Baker Mayfield Now Drawing Interest From 2 NFC Suitors

These are two of the top teams identified by Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds in an SR’s Fab 5 column on February 23.

Team sources tell Pewter Report that the Bucs are optimistic they can get Mayfield re-signed this week prior to the start of free agency. Keeping Evans in Tampa Bay for Mayfield to throw to in 2024 certainly helps the Bucs’ cause for keeping their starting quarterback in the fold.

Even if Mayfield were to hit free agency, Tampa Bay believes it has a good shot of keeping him in red and pewter, but competing teams on the open market would certainly drive his price tag upward, which the Buccaneers want to avoid if possible.

Falcons, Vikings Are Hoping Bucs QB Baker Mayfield Hits Free Agency

If Kirk Cousins isn’t re-signed, the Vikings will be in the market for a new quarterback. Cousins has been the team’s starter for the past six seasons, posting a record of 50-37-1 during that span. But Minnesota has reached the playoffs just twice with Cousins at the helm, and he has a 1-2 record as the Vikings’ starter in the postseason and a 1-4 record overall in the playoffs, dating back to his time in Washington.

Minnesota will want to keep star receiver Justin Jefferson, who is entering his fifth-year option season, and tight end T.J. Hockenson happy. Without a good, veteran quarterback, the chances of Jefferson returning to Minnesota after next season diminish greatly. Mayfield turns 29 in April and is seven years younger than Cousins.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is a good play-caller and developed a great reputation for getting the most out of the 36-year old Cousins over the last couple of years in the twilight of his career. Plus, O’Connell saw Mayfield emerge victorious over his team first-hand, as the Bucs came back to beat the Vikings in Minnesota in the 2023 season opener last year, 20-17.

The Vikings have $34,751,005 in available salary cap space, which is the 16th-most in the NFL.

The Falcons are expected to be interested in pursuing a trade with Chicago starting quarterback Justin Fields, a former first-round pick. But if trade talks fall through between the team and the Georgia native, then Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield would be pursued as an alternative in free agency.

The Falcons have several former Rams coaches on the new staff who spent time with Mayfield in Los Angeles at the end of the 2022 season, including head coach Raheem Morris and new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. Many NFL observers believe Atlanta may be a quarterback away from taking a huge leap forward in the NFL, as Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke are not the answer.

Atlanta’s offense appears to be just as stocked with weapons as Tampa Bay’s is. The Falcons have two exceptional running backs in Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, two very good tight ends in Jonnu Smith, who is slated to be a free agent, and Kyle Pitts and a promising young wide receiver in Drake London. The fact that Morris might have better job security than Todd Bowles because he just arrived in Atlanta might make the Falcons an intriguing option for Mayfield over the long haul.

The Falcons have $37,647,401 in cap space this year, which is the 13th-most in the league. Outside of Smith, Atlanta also doesn’t have any major re-signings to deal with this offseason.