Key Buccaneers figure could be on hot seat

Baker Mayfield is going into the very last year of his three-year, $100 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So, there's a lot of uncertainty about the future.

Mayfield and the Bucs ended their extension talks without a new deal, so he'll play out the season into unrestricted free agency in 2027. At least that's the plan.

So, there's a lot of pressure on Mayfield to deliver. If he does well this season, the Bucs will have the incentive to sign him to a sweet deal, and if not, he'll likely be on the market.

But the pressure might actually be more on someone else in the Bucs' camp. In a list published on Tuesday by CBS Sports, Zachary Pereles put Bucs head coach Todd Bowles in the hot seat.

Buccaneers' hot seat candidate is head coach Todd Bowles

Pereles notes that Mayfield is under pressure, but Bowles has even more urgency.

"The Buccaneers failed to make the postseason for the first time in the Todd Bowles era, which began in 2022, and a second-half collapse (2-7 after the bye) raised questions about Bowles' job security," he notes in the piece. "Ultimately, Tampa Bay retained him, but he's definitely on notice, especially considering how much is changing around him."

So, what's changing? They lost wide receiver Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David. Mayfield isn't locked in. Also, defensive lineman Vita Vea wants a trade.

These are troubling signs. Even if they aren't Bowles' fault, it makes it harder for him to get wins this season. When that happens, the NFL isn't usually very forgiving.