TAMPA Starting next week in Indianapolis, the annual NFL scouting combine will begin with workouts and interviews with collegiate athletes.
However, the Bucs’ 2019 season will be decided by what transpires in the clubs and steakhouses in downtown.
The agents of important players including wide receiver Mike Evans, safety Antoine Winfield Jr., and quarterback Baker Mayfield will meet there with general manager Jason Licht.
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Mayfield and the Bucs have had some initial discussions on a new contract. Tom Mills, Mayfield’s agent, is scheduled to meet with Licht the following week. An agreement for Mayfield to return to Tampa Bay has been expressed by both parties.
This past season, Mayfield led the Bucs to their third consecutive NFC South championship while passing for a career-high 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns.
In the wild-card stage, he led Tampa Bay to victory over Philadelphia, and in the closing moments of the Detroit game, he narrowly missed advancing to the NFC title game.
Mayfield is seeking stability after playing for four teams in less than two years, even if he restored his status by winning the Heisman Trophy and was selected first overall in the 2018 draft.
The goal of the Bucs and head coach Todd Bowles is to maintain some consistency while building on Mayfield’s achievements.
Following the departure of offensive coordinator Dave Canales to the Panthers (where he was promoted to head coach), Tampa Bay brought in offensive coordinator from Kentucky Liam Coen. At the conclusion of the 2022 season, Coen worked with Mayfield in five games with the Rams.
Mayfield feels he has the best chance of winning in Tampa Bay, so he would rather stay there. However, if Mayfield becomes a free agent in March, the Bucs might face some competition.
The Patriots are one team that has been mentioned as a potential candidate. Many people in their organization, including as quarterbacks coach T.C.
McCartney, front office executive Alonzo Highsmith, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, and director of scouting Eliot Wolf, were once Browns employees and have a fondness for Mayfield.
Naturally, Mayfield has stated that he wants to play for a winning team, and with Jerod Mayo taking over as head coach, the Patriots are in rebuilding mode. In a loaded quarterback draft, New England also holds the third overall pick.
Ultimately, Mayfield wants to be paid fair market value, having made just over $6 million in performance bonuses in the previous campaign.
What kind of free agency price could he command?
Although it is unlikely that the Bucs will apply that classification to him, they would probably be prepared to provide him $36.3 million, which is the equal of the franchise player worth.
Although Mayfield’s $40 million annual contract may seem expensive, if other veteran deals are completed, it might rank among the top 15 quarterback salaries.
If the Bucs decide to employ the franchise player tag, Winfield is the front-runner to get it because it will only count $16.2 million against the salary cap.
Evans’ circumstances are a little less certain. He provided the Bucs an opportunity to extend his contract before the 2023 season began, even though he would prefer to stay with the team.
All discussions came to an end when it didn’t materialize, as Evans went on to record 1,255 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, tying for the NFL lead.
The Bucs can still negotiate a long-term contract until March 5 at 4 p.m., at which point they must determine whether to activate their franchise player tag.
For free agents, the legal bargaining window is from March 11 at noon to March 13 at 4 p.m. Although new contracts can be agreed upon by players, they are not legally binding until free agency opens on March 13 at 4 p.m.
Since the 2023 season concluded, the general manager and head coach of the Bucs, Todd Bowles, has not been available to the public. Bowles has hired a coordinator of special teams and other new assistant coaches for the offense.
Apart from giving an update on their endeavors to re-sign Mayfield, Evans, and Winfield, tackle Tristan Wirfs, who is approaching the end of his contract, will be playing under the $18.
22 million club option for a one-year contract. The Bucs may decide to consider extending Wirfs before to or during the 2024 campaign.
The Bucs’ cap space is little over $48 million, per Spotrac.They may release some of the more seasoned players to make more.
Prospects include cornerback Carlton Davis and outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett. Inside linebackers Devin White and Lavonte David, kicker Chase McLaughlin, center Aaron Stinnie, defensive back Dee Delaney, running back Chase Edmonds, and defensive lineman William Gholston are among the Bucs’ other notable possible free agents. Leonard Fournette, a running back, was cut during the combine a year ago.
