Baker Mayfield‘s first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers exceeded expectations. Even if his final play of the year was an intercepted pass that ended their playoff run, the 28-year-old quarterback has won the job.
The 2018 first-overall pick now is about to enter free agency as the Bucs offered him just a one-year deal back in March 2023. The team looks ready to give him the raise he deserves to bring him back, but Mayfield made it clear that he also wants the Bucs to re-sign wide receiver Mike Evans.
“He makes my life easy. He did all year. He did it today, over and over,” Mayfield said about Evans, via Sports Illustrated. “To get everybody back, there have to be sacrifices made. This team’s about winning. We have a group of guys who are all about that. If I’m back, I want Mike back.”
Evans has been the perfect partner for Mayfield in his redemption year, but the wideout has also found in Mayfield a great quarterback to showcase his talent. The Bucs were unwilling to hand Evans an extension during the season, but thanks to the chemistry he found with Mayfield, the wideout now might be in a position to get what he wants.
“Baker’s a hell of a player and he showed everybody that he’s criminally underrated,” Evans said. “I was happy when we signed, knew he would be a great player for us. He played his way into a big contract I believe.“
Mayfield, Evans suggest they want to come back to Tampa
Both Mayfield and Evans were too hurt about the elimination to be talking about their future after the loss in Detroit, but they still made sure to let the Bucs know they’d be glad to return in 2024.
“I love this group,” said Mayfield. “I said that all year. And it’s authentic. I mean that. It would mean a lot for me, to bring back a lot of key pieces, to get this back together, to get it to Year 2 in the system, you can make huge strides. I would love that. Obviously, who knows how it’s going to play out, but I can’t say enough about this organization and the opportunity they gave me this year. Just thankful, and I hope it works out.“
Evans, meanwhile, has also said he would love to continue playing for the Buccaneers despite not receiving the extension he seeked during the campaign.
“I’ve been on record saying how much I love this place and how much I want to be here,” Evans said, via the Tampa Bay Times. “Not a lot of guys finish with one team so that will be amazing if I get to do that but, you know, we’ll see. I’m still trying to get over this loss.”
Bucs HC wants both Mayfield, Evans back
The questions surrounding Mayfield and Evans also got to Todd Bowles, whose job is safer thanks to the duo’s chemistry throughout 2023. Unsurprisingly, the Bucs head coach stressed how much he wants both of them to come back.
“I don’t even think about it. I don’t like to be asked about it. I don’t want to know about it and I hope to hell that does not happen,” Bowles said about Evans’ future, via Greg Auman of Fox Sports.
In regard to Mayfield, Bowles claimed he “most definitely has” earned an extension after taking the team to the NFC Divisonal Round. The coach understands the business part of the situation, but he emphasized on how much the team appreciates Mayfield and how important it is for the Bucs to keep him with them.