracted, tired, whatever...but not the same dude.

2022 Brady doesn’t win the Super Bowl in 2020.

[Terry Tate]

You’re arguing that a better QB would have won a championship with this roster. Tom Brady literally had this exact some roster and couldn’t do what Baker Mayfield did.

Brady didn’t have the exact same roster… circumstances, or playbook, or coaching staff.

The anyone but Baker crowd are clearly out of touch for likening his year to Winston. Just let them, no need to swing to the other way.

Preaching either extreme just hurts credibility… for whatever credibility on a niche fan board matters haha

Brady had a lot of things working against him last year. Injuries, personal drama and most damning of all, Byron Leftwich.

If Lefty was still here, Baker wouldn't have made the playoffs either.

[Primeminister]

Brady didn’t have the exact same roster… circumstances, or playbook, or coaching staff.

The anyone but Baker crowd are clearly out of touch for likening his year to Winston. Just let them, no need to swing to the other way.

Preaching either extreme just hurts credibility… for whatever credibility on a niche fan board matters haha

Brady had a lot of things working against him last year. Injuries, personal drama and most damning of all, Byron Leftwich.

If Lefty was still here, Baker wouldn't have made the playoffs either.

Brady also had 2022 Brady working against him. He simply did not play well last season. It’s okay to admit that especially given that it was the final year of the GOAT career. He finally lost “it”.

[Cheb]

For those bemoaning our cap space and ability to pay Baker and friends, we have PLENTY of room to make moves.

We have $47 million in cap space as of today.
If we designated Russell Gage a post June-1 cut, we clear another $10 million, so that's up to $57 million in space.

And then we hit restructure town, where the real savings live. If we restructure the following core dudes, our cap space literally explodes:

Chris Godwin - $14 mil
Vita Vea - $10.8 mil
Carlton Davis - $9.6 mil
Tristan Wirfs - $12.8 mil
Jamel Dean - $8.1 mil

That's an extra $55.3 million in cap space if we make all those moves, which would give us a total of $113.4 million in cap space. That is by far the most in the NFL, nearly $40 million more than the Commanders who currently lead the league in cap space.

Let's pay Baker, AWJ, and Evans. Build a stronger team around them, improve our edge rush and interior offensive line and get a strong safety who can ball out, and I think we absolutely can be a top team in the NFC next season.

Go Bucs.

[Primeminister]

For those bemoaning our cap space and ability to pay Baker and friends, we have PLENTY of room to make moves.

We have $47 million in cap space as of today.
If we designated Russell Gage a post June-1 cut, we clear another $10 million, so that's up to $57 million in space.

And then we hit restructure town, where the real savings live. If we restructure the following core dudes, our cap space literally explodes:

Chris Godwin - $14 mil
Vita Vea - $10.8 mil
Carlton Davis - $9.6 mil
Tristan Wirfs - $12.8 mil
Jamel Dean - $8.1 mil

That's an extra $55.3 million in cap space if we make all those moves, which would give us a total of $113.4 million in cap space. That is by far the most in the NFL, nearly $40 million more than the Commanders who currently lead the league in cap space.

Let's pay Baker, AWJ, and Evans. Build a stronger team around them, improve our edge rush and interior offensive line and get a strong safety who can ball out, and I think we absolutely can be a top team in the NFC next season.

Go Bucs.

Thank you for breaking it down. Let’s see if this calms down the nancies

[Babeinbucland]

Who might be better than Baker that’s out there? Bo Nix. JJ McCarthy. Michael Penix. Those are guys who will could be available when we pick. Jayden Daniels may be there, too, depending on his workouts. Now will they be better than him? That’s something for the GM to figure out and decide on. They very well could.

If I was to move on from Baker, I think the draft is the best strategy. I’m not for going after someone like Cousins or Jimmy G. Russel Wilson? Maybe.

You can’t seriously be saying that someone who has never played a down in the NFL is better than Baker. Just how high are you to even put that in writing?

Please remember who Baker was when he came into the draft:
Records set by Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield's name appears 13 times in the FBS record book.


2016 passing champion: 196.4 rating
2017 passing champion: 198.9 rating
1st in Memorial Stadium history in total offense: 572 yards vs. Tulsa (2015)
1st in FBS history in highest average gain per play in a game (min. 37 plays): 14.84 yards/play vs. Texas Tech, Oct. 22, 2016
1st in Oklahoma history in completion percentage in a season: .709 (2016)
1st in Oklahoma history in completion percentage in a career: .698
1st, 3rd, 6th in Oklahoma history in passing yards in a game: 598 yards; 545 yards; 487 yards
1st in Oklahoma history in touchdown passes in a game: Seven touchdowns
1st in Oklahoma history in total offense in a game: 589 yards vs. Oklahoma State, Nov. 4, 2017
1st, 2nd, 5th in Oklahoma history in completion percentage in a season: .709 (2016); .705 (2017); .681 (2015)
T-1st in Oklahoma history in career completion percentage (min. 200 attempts): .698
2nd in FBS history in career passing efficiency (min. 500 completions): 175.4
2nd in Oklahoma history in career passing yards: 12,292 yards
2nd in Oklahoma history in career completions: 808 completions
3rd in FBS history in career passing yards per attempt: 9.76 yards/attempt
3rd, 7th, 9th in Oklahoma history in passing yards in a season: 4,627 yards (2017); 3,965 yards (2016); 3,700 yards (2015)
4th, 5th in FBS history in single-season passing efficiency: 198.9 (2017), 196.4 (2016)
T-4th in career touchdown passes: 131 touchdown passes
5th in FBS history in career yards: 15,690 yards
7th in FBS history in career passing yards: 14,607 passing yards
11th in FBS history in career yards per game: 326.9 yards/game
T-21st in FBS history in single-game passing yards: 598 passing yards vs. Oklahoma State, Nov. 4, 2017
22nd in FBS history in career passing yards per game (min. 6,000 yards): 304.3 passing yards/game
Responsible for the longest Oklahoma passing play in Memorial Stadium: 88 yards to Dede Westbrook vs. Kansas State (2016)
CHAMPS: Complete national championship history for the FBS
CHAMPS: Complete national championship history for the FBS

What were some of Baker Mayfield's best games in college?

Baker Mayfield put up massive numbers starting with his first-ever college game, when he completed 43-of-60 passes for 413 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions against SMU, while adding a touchdown on the ground. That would remain his career-best in terms of single-game passing yards and touchdowns for more than a year. Later in his freshman season at Texas Tech, Mayfield threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns against Stephen F. Austin and 314 yards and four touchdowns against Baylor. He eclipsed the 200-yard mark in seven of his eight games as a freshman, including four games with at least 300 yards.

After sitting out the 2014 season after transferring to Oklahoma, Mayfield emerged as an even more prolific quarterback in 2015. In his first three games with the Sooners, he threw for 10 touchdowns and ran for four more, including 487 yards, four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns against Tulsa.

Playing on the road against Kansas as a redshirt sophomore, the Oklahoma gunslinger completed 27-of-32 passes for 383 yards and four touchdowns.

During his first Heisman Trophy finalist season in 2016, Mayfield threw for multiple touchdowns in all 13 games Oklahoma played, including a huge revenge game against his former school: 27-of-36 passing for 545 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions.


He threw for 346 yards and four touchdowns against Kansas State, 328 yards and four touchdowns at Iowa State, and 288 yards and three scores against Oklahoma State. In Oklahoma's bowl win over Auburn, Mayfield was 19-for-28 passing for 296 yards, two touchdowns and no picks.

After being a Heisman finalist as a redshirt junior, he won the award in his last year of college, starting the season with 15 touchdowns and no interceptions through Oklahoma's first five games:

UTEP: 19-for-20, 329 yards, three touchdowns
Ohio State: 27-for-35, 386 yards, three touchdowns
Tulane: 17-for-27, 331 yards, four touchdowns
Baylor: 13-for-19, 283 yards, three touchdowns
Iowa State: 24-for-33, 306 yards, two touchdowns
Mayfield threw for 410 yards and two touchdowns (while running in two more) on the road against Kansas State. He completed 24-of-36 attempts for 598 yards and five touchdowns against Oklahoma State, which was followed by a four-game stretch with 13 passing touchdowns and no interceptions. The last game in that stretch was the Big 12 Championship against TCU, when Mayfield was 15-for-23 for 243 yards and four scores.


In the College Football Playoff against Georgia, Oklahoma's quarterback was 23-of-35 for 287 yards and two touchdowns passing, plus a receiving touchdown.

What awards did Baker Mayfield win in college?

2017 Heisman Trophy winner
2017 Walter Camp Award winner
2017 Manning Award winner
2017 Davey O'Brien Award winner
2017 Maxwell Award winner
2017 Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award winner
2017 AP Player of the Year
2017 Sporting News Player of the Year
2017 First Team All-American
2016 Heisman Trophy finalist
2016 Burlsworth Trophy winner
2015 Burlsworth Trophy winner
2015 Sporting News Player of the Year
2015 First Team All-American
What did people say about Baker Mayfield?

Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Sept. 2013): "Texas Tech quarterback Baker Mayfield was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after passing for 413 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-23 win at SMU. The true freshman walk-on broke the record for most completions (43 of 60) by a quarterback in a career debut. The last Texas Tech freshman quarterback to earn Big 12 honors? Red Raiders coach Kliff Kingsbury back in 1999."
The Odessa (Tex.) American (Sept. 2013): "The Red Raiders are No. 2 in the nation in passing offense (453.5 yards per game) behind freshman walk-on quarterback Baker Mayfield, who's third nationally in yards passing (390 ypg)."
Former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury (Dec. 2013): "He was emphatic that he wanted to start somewhere fresh. I'm the biggest Baker Mayfield fan in the world and will cheer for him. It's just one of the deals that it just didn't work out here. Hopefully, he has a long career somewhere else."
Ryan Aber of The Daily Oklahoman (Sept. 2015): "Baker Mayfield said after he was named Oklahoma's starting quarterback that he didn't get nervous before games and wouldn't be before the Sooners played Akron. He was wrong. Mayfield grew up rooting for the Sooners, one of the 85,000 in the stands instead of one of the 85 scholarship athletes on the field for OU. So it's no real surprise that there would be some unexpected nerves before he made his debut after sitting out last season."
Jason Kersey of The Daily Oklahoman (Sept. 2015): "Mayfield has injected life into an OU program that desperately needed it, especially after last season's crushing disappointment. He's thrown 10 touchdowns with only two interceptions, and rushed for four more scores, putting him among the nation's passing leaders at this point."
ABC analyst Ray Bentley (Oct. 2015): "Look at the way he hustles back to the huddle. I like the way Baker Mayfield plays the game of football. Then there's the quickness he has. He can stop and start on a dime, and guys just don't have a chance to get him."
The Daily Oklahoman (Oct. 2015): "Mayfield walked on as a freshman and opened the 2013 season as Tech's starter, but lost the job later in the season. Despite being named Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year, he had no scholarship offer on the horizon, and so he transferred to Oklahoma."
Baker Mayfield before playing Texas Tech for the first time (Oct. 2015): "It's human nature to try and get revenge. That's just how everybody works, but I've got to focus on doing my job and my job only, and that's going out and executing my stuff and helping our team win. That's what I'll be focused on this week."
Baker Mayfield (Sept. 2016): "We've had a couple of team meetings about how the season's not over. We can still run the table in the Big 12 and get to where we want to in the end. Yeah, playoffs might not be a part of that discussion, but we can still end up in a very good bowl game. To do that, we have to win out and win the Big 12 so it's that mindset, backs against the wall. It's all about us right now."
Berry Tramel of The Daily Oklahoma (Oct. 2016): "Baker Mayfield is high-energy and admitted that he tried to do too much early in the season. But in an emotion-charged return to Lubbock, Mayfield not only played within himself, he played a game for the ages. Mayfield scrambled with uncanny instincts, threw with superb accuracy and made consistently excellent decisions."
Berry Tramel of The Daily Oklahoman (Sept. 2017): "OU was led by the usual suspect, Baker Mayfield, who against Ohio State's ruffian defensive line played a game for the ages. The Buckeyes chased Mayfield all game long, but as usual, his numbers matched his style – 27-of-35 passing, 386 yards and three touchdowns."
Jenni Carlson of The Daily Oklahoman (Sept. 2017): "Saturday night after the Sooners dismantled Ohio State, the OU quarterback took a giant crimson flag for a victory lap – but he never made it all the way around Ohio Stadium. Instead, he took a detour and planted the flag at midfield. Well, he attempted to play it; Ohio State has synthetic grass, so it didn't exactly stick. I suspect how disrespectful you think Mayfield's actions were has a direct correlation to how much you like OU. Or don't."
Jenni Carlson of The Daily Oklahoman (Oct. 2017): "Seems like we could just go ahead and give Mayfield the Heisman Trophy right now. It's not just that they guy was a total gamer Saturday night, completing 32 of 41 passes for 410 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. It's not just that he's continuing to elevate his play week after week. His excellence comes down to this – he is so good that he is carrying a flawed team."
The Daily Oklahoman (Dec. 2017): "Baker Mayfield on Saturday night won the Heisman Trophy and became the (first) quarterback to place in the top four of three Heisman Trophy votings."


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Andy Wittry has written for Stadium, SI.com, Sporting News, the Indianapolis Star, Louisville Courier-Journal and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is a graduate of Indiana University.

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[CannonFire]

@CannonFire is on a level of delusion rarely seen

If the standpoint of this comment is coming from the pro-Baker Mayfield crowd, I see that as a compliment.

It's like the Winston years all over again. LOL. Some of you never learn.

[Bootz]

So what you're counting on with a rookie is for them to be an exception to history. In the 21st century, 7 rookie QBs have won a playoff game. 7 total in 23 years. Guess how many have won a Superbowl? 0.

Saying we're better off with a rookie is almost a hope or admission that we won't be competing in 2024.

[Doctor]

We were 6th in yards against in 2020. We’re 23rd this year in total yards and 28th against the pass.

We need a better defense and a running game. Baker is not the problem.

See, this is where I warn people that stats need context. If a team drives the ball from their 30 and scores three times they got 210 ypg and 21 pts. If they drive from their own 10 to our 10 but only get 3 FGs they got 240 yards and 9 ppg.

The first would rank better in yard defense, but honestly who gives a fuck.

Part of our very identity if forcing teams into very long drives to get points. That's why there is so much emphasis on turnovers and turnover protection. When teams score on us they score off turnovers, great field position, and stupid penalties sustaining drives. Camarda pins them back deep and then you let the defense loose.

There is a tapered aggressiveness to our scheme as well. When they're pinned deep we get very aggressive. We actually usually maintain quite high aggressive style for most of the field, at least on 1st and 2nd down. And I don't just mean blitzing, I mean actual play style you see our defenders really going for peanut punches and strip balls, sometimes to the detriment of a missed tackle. On 3rd down it's time to get off the field, fewer punches and more wrapped tackles short of the line. When they get inside the 30 we buckle up and the focus shifts more to damage control and score prevention. Which we're pretty damn good at. We gave up 19.1 ppg this year, only 5 teams were better and they were all playoff SB darlings.

Now don't get me wrong, there are still plenty of places this defense can improve. Of course. And I fully expect us to try to do exactly that. But this defense is really good and it doesn't even have all it's pieces yet.

[Doctor]

Brady also didn't play well. We are allowed to say that Brady wasn't good last year while acknowledging that the pieces around him didn't do well either. He was distracted, tired, whatever...but not the same dude.

2022 Brady doesn’t win the Super Bowl in 2020.

Damn... you're not wrong.

[Grahamburn]

We were 6th in yards against in 2020. We’re 23rd this year in total yards and 28th against the pass.

We need a better defense and a running game. Baker is not the problem.

See, this is where I warn people that stats need context. If a team drives the ball from their 30 and scores three times they got 210 ypg and 21 pts. If they drive from their own 10 to our 10 but only get 3 FGs they got 240 yards and 9 ppg.

The first would rank better in yard defense, but honestly who gives a fuck.

Part of our very identity if forcing teams into very long drives to get points. That's why there is so much emphasis on turnovers and turnover protection. When teams score on us they score off turnovers, great field position, and stupid penalties sustaining drives. Camarda pins them back deep and then you let the defense loose.

There is a tapered aggressiveness to our scheme as well. When they're pinned deep we get very aggressive. We actually usually maintain quite high aggressive style for most of the field, at least on 1st and 2nd down. And I don't just mean blitzing, I mean actual play style you see our defenders really going for peanut punches and strip balls, sometimes to the detriment of a missed tackle. On 3rd down it's time to get off the field, fewer punches and more wrapped tackles short of the line. When they get inside the 30 we buckle up and the focus shifts more to damage control and score prevention. Which we're pretty damn good at. We gave up 19.1 ppg this year, only 5 teams were better and they were all playoff SB darlings.

Now don't get me wrong, there are still plenty of places this defense can improve. Of course. And I fully expect us to try to do exactly that. But this defense is really good and it doesn't even have all it's pieces yet.

I get that. There's a depth to those statistics that digs team wide. I went to look at the 2020 defense's numbers to refute your point, but it's honestly all similarly in line with 2023 in the categories you mention. Turnovers, sacks, 3rd down percentage, etc are all fairly similar. We did get significantly more pressure on the QB in 2020 though at 27.5% (3rd) versus just 19.7% (19th) in 2023.

The yardage against has as much to do with sustaining our own offense as it does the defense giving up yards. But, that's where the running game comes in.

Get the pressure rate higher and we'll win on defense more often. Be more effective in the running game and we'll win on offense more often.

[13F11B]

For those bemoaning our cap space and ability to pay Baker and friends, we have PLENTY of room to make moves.

We have $47 million in cap space as of today.
If we designated Russell Gage a post June-1 cut, we clear another $10 million, so that's up to $57 million in space.

And then we hit restructure town, where the real savings live. If we restructure the following core dudes, our cap space literally explodes:

Chris Godwin - $14 mil
Vita Vea - $10.8 mil
Carlton Davis - $9.6 mil
Tristan Wirfs - $12.8 mil
Jamel Dean - $8.1 mil

That's an extra $55.3 million in cap space if we make all those moves, which would give us a total of $113.4 million in cap space. That is by far the most in the NFL, nearly $40 million more than the Commanders who currently lead the league in cap space.

Let's pay Baker, AWJ, and Evans. Build a stronger team around them, improve our edge rush and interior offensive line and get a strong safety who can ball out, and I think we absolutely can be a top team in the NFC next season.

Go Bucs.

How much to we clear for Jensen?

[Bootz]

For those bemoaning our cap space and ability to pay Baker and friends, we have PLENTY of room to make moves.

We have $47 million in cap space as of today.
If we designated Russell Gage a post June-1 cut, we clear another $10 million, so that's up to $57 million in space.

And then we hit restructure town, where the real savings live. If we restructure the following core dudes, our cap space literally explodes:

Chris Godwin - $14 mil
Vita Vea - $10.8 mil
Carlton Davis - $9.6 mil
Tristan Wirfs - $12.8 mil
Jamel Dean - $8.1 mil

That's an extra $55.3 million in cap space if we make all those moves, which would give us a total of $113.4 million in cap space. That is by far the most in the NFL, nearly $40 million more than the Commanders who currently lead the league in cap space.

Let's pay Baker, AWJ, and Evans. Build a stronger team around them, improve our edge rush and interior offensive line and get a strong safety who can ball out, and I think we absolutely can be a top team in the NFC next season.

Go Bucs.

How much to we clear for Jensen?

Absolutely nothing. His cap hit next year is only $5.9mil. But if we cut him we'd take a net cap hit of about $10mil+ thanks to Lict restructuring his deal and adding a void year.

[Grahamburn]

For those bemoaning our cap space and ability to pay Baker and friends, we have PLENTY of room to make moves.

We have $47 million in cap space as of today.
If we designated Russell Gage a post June-1 cut, we clear another $10 million, so that's up to $57 million in space.

And then we hit restructure town, where the real savings live. If we restructure the following core dudes, our cap space literally explodes:

Chris Godwin - $14 mil
Vita Vea - $10.8 mil
Carlton Davis - $9.6 mil
Tristan Wirfs - $12.8 mil
Jamel Dean - $8.1 mil

That's an extra $55.3 million in cap space if we make all those moves, which would give us a total of $113.4 million in cap space. That is by far the most in the NFL, nearly $40 million more than the Commanders who currently lead the league in cap space.

Let's pay Baker, AWJ, and Evans. Build a stronger team around them, improve our edge rush and interior offensive line and get a strong safety who can ball out, and I think we absolutely can be a top team in the NFC next season.

Go Bucs.

How much to we clear for Jensen?

Not a lot. Like $1.2M if he’s released or retires post 6/1. We can push his dead cap hit into next year though.

It might be worth it to see if he can play. Hainsey left a bit to be desired.

[Navybuc]

Who might be better than Baker that’s out there? Bo Nix. JJ McCarthy. Michael Penix. Those are guys who will could be available when we pick. Jayden Daniels may be there, too, depending on his workouts. Now will they be better than him? That’s something for the GM to figure out and decide on. They very well could.

If I was to move on from Baker, I think the draft is the best strategy. I’m not for going after someone like Cousins or Jimmy G. Russel Wilson? Maybe.

You can’t seriously be saying that someone who has never played a down in the NFL is better than Baker. Just how high are you to even put that in writing?

Oh Babe. Learn to read. It's always been a weakness of yours. I bolded the keywords for you so maybe you'll understand it better. Just like when the Chiefs drafted Patrick Mahomes thinking he might be better than Alex Smith, we can draft one of those guys hoping they might be better than Baker Mayfield. They very well possibly could down the road. Will Bo Nix be a better pro than Baker Mayfield? I actually he think he will. I like Nix. But again, that's not my decision nor yours. It's Licht's.

[Grahamburn]

You can’t seriously be saying that someone who has never played a down in the NFL is better than Baker. Just how high are you to even put that in writing?

Oh Babe. Learn to read. It's always been a weakness of yours. I bolded the keywords for you so maybe you'll understand it better. Just like when the Chiefs drafted Patrick Mahomes thinking he might be better than Alex Smith, we can draft one of those guys hoping they might be better than Baker Mayfield. They very well possibly could down the road. Will Bo Nix be a better pro than Baker Mayfield? I actually he think he will. I like Nix. But again, that's not my decision nor yours. It's Licht's.

The problem with the analogy you're making is the Chiefs were in a very different position than us with Alex Smith. He was under contract with them and they had multiple (4) years of data suggesting they would not win in the playoffs with him at QB. We kind of have to make a decision on Baker Mayfield right now.

Imagine having a QB that throws for over 300 yards and 3 TDs in two playoff games and wanting to move on from that QB for a rookie. I just do not understand the mentality.

Now, I could understand better if Baker had just thrown for 3,500 yards with 15 TDs and 8 picks in the regular season in his 4th year in the offense and then got bounced in the Wild Card game with a 172 yard performance and a 1/1 TD/INT ratio like Alex Smith did prior to the Chiefs drafting Mahomes.

[Navybuc]

Oh Babe. Learn to read. It's always been a weakness of yours. I bolded the keywords for you so maybe you'll understand it better. Just like when the Chiefs drafted Patrick Mahomes thinking he might be better than Alex Smith, we can draft one of those guys hoping they might be better than Baker Mayfield. They very well possibly could down the road. Will Bo Nix be a better pro than Baker Mayfield? I actually he think he will. I like Nix. But again, that's not my decision nor yours. It's Licht's.

The problem with the analogy you're making is the Chiefs were in a very different position than us with Alex Smith. He was under contract with them and they had multiple (4) years of data suggesting they would not win in the playoffs with him at QB. We kind of have to make a decision on Baker Mayfield right now.

Imagine having a QB that throws for over 300 yards and 3 TDs in two playoff games and wanting to move on from that QB for a rookie. I just do not understand the mentality.

Now, I could understand better if Baker had just thrown for 3,500 yards with 15 TDs and 8 picks in the regular season in his 4th year in the offense and then got bounced in the Wild Card game with a 172 yard performance and a 1/1 TD/INT ratio like Alex Smith did prior to the Chiefs drafting Mahomes.

I agree with all that. The point I was trying to make is if you’re a GM and you think one of the guys there at pick No. 25 can be better than Baker, you take them. I’d hate to see Licht say “I think Nix has a better future than Baker” and then pass on him. The Nix goes somewhere else and wins a couple SBs while Baker doesn’t get any better than he did this year.You always want to upgrade your team, and after the combine and workouts you think a guy like Nix has better potential for this team moving forward, you pull that trigger.

That’s Licht’s decision, though, not ours. There are a lot of other variables that go into it, but he has to evaluate everything. But if we were to cut ties with Baker, I’d like to see it be done with a draft pick not a FA.

[uscbucsfan1]

The problem with the analogy you're making is the Chiefs were in a very different position than us with Alex Smith. He was under contract with them and they had multiple (4) years of data suggesting they would not win in the playoffs with him at QB. We kind of have to make a decision on Baker Mayfield right now.

Imagine having a QB that throws for over 300 yards and 3 TDs in two playoff games and wanting to move on from that QB for a rookie. I just do not understand the mentality.

Now, I could understand better if Baker had just thrown for 3,500 yards with 15 TDs and 8 picks in the regular season in his 4th year in the offense and then got bounced in the Wild Card game with a 172 yard performance and a 1/1 TD/INT ratio like Alex Smith did prior to the Chiefs drafting Mahomes.

I agree with all that. The point I was trying to make is if you’re a GM and you think one of the guys there at pick No. 25 can be better than Baker, you take them. I’d hate to see Licht say “I think Nix has a better future than Baker” and then pass on him. The Nix goes somewhere else and wins a couple SBs while Baker doesn’t get any better than he did this year.You always want to upgrade your team, and after the combine and workouts you think a guy like Nix has better potential for this team moving forward, you pull that trigger.

That’s Licht’s decision, though, not ours. There are a lot of other variables that go into it, but he has to evaluate everything. But if we were to cut ties with Baker, I’d like to see it be done with a draft pick not a FA.

It's almost a lock that we extend Baker to a long term contract and if not he's Franchised. He'll be here next year.

Anyone suggesting otherwise is being ridiculous. He was good this year in his first year with new coordinators, players, and coaches. All reports coming out of OBP are that we want him here and we are prepared to pay him.

That's not to say we absolutely won't also take a draft pick, but probably unlikely. Baker pulled a Geno and will be rewarded for it.

[Babeinbucland]

You can’t seriously be saying that someone who has never played a down in the NFL is better than Baker. Just how high are you to even put that in writing?

Oh Babe. Learn to read. It's always been a weakness of yours. I bolded the keywords for you so maybe you'll understand it better. Just like when the Chiefs drafted Patrick Mahomes thinking he might be better than Alex Smith, we can draft one of those guys hoping they might be better than Baker Mayfield. They very well possibly could down the road. Will Bo Nix be a better pro than Baker Mayfield? I actually he think he will. I like Nix. But again, that's not my decision nor yours. It's Licht's.

Sure, attack the poster when you get defensive. It is all you really have ever had lol

[CannonFire]

So what you're counting on with a rookie is for them to be an exception to history. In the 21st century, 7 rookie QBs have won a playoff game. 7 total in 23 years. Guess how many have won a Superbowl? 0.

Saying we're better off with a rookie is almost a hope or admission that we won't be competing in 2024.

No, I'm looking for a rookie to become a franchise QB.

Houston got just as far as the Bucs did this season with a rookie QB, AND with a LESSER team (and beat us), with a rookie QB. Their future looks a lot brighter than ours. True or false?