$165 million over three years ties Baker Mayfield to Tampa Bay after the Buccaneers moved to secure their starting quarterback long term.
The deal makes Mayfield the NFL's eighth quarterback at $55 million annually, extending a market trend of teams paying above-average passers near top-tier rates.
The extension drew immediate scrutiny after Tampa Bay's Week 1 loss to Cincinnati, when Mayfield threw for 216 yards, turned the ball over three times and was sacked four times.
That performance sharpened questions about whether the Buccaneers should have waited another season, with Mayfield owning one playoff win in three full years in Tampa Bay.