Bucs’ Todd Bowles Says Retaining QB Baker Mayfield Is ‘High Priority’

The former No. 1 draft pick threw for over 4,000 yards in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles made it clear Tuesday morning that one of his team’s top priorities this offseason is bringing back quarterback Baker Mayfield in 2024.

Mayfield is poised to become an unrestricted free agent after leading the Bucs to the NFC South title with a 9–8 record on a one-year contract.

“It’s an extremely high priority, obviously,” Bowles told NFL Network’s Peter Schrager at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. “We got a couple days before the league year begins. But we love Baker. Baker had a heck of a year. He fit right in with us all the way around. The chemistry was outstanding with him and all the receivers and the offense as a whole. So, you wanna hope to build on that. I understand the business side of it. We like Bake, and we hope things get worked out.”

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Head Coach Todd Bowles on Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Calijah Kancey, and YaYa Diaby #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/ybjdj8oUeR

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) February 27, 2024

Mayfield signed a one-year pact with the Bucs last offseason and surprised the NFL world with his performance. He threw for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdown passes to 10 interceptions in his first year with the new team and led the Bucs to their fourth consecutive playoff berth. 

Tampa Bay beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round before losing to the Detroit Lions in the divisional round. It appears Bowles has seen enough and wants to keep the 28-year-old within the fold. NFL free agents officially can sign with new teams beginning on March 13 at 4 p.m. ET.