Buccaneers GM, Mike Evans address Baker Mayfield contract saga

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans and general manager Jason Licht both spoke on Friday about the fact that quarterback Baker Mayfield still hasn't signed a contract. The league's legal tampering portion of free agency officially begins Monday. 

"I mean, I'm extremely confident," Evans said about the Buccaneers keeping Mayfield while speaking with reporters about the new two-year deal the receiver signed to stay in Tampa Bay, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN. "I'm not 100 percent, but he played really great for us last year, the city took him in, the players loved him — hopefully we get him back. But he should do what's best for him."

Per Zachary Weinberger of ClutchPoints, Licht declined to spike any figurative footballs regarding Mayfield's future during an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show" that followed the Evans event. 

"You know the player always has an option, too," Licht acknowledged. "So, it's got to work out for him, and we want to give him the respect of making the decision, what's best for him, too. I know he wants to be here. I know we want him. It's just a matter of us trying to work through things. We always have to prepare for both scenarios. Hopefully, we're not going down, you know, behind door number two. Hopefully, we keep him with door number one, but you know, I don't want to take anything for granted with him." 

Licht seemingly was confident about Mayfield ultimately choosing the Buccaneers over other potential suitors when the executive placed the franchise tag on safety Antoine Winfield Jr. The signal-caller was an Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year finalist after he guided the Buccaneers to a division title and a playoff win. 

Laine reported that sources revealed negotiations between Mayfield's camp and the Buccaneers "have been moving along 'slowly,' but with no indication of any hiccups." It's believed Mayfield could want a more expensive contract than the four-year deal that could be worth up to $160M that New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones received last March. The Minnesota Vikings could reach out to Mayfield early next week about such an agreement if Minnesota loses Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons. 

"Ideally, I’d like to do it before things open up on Monday," Licht added about a possible timeline for re-signing Mayfield. "But, I mean, if it has to go to there, it doesn't necessarily mean that he's gone...We're not going to press the panic button and neither are they, I'm sure, on their end to rush anything right now."