It seems Baker Mayfield is about to get paid. A lot.
Spotrac, which studies professional sports contracts, is projecting the former Oklahoma star and current Tampa Bay quarterback, is on pace for a massive contract extension.
Sourcing industry trends and other NFL resources, Spotrac projects that Mayfield -- who played for the Bucs this season under a one-year contract worth $4 million -- will receive a four-year, $120 million deal, which will include a $53 million signing bonus and a total of $85 million "practically guaranteed."
According to Spotrac's ranking of current contracts, that would be the 15th-largest QB contract in the NFL.
"Baker's comeback has been one of the more enjoyable storylines of the past few seasons, with a playoff win this past seaosn with the Bucs," Spotrac writes. "Tampa Bay is trying to keep Baker off the open markets at the final hour.
"We've projected a contract that essentially plays like a cap-adjusted version of Geno Smith's deal in Seattle, while using a double bonus sstructure to keep cap hits insanely low over the next two seasons."
Mayfield's base salary for 2024 is projected at $1.25 million, and his 2025 base is projected at $1.75 million. Spotrac also projects prorated bonuses of $5 million next year (for a $6.25 million cap hit) and another $5 million plus an option bonus in 2025 (for a cap it of $11.75 million. Then in 2026, he projects to receive a $32 million base salary plus another $10 million in bonuses, and in 2027 his base projects to $35 million plus the $10 million in bonuses. His cap hit those last two years will be $42 million and $45 million, according to Spotrac's projection.
Mayfield, 29, was the No. 1 overall pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2018 after winning the Heisman Trophy in 2017 and leading the Sooners to two appearances in the College Football Playoff and three straight Big 12 Conference championships.
He originally signed a four-year, $32.7 million contract with the Browns, which included a $21.8 million signing bonus.
The Browns traded him to Carolina in 2022, and the Panthers released him. He had a short but dramatic stint with the Los Angeles Rams before the Bucs signed him prior to the 2023 season.
Mayfield, who has authored two career playoff victories with the Browns and the Bucs, just turned in his best season as a pro, with 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns, both career-bests.
In six NFL seasons, Mayfield has thrown for 20,332 yards, 130 touchdowns and 74 interceptions. He's completed 61.9 percent of his passes with an efficiency rating of 88.1. In three of his six seasons, he's posted a passer efficiency rating of 93 or better.
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