Why Baker Mayfield may not stop Buccaneers from drafting a QB

Add Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports to the list of individuals who believe the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could spend pick No. 26 or No. 57 of the 2024 NFL Draft on a quarterback even though the club signed starter Baker Mayfield to a three-year contract in March. 

Benjamin mentioned that Mayfield's deal "is structured in a way Tampa Bay can actually save up to $20M by cutting" the signal-caller after the 2024 season. Benjamin also pointed out that unproven commodity Kyle Trask and journeyman John Wolford are the only other individuals on Tampa Bay's depth chart at the sport's most important position this spring. 

Well-known Buccaneers insider Ira Kaufman of the JoeBucsFan website speculated in late March that the club could grab Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the 26th pick and then stash him on the roster as an unused backup for at least one campaign. As recently as Tuesday, JoeBucsFan linked Tampa Bay with Penix and also with Bo Nix of the Oregon Ducks. 

One issue regarding such predictions is that the rising draft stocks of multiple prospects could cause a run on quarterbacks that may prevent the Buccaneers from getting either Penix or Nix at pick No. 26. For a mock draft updated on Tuesday, NFL Media's Rhett Lewis forecasted that the Las Vegas Raiders will take Penix with the 13th choice. Lewis also had Nix going to the Minnesota Vikings via selection No. 18. 

Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht has a recent history of addressing a supposed quarterback need with a high draft pick when others would've instead used that asset to bolster a different part of the roster. Licht spent a 2021 second-round choice on Trask months after Tom Brady helped the club win Super Bowl LV. 

Of course, Brady celebrated his 44th birthday in August 2021 and then retired in February 2023. Mayfield turns 29 next week and still has plenty to prove after he guided the Buccaneers to a playoff victory in his first season with the organization. 

Benjamin noted that Licht's bond with Mayfield "isn't irrevocable" based on the contract signed in March. That may be true, but one wonders if Licht regrets not giving Brady some extra help with that 2021 second-round pick considering Trask has attempted only 10 regular-season passes during his career.