The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have several decisions to make.
For starters, they need to figure out what to do with Mike Evans, although all signs point towards a divorce.
On the other hand, Antoine Winfield Jr. and Baker Mayfield are also expecting some big bags of cash coming their way.
Some expect the team to reach a long-term agreement with the star safety and use the franchise tag on the quarterback.
Notably, that’s not the case with Craig Carton.
“Baker Mayfield will NOT be tagged by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they will franchise tag their starting safety. Baker Mayfield will stay in Tampa and sign a multi-year deal,” Carton said.
"Baker Mayfield will NOT be tagged by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they will franchise tag their starting safety. Baker Mayfield will stay in Tampa and sign a multi-year deal."
— @craigcartonlive pic.twitter.com/LlE8K29HUN
— The Carton Show (@TheCartonShow) February 20, 2024
In the latest edition of his show, the NFL analyst predicted the team would sign Mayfield to a multi-year deal after the season he had in 2023.
Therefore, he thinks they will use the franchise tag on Winfield Jr. instead.
Still, it’s not all good news for Todd Bowles’ team.
Carton also predicted that Mayfield would struggle mightily without Mike Evans, so this wouldn’t end up being a good deal for the team at all.
Truth be told, losing a perennial 1,000-yard receiver and one of the most underrated players in the game should hurt any offense.
Mayfield was fairly efficient in his first year with the organization, posting pretty much the same numbers as Tom Brady in his final season.
But he’s also going to have a new offensive coordinator in place after Dave Canales’ departure.
At the end of the day, signing players to big-time deals always comes with some risk, and the Buccaneers will need to figure out a way to make sure to put their quarterback in a position to succeed.
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