Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield expressed disappointment and disrespect from the team by not getting a contract done by the deadline that he set. However, he also had a message for the team on his teammate Vita Vea, who is going through the same issue with the Bucs.
Mayfield expressed frustration with the team on not getting a deal done with the star defensive tackle, calling him the anchor of the team’s defense.
“Hopefully Vita (Vea) gets his back fixed and gets his deal done; he’s the second-longest-tenured Buc behind (Chris Godwin), and Vita deserves that,” Mayfield said. “He is the anchor of our defense, and I hope they take care of him.”
Mayfield was not only going to bat for himself in his press conference today, he was also going to bat for all of the players on the Buccaneers’ roster.
Baker Mayfield Defends Vita Vea in Contract Dispute With Tampa Bay Buccaneers
GettyVita Vea #50 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Vea requested a trade from the team and is currently holding in as he awaits a contract. As Mayfield noted, he is missing time due to a back injury, but Mayfield indicated that once a new contract comes in, Vea will likely recover quickly.
So, while Mayfield has shut down contract negotiations with himself and the team, he is telling the team that there is someone they could lock up.
Mayfield knows that Vea is huge to the Bucs’ success this year. The defense needs his presence upfront, and without him, the team will be in a lot of shootouts. Mayfield needs to lead the team to a strong record to justify his contract demands, so it makes sense why he needs Vea back on the field.
However, it was clear that Mayfield was also expressing a frustration that has been brought up in the locker room when he mentioned the disappointment.
Mayfield Takes Shots at Buccaneers With Latest Comments
Mayfield was asked if he understood that the Bucs typically work this way. They have a long track record of getting contracts done midway, if not all the way through training camp.
This has been the case for Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Tristan Wirfs. Those are three staples of the franchise. So, the Bucs plan to do the same with Mayfield and Vea, who are also staples of the franchise.
Still, Mayfield drawing the line shows that he is no longer going to stick with the status quo in Tampa Bay. He is drawing the line so that they cannot continue to make the Evans or the Wirfs of the franchise wait it out. He is drawing the line so that the team can get a deal done with Vea sooner.
This is the type of leadership that is going to resonate with the players on the roster. They will want to fight for their quarterback if they know their quarterback will stand up to the franchise to defend them.
Mayfield has said and done the right things this offseason. Now the only question is whether his play can back it up.
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