The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be an ideal landing spot for a nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback.
As mentioned by CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, the Buccaneers could be a “potential” suitor for Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson if starting quarterback Baker Mayfield decides to test the open market following his resurgent 2023 season. Wilson was recently benched by the Broncos and Denver is expected to cut the veteran quarterback in March, according to a report from The Athletic.
“Baker Mayfield is exceeding expectations while guiding Tampa Bay to a likely playoff appearance, and both sides are reportedly interested in a new deal,” writes Benjamin. “But what if Mayfield’s camp is inclined to test the open market after settling for a one-year trial run last offseason? The Bucs won’t be picking early in the first round of the 2024 draft due to their NFC South title bid, and their offensive coordinator, Dave Canales, oversaw a big year from Wilson with the 2020 Seahawks.”
Why Broncos Are Benching Russell Wilson
After his worst season as a pro last year, Wilson statistically ranks as one of the top quarterbacks in the league. The 35-year-old quarterback ranks sixth in touchdown passes, seventh in passer rating and leads the NFL in comebacks and game-winning drives.
However, the Broncos have gone 1-3 in their last four games with a prime opportunity to make a playoff run. They’ve averaged just 21.8 points per game this season, which ranks 16th in the NFL. After losing a 26-23 game to the 4-11 New England Patriots — the Broncos had just seven points entering the fourth quarter — the decision was made by head coach Sean Payton to turn to backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham as the starter for the remaining two games.
While Wilson has certainly proven he can still be a viable starter, the major concern is due to his contract. Not only does Wilson rank as one of the top six paid quarterbacks in the league, his new contract doesn’t kick in until the 2024 season and his cap hit is at least $55 million from 2025 until 2028.
If the Broncos do go the route of releasing Wilson instead of attempting to trade him, the cost of signing the veteran quarterback likely won’t be high. That would be because Wilson would still be due $85 million through the 2028 season by Denver. In other words, money won’t be so much a concern for Wilson as much as finding a destination where he can start will be.
It’s also worth noting that Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales previously served as Wilson’s quarterbacks coach with the Seattle Seahawks.
Why Baker Mayfield May Have a Number of Potential Suitors
Meanwhile, there’s little doubt that Mayfield has proven to be one of the better quarterbacks after signing a bargain-level deal in the offseason. The Buccaneers signed the former No. 1 overall pick to a $4 million base salary deal with very little expectations. In fact, the move was largely made due to Tampa Bay’s salary cap constraints with the Buccaneers featuring over $73 million in dead cap money coming into the season, the most of any NFL team.
Furthermore, Mayfield had to battle with Kyle Trask — a young quarterback with just 10 career pass attempts to his name — and beat him out for the starting job during training camp.
After spending the calendar year of 2022 with three different teams — the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams — Mayfield has bounced back in 2023 as one of the Comeback Player of the Year favorites. He currently ranks in the top 10 in touchdowns, completions and passer rating.
Because of his high level of play, Mayfield could very well emerge as the most coveted quarterback in the offseason. Based upon his play this year, OverTheCap’s valuation of Mayfield is $33 million per season.
If Mayfield finds another situation more to his liking, the Buccaneers would be forced to quickly replace him — similar to when Tom Brady retired after last season — with a veteran quarterback who could continue leading Tampa Bay as a playoff contender.
As crazy as it sounds, Wilson could emerge as the most viable candidate, especially if he’s released by the Broncos.
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