Baker Mayfield enjoyed a massive career resurgence with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season, but there is a chance he may be playing his football elsewhere in 2024.
Mayfield is slated to hit free agency this offseason, and while he would like to remain with the Buccaneers, there are plenty of variables that may influence his decision.
One such variable is who will be calling plays for Tampa Bay next season.
“It all just kind of depends,” Mayfield told Cam Wolfe of NFL Network when asked about his future (via Grant Gordon of NFL media). “Obviously Tampa, we’re going though a little bit of a OC search right now. It’ll start there. They were the first ones that gave me a chance, and (I’m) thankful for them. We’ll see. Taking it one day at a time.”
Dave Canales was the Bucs’ offensive coordinator this past season, but he was recently hired as head coach of the Carolina Panthers.
Given that Mayfield enjoyed what was probably his best year under Canales, it comes as no surprise that he may have some trepidation about re-upping with the Buccaneers now that Canales is gone. The uncertainty surrounding the offensive coordinator position doesn’t help matters, either.
Mayfield threw for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 64.3 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 94.6 this season. Most importantly, he led Tampa Bay to an NFC South division title followed by a Wild Card Round playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 28-year-old’s career appeared to be on life support in 2022, when he split the campaign between the Panthers and Los Angeles Rams. During that time, he totaled 10 touchdowns and eight picks.
Now, Baker Mayfield will be one of the most sought-after players heading into free agency, and if the Bucs don’t get their coaching situation sorted out, they may be in danger of losing him.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
