Buccaneers insider shares interesting Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans update

For reasons not yet known among outsiders, individuals close to Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht seem confident the club can afford to hold onto potential free agents such as quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Mike Evans and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. this offseason. 

"I know we have the ability to get them both in under the (salary cap)," Buccaneers legend and Hall of Famer Ronde Barber said about Mayfield and Evans during a Tuesday appearance on Tampa Bay sports radio station WDAE, per the JoeBucsFan website. 

JoeBucsFan pointed out that Barber "is very likely speaking as a voice of authority," is close with Licht and "spends more time at One Buc Palace than you may guess." 

"It’s not very difficult to piece together where Barber is getting his intel," the story added. 

Back in January, Buccaneers senior advisor and former head coach Bruce Arians confidently declared he didn't think "we’re losing any" of the key players who could hit the open market when the new league year opens on March 13. 

"Mike wants to stay here and they’re gonna pay him," Arians said at that time. "I think Mayfield loves it here and is totally appreciative of the opportunity he found in Tampa. He loves the guys and the guys love him."

Barber offered his update after Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported that "Winfield is expected to be given" the franchise tag over either Mayfield or Evans assuming the Buccaneers use the asset. 

While Stroud mentioned that tagging Winfield could cost $16.2M for 2024, it was previously mentioned that Mayfield's tag would be worth around $36M. Evans' franchise tag value is said to be around $28.43M for next season. 

Mayfield is popular among Tampa Bay players, seemingly had a role in the club hiring Liam Coen as its new offensive coordinator and hinted during media appearances ahead of Super Bowl LVIII he could sign somewhat of a team-friendly contract that would allow the organization to hold onto at least Evans. 

The window for teams to use their franchise tags closes on the afternoon of March 5, so Licht still has roughly two weeks remaining to get a couple of deals done.