What the latest Baker Mayfield report really says about Tampa Bay's confidence in its $47 million franchise quarterback

Baker Mayfield's contract situation in Tampa Bay is getting messier and more fascinating by the week. The Buccaneers quarterback is in the final year of a reworked deal worth $27 million in 2026, with no long-term extension anywhere close to the horizon. And now, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the franchise tag is emerging as a very real possibility for 2027 -- one that could cost Tampa Bay at least $47 million.