Baker Mayfield is officially a Buccaneer, having signed his contract on Monday morning.
In his introductory press conference on Monday afternoon, Mayfield said he figured he would have to be patient as the rest of the quarterback market took shape in free agency.
But when the Buccaneers emerged as a suitor, Mayfield thought it felt right.
“An organization like this, that’s had success, obviously, for a while and in recent years as well — it was important to me to be in a place that’s stable and knows how to win, knows how to do it properly,” Mayfield said. “I’ve gotten to see different things from my journey that’s not exactly how I drew it up. But, it’s helped along the way, especially to make a decision like this.
“And I want to go somewhere that we can win right away and this is that place.”
Mayfield is expected to compete with Kyle Trask to start for the Bucs this year and become the successor to Tom Brady. But Mayfield isn’t trying to make too much of replacing TB12.
“Listen, I’m never going to be Tom Brady,” Mayfield said. “There’s a reason why he’s won so many Super Bowls. He’s the greatest of all time — there’s no doubt about that. I’m not going to try to be Tom. I’m going to be me. That’s what’s gotten me to this point. We’re going to do it differently.
“But that’s what makes this league so special. Everybody puts their own touch on it. It’s an honor to follow up somebody like that. And I’m definitely — the people that played with him around here, I’m going to pick their brains for things he did, there’s no doubt about that. So, I’m excited.”
Mayfield has a $2 million guaranteed salary, a $2 million roster bonus, and can make up to $4.5 million more in incentives with the Buccaneers this year.