The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are showing no rush to lock up new deals for quarterback Baker Mayfield and defensive tackle Vita Vea. NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo made that clear Monday night on The Insiders.
Garafolo said the sides remain far apart on Mayfield and that the Bucs see no need to force anything before players report to training camp July 28. He added the same lack of urgency applies to Vea.
Garafolo’s Take on the Standoff
“There is no rush for the Buccaneers to get new deals worked out for Vea or Mayfield,” Garafolo stated. He noted plenty of work remains on Mayfield’s extension but expressed confidence a deal will eventually get done. For Vea, Garafolo said a new contract before camp looks unlikely.
The comments align with what Mayfield himself said in early June. At that time he told reporters his camp and the team were “not anywhere close” on a new agreement and that contract talks would wait until after training camp began.
Current Contract Details
| Player | Current Deal | 2026 Cap / AAV | Key Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Mayfield | 3 years, $100 million | Final year; $33.3 million AAV (16th among QBs) | Gap remains between asking price and latest offer |
| Vita Vea | 4 years, $71 million | Final year; ~$17.75 million APY (19th among interior DL) | Hold-in at mandatory minicamp; market reset by Jeffery Simmons extension |
Mayfield, 31, earned two Pro Bowl nods in three seasons with Tampa Bay. He is coming off his statistically weakest year in a Bucs uniform, yet the team still views him as a central piece. Vea, also 31 and in his ninth season—all with the Buccaneers—remains one of the club’s most reliable interior defenders after the departures of Mike Evans and Lavonte David this offseason.
Why the Hold Pattern
Vea skipped offseason workouts and mandatory minicamp drills over his contract situation. That absence stood out in team periods and forced the defensive line to adjust on the fly. Mayfield has stayed available while talks simmer in the background.
The interior defensive line market shifted when Jeffery Simmons signed a three-year, $105.8 million extension with the Titans. Vea’s current average annual value sits well below that new benchmark. On the quarterback side, twelve signal-callers earn at least $51 million per year—Mayfield’s $33.3 million AAV leaves room for upward movement if both sides find middle ground.
Training camp reporting day on July 28 could tighten the timeline. Garafolo pointed out that the start of camp often creates natural pressure to resolve dangling deals before the real work begins.
Neither player has an official new contract in hand as of Wednesday morning. The Buccaneers appear comfortable letting the situation play out rather than rushing numbers that do not yet line up.
