Vikings' struggles after letting Sam Darnold walk may have convinced Buccaneers to sign Baker Mayfield to $165M extension

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Baker Mayfield to a $165M extension, possibly due to the Vikings' struggles after letting Sam Darnold walk.

• Baker Mayfield signed a 3-year, $165M extension with the Buccaneers.
• The extension was signed after contract negotiations stalled earlier in the offseason.
• Mayfield was set to enter 2026 on the last year of his contract.
• The Vikings' struggles after letting Sam Darnold walk may have influenced the Buccaneers' decision.
• The Buccaneers may have realized they won't find many quarterbacks better than Mayfield.

Mayfield's extension comes after stalled contract negotiations and a fiery response from the quarterback earlier in the offseason.