Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox recently named teams in need of a quarterback that should be monitoring the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' situation with Baker Mayfield during the 2026 season. Unsurprisingly, the Arizona Cardinals make that list, along with the Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Knox mentions that between Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr., and rookie Jeremiyah Love, the Cardinals could very well have one of the best skill groups in the league. The arrival of new head coach Mike LaFleur should help maximize the talents of these offensive playmakers, though Arizona's ceiling remains limited until they address their glaring quarterback problem.
Baker Mayfield could solve Cardinals' glaring quarterback problem
The fact that they didn't add years to Jacoby Brissett's reworked deal suggests he's nothing more than a one-year stopgap. And while the Cardinals -- projected to win just 3.5 games by Vegas this season -- should be in the running for a top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, they could use a top pick to address needs elsewhere while adding a reliable long-term solution in Mayfield.
Not to say they should pass on Arch Manning if they land the No. 1 overall pick, but it's more likely than not that the Cardinals won't have the luxury of being the first team on the clock. If that's the case, it could be in their best interest to use this pick elsewhere, whether it's on the offensive line or a defensive position, while still bringing in Mayfield.
That would be an ideal offseason for the Cardinals, immediately placing them in the playoff conversation as soon as next season with the amount of weapons Mayfield would have at his disposal. It's also becoming an increasingly realistic scenario, given how bad things have looked in Tampa Bay as of late.
Mayfield feels disrespected and undervalued by Buccaneers' offer
Mayfield and the Buccaneers failed to reach a new contract heading into training camp, making this the final year of his deal. Any attempts from Tampa Bay's side to secure him for the future haven't gone well, as Mayfield has publicly made it clear that he feels disrespected and undervalued by the organization.
"Disappointing in that regard to not have… to feel disrespected a little bit," Mayfield said. "That's really the disappointing part, to feel undervalued after thinking you've earned it."
The length of the proposed deal seems to be the main issue, not necessarily the figure itself. Regardless, the Cardinals should absolutely look to benefit from this ongoing dilemma in Tampa Bay.
Landing the top pick in 2027 is far from a guarantee, and the other potential free agency options aren't exactly inspiring between Justin Fields, Joe Flacco, and Deshaun Watson. That's not any better than Brissett, meaning they should really hope that the Buccaneers fail to reach an extension or don't ultimately franchise tag Mayfield.
It would be a steep price for the Cardinals to pay to win that bid in free agency, but they have a compelling case to make with the offensive infrastructure he'd be joining.
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