An ideal landing spot for a nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback might be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
According to CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, if starting quarterback Baker Mayfield decides to test the open market after his breakout 2023 season, the Buccaneers could be a “potential” suitor for Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson. The Broncos benched Wilson recently, and The Athletic reports that Denver plans to cut the seasoned quarterback in March.
According to Benjamin, “Baker Mayfield is performing above expectations and leading Tampa Bay to a probable postseason appearance. Both parties are reportedly interested in a new deal.” However, what if Mayfield’s team decides to take a look at the open market after opting for a one-year trial run during the previous offseason? Due to their NFC South title bid, the Bucs will not select early in the first round of the 2024 draft. Additionally, their offensive coordinator, Dave Canales, oversaw a breakout season for Wilson with the 2020 Seahawks.
Wilson is one of the league’s best quarterbacks statistically, despite having had his worst season as a pro the previous year. The 35-year-old quarterback leads the NFL in comebacks and game-winning passes, and he ranks sixth in touchdown passes and seventh in passer rating.
The Broncos have a great chance to contend for the postseason, but they have lost three of their last four games. This season, they have averaged just 21.8 points per game, good for 16th place in the NFL. Head coach Sean Payton decided to start backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham for the final two games after the Broncos lost a 26-23 game to the 4-11 New England Patriots, with the team trailing by just seven points at the end of the fourth quarter.
Wilson has demonstrated that he is still a capable starter, but his contract is the main source of worry. In addition to being among the six highest paid quarterbacks in the league, Wilson’s new contract is not set to expire until 2024.
The cost of signing the seasoned quarterback is probably not going to be very high if the Broncos decide to release Wilson rather than try to trade him. That’s because Denver would still owe Wilson $85 million through the 2028 season. Put another way, Wilson will be more concerned with finding a place where he can start than with money.
It’s also important to remember that Wilson’s quarterbacks coach with the Seattle Seahawks was Dave Canales, the offensive coordinator for the Buccaneers.
Undoubtedly, Mayfield has emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the offseason after agreeing to a low-cost contract. With very low expectations, the Buccaneers signed the former No. 1 overall pick to a $4 million base salary contract. The Bucs, who had the highest dead cap money of any NFL team entering the season with over $73 million, made the move primarily because of Tampa Bay’s salary cap restrictions.
In addition, Mayfield had to compete against rookie quarterback Kyle Trask, who has only attempted 10 passes in his career, to win the starting position during training camp.
Following his time spent with three different teams in 2022 (the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, and Los Angeles Rams), Mayfield has recovered in 2023 to be a strong contender for Comeback Player of the Year. In terms of touchdowns, completions, and passer rating, he is currently ranked in the top 10.
Given his excellent performance, Mayfield might become the most sought-after quarterback in the offseason. Mayfield is worth $33 million per season according to OverTheCap, based on how he has performed this season.
The Buccaneers would have to quickly replace Mayfield, much like they did with Tom Brady after the previous season, with a seasoned quarterback who could keep Tampa Bay as a playoff contender if Mayfield finds another situation that suits him better.
As unlikely as it seems, Wilson might end up being the best option, particularly if the Broncos release him.
