ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has reported that a contract extension with Baker Mayfield isn’t a slam dunk for the Buccaneers, and the Falcons are a threat to potentially sign him in free agency.
“The feeling is that they want to get something done,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said on Sunday’s SportsCenter, via Bleacher Report. “They’re going to be talking. They’re hoping to re-sign Mike Evans and Baker Mayfield but it’s not a slam dunk.
“This is a guy who’s going to have a pretty strong market here. You look at several teams that are going to want to get in on Mayfield, talk to him about potentially playing. You look at Atlanta as a team that definitely needs a quarterback. They passed on him last year, maybe they’ll try to right that wrong.”
Baker Mayfield is familiar with the staff in Atlanta. The former No. 1 overall pick spent some of the 2022 campaign in Los Angeles with the Rams, where Raheem Morris was the defensive coordinator, Zac Robinson was the quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator along with others from Sean McVay’s staff that have followed Morris across the country.
In the five games Mayfield played with the Rams, he threw for 850 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions, accumulating a 2-3 record. Subsequently, he took a prove-it deal with the Bucs and turned in a career year.
He set career-bests, throwing for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns, and led Tampa Bay to a Wild Card win over the Eagles following an NFC South first-place finish.
Baker Mayfield would be heads and shoulders better than what the Falcons had at the position last season. If Atlanta had signed him instead of Taylor Heinicke, Arthur Smith may still have his job because the club is one quarterback away from taking the division.
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