“I want to win. It’s gonna take more than just myself.” That’s what Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb said when he restructured his contract. Following CeeDee’s restructure, Dak Prescott also made some amends in his deal to free up cap space for the team. Sometimes, that’s the only way to retain your key players or get on board the ones you want. However, not all are willing to shrink their paychecks. But can this be a new trend? 

And now, maybe it’s time for Bucs QB Baker Mayfield to walk the same path as CeeDee and Dak. Mayfield landed in Tampa Bay in 2023 after having a brief stint with the Rams in 2022. The Bucs signed him for a one-year deal worth $4 million. The QB led the team to win the NFC South in his first year with the team. The Oklahoma alum posted career highs that season, racking up 4,044 passing yards and 28 TDs in the regular season.

So, it was obvious that the Bucs were going to offer him an extension. And they did. Last year, Mayfield inked a $100 million deal with Tampa Bay. His contract included $50 million in guaranteed money.

This year, Tampa Bay has a cap space of $10.08 million, which isn’t enough to make any major moves. If the Bucs want to sign top prospects in the draft, it will take a significant chunk of their cap. The team doesn’t have much flexibility to work with.

That’s where restructuring Baker Mayfield’s contract comes into play. The QB is set to earn a base salary of $30 million this season. One option is for the Bucs to convert a portion of his salary into a signing bonus. For example, if they convert $20 million into a signing bonus, they can then spread that amount over the three remaining years of his contract, freeing up cap space for this season.

This would reduce Baker’s 2025 cap hit. Without restructuring the contract, his cap hit is $35 million. But when Tampa Bay converts $20M into a signing bonus, it spreads over three years ($6.67M per year). So, this restructuring could free up somewhere between $10M-$13M in cap space. This extra space would give them more flexibility in signing players from the draft and making other key moves.

To be exact, this would help them pick the predicted Alabama LB next month in the draft.

Baker Mayfield’s pay cut could pave the way for Alabama star

Tampa Bay has to address some defensive needs this offseason. That also includes adding an LB to their squad. After Devin White parted ways with the team in 2023, the Bucs’ LB corps has been in a bit of flux since then. The team has Lavonte David, but the 35-year-old is nearing the twilight of his career. So, the team has to address this gap this offseason.

Now, signing a veteran won’t make much sense since they already have Lavonte on the squad. But if they sign a rookie, Lavonte can help develop him. He would not have to be the starter in the very first year and would get to learn from the veteran. So, who could the Bucs pick? Well, John Kosko, writer for Pro Football Focus, eased their job by conducting a mock draft. Kosko picks Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell as the Bucs’ pick in the draft.

According to his mock draft, the Bucs are picking Campbell as the 19th overall and their first pick in the 2025 draft. The Alabama LB recorded 55 solo tackles and 5 sacks in the 2024 season. Under Lavonte’s mentorship, Campbell could sharpen his skills and adapt to the NFL game. And that would also fill the gaps in the Bucs’ LB depth chart.