Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2026 Preview: The Baker Mayfield Contract Drama and Full Season Schedule
The 2026 season is staring us right in the face, and down in Tampa, the humidity is not the only thing making people sweat. The Bucs have a lot on their plate, but nothing is casting a longer shadow over the franchise right now than the contract status of their quarterback, Baker Mayfield.
Here is the breakdown of where things stand with Baker, followed by the gauntlet the Bucs have to run this fall.
The Baker Mayfield Contract Drama
Baker Mayfield completely resurrected his career in Tampa Bay. After signing a one year prove it deal in 2023 and leading the Bucs to the playoffs, he secured a three year, 100 million dollar contract in 2024.
Now, we are entering the 2026 season, which is the final year of that deal, and Baker wants to get paid.
The quarterback market has exploded recently, with players like Trevor Lawrence, Jared Goff, and Jordan Love securing deals north of 53 to 55 million dollars per season. Given his performance, Baker is arguably playing at a massive discount this year, with a base salary of 10 million dollars and a cap hit around 40 million dollars.
The problem is that the two sides are not seeing eye to eye. Mayfield recently made headlines at his youth football camp, stating plainly that while talks have started, the numbers are not anywhere close to what they were thinking.
Mayfield has drawn a line in the sand. Once training camp starts in late July, negotiations are over. He wants to focus strictly on football. If a deal is not struck by then, he will play out the 2026 season as a lame duck, betting on himself to have another monster year and cash in big during free agency. Media projections suggest Mayfield is likely looking for a massive extension, potentially in the ballpark of three years and 165 million dollars, which would put him right back in the top tier of quarterback money.
The clock is ticking for General Manager Jason Licht. Tampa Bay does not have a better option under center, but breaking the bank for a 31 year old quarterback limits how much they can pay foundational pieces like Vita Vea in the coming years.
The 2026 Buccaneers Schedule
Contract drama aside, the Bucs have to go out and play the games. The 2026 schedule is officially set, and it features some heavy hitting matchups right out of the gate.
Here is what the regular season slate looks like:
Week 1: Sunday, September 13 at Cincinnati Bengals at 1:00 PM
Week 2: Sunday, September 20 versus Cleveland Browns at 1:00 PM
Week 3: Sunday, September 27 versus Minnesota Vikings at 4:05 PM
Week 4: Sunday, October 4 versus Green Bay Packers at 1:00 PM
Week 5: Thursday, October 8 at Dallas Cowboys at 8:15 PM
Week 6: Sunday, October 18 versus Pittsburgh Steelers at 1:00 PM
Week 7: Sunday, October 25 at Carolina Panthers at 1:00 PM
Week 8: Sunday, November 1 versus Atlanta Falcons at 1:00 PM
Week 9: Sunday, November 8 at Chicago Bears at 8:20 PM
Week 10: November 15 is the Bye Week
Week 11: Sunday, November 22 at Detroit Lions at 1:00 PM
Week 12: Monday, November 30 versus Carolina Panthers at 8:15 PM
Week 13: Sunday, December 6 versus Los Angeles Chargers at 1:00 PM
Week 14: Sunday, December 13 at Baltimore Ravens at 1:00 PM
Week 15: Sunday, December 20 versus New Orleans Saints at 1:00 PM
Week 16: Date to be determined at Atlanta Falcons
Week 17: Date to be determined versus Los Angeles Rams
Week 18: Date to be determined at New Orleans Saints
Schedule Takeaways
The Revenge Game: Week 2 is going to be electric. Baker Mayfield welcomes his former team, the Cleveland Browns, to Raymond James Stadium for the home opener. Expect fireworks.
Primetime Lights: The Bucs have three scheduled primetime games. They travel to Dallas on Thursday Night Football in Week 5, head to Chicago for Sunday Night Football in Week 9, and host the Panthers on Monday Night Football in Week 12.
A Brutal Stretch: Weeks 11 through 14 will test this team grit. They have to travel to Detroit, host a divisional rival on a short week, face Justin Herbert and the Chargers, and then travel to Baltimore to play Lamar Jackson.
The NFC South is always a dogfight, and with consecutive divisional games to close out the season in Weeks 15, 16, and 18, the playoff picture will likely come down to the wire.
