Talk about a gut punch to start the season, folks! The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are already staring down a brutal 0-2 record, and ESPN’s Ben Solak is out here saying what a lot of us might be thinking: they probably already regret that monster three-year, $165 million contract extension they just gave Baker Mayfield. Remember, Mayfield made it super clear he wasn’t happy without a new deal, and the Bucs, just like they did with Vita Vea, coughed up the cash right before the 2026 season even started. Solak’s belief is simple: “I think … the Buccaneers are already regretting that Baker Mayfield deal.”
Where Did the Play Go?
Two games in, and Mayfield’s numbers aren’t exactly screaming “franchise quarterback,” are they? He’s barely scraped together 398 passing yards, thrown for only one measly touchdown, and already tossed one interception. His 45.4 QBR? That ranks him 27th in the entire NFL. Twenty-seventh! The guy has simply “not played well through the first two games of the season,” Solak writes. When you’re 0-2 after losses to the Cincinnati Bengals and then a Week 2 clunker against the Cleveland Browns, of all teams, that $165 million deal starts looking real questionable, real fast. Is this honestly what that kind of money buys you?
The $55 Million Question: What if They Waited?
But here’s the real kicker in Solak’s blistering take: it’s not just about Mayfield’s shaky start, it’s about the timing of the deal itself. Solak argues the Buccaneers pulled the trigger way too soon, plain and simple. Think about it: if they had just waited until *after* the 2026 season to see how Mayfield actually performed, it likely wouldn’t have cost them much more, even if he balled out. A three-year deal in the $60 million per year range would have been a lot, sure, but it would have made total sense if he had put together a strong 2026 season. But if he struggled, like he has thus far? They could have locked him in for something closer to $50 million per year. Seriously, imagine saving ten million bucks a year just by having some patience and letting the season play out. “Mayfield’s struggles early this season in the team’s 0-2 start might already have the Buccaneers regretting the $165 million deal,” Solak says, and honestly, who can blame them for that thought?
While there’s still plenty of time for Mayfield to make good on that deal, the questions about his game following a brutal Week 2 loss to the Browns aren’t going to help his case one bit. Right now, this 0-2 start and Mayfield’s struggles are shining a harsh light on that pre-season extension. It’s not a failure just yet, Solak notes, but “so far, the signs are not good, and this deal might end up being a big mistake.” With the season just beginning, the Buccaneers are stuck with a huge bill and even bigger questions. Can Mayfield somehow turn it around? Or are we going to look back at this $165 million deal as one of the biggest oopsies of the 2026 offseason?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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