Quarterback Baker Mayfield’s contract standoff with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers isn’t about the money he was offered, according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter. Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, Schefter broke down exactly what soured the negotiations between Mayfield and the team he’s led to back-to-back playoff appearances.

“I think the money was there. The deal, the two-year extension, three-year deal, would have placed him in the top five highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL, from what I understand,” Schefter said on the show. “I think the issue to Baker is that if you’re a franchise player, you deserve more than a two-year extension. And I think the length was what irritated him and caused him to say he felt disrespected.”

The two sides are now putting the negotiations on hold until after the 2026 season. Mayfield had wanted a deal done by the start of training camp, but that deadline came and went. When asked about it, he admitted that the situation had left him feeling “disrespected”. He also said neither he nor his agent had received an offer that’s appealing.

The gap appears to be more about the length of the contract than whether Tampa Bay wants Mayfield around. According to Schefter, the Buccaneers offered a two-year deal worth a little more than $100 million. Mayfield, however, was looking for something longer, with four years reportedly being closer to what he wanted.

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Another NFL analyst present on the show, Darius Butler, further added why that distinction matters so much in NFL contract negotiations.

“As far as a franchise quarterback, if that’s what he views himself as, which he should, four years, probably guaranteed, at least in the top five of the markets,” he said. “We know how that market changes here by year to salary count.”

For now, Mayfield remains under the three-year, $100 million contract he signed in 2024. His $33.3 million average annual salary currently puts him 16th among quarterbacks. If nothing changes after the season, he is scheduled to hit free agency in March 2027. If Tampa Bay decides to use the franchise tag, Mayfield could be looking at a figure close to $50 million for the 2027 season.

Despite the rocky negotiations, it was suggested that Mayfield tends to perform his best when he feels overlooked or disrespected, something that’s happened at multiple points throughout his career. With talks now on hold until after the season, Mayfield’s on-field performance in 2026 will likely determine how much leverage he holds when Tampa Bay revisits the conversation.