Baker Mayfield lands with Buccaneers in NFL free agency

Baker Mayfield has a new home.

The 27-year-old quarterback is signing a one-year, $8.5 million deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in NFL free agency, according to multiple reports.

Mayfield now figures to be in the catbird seat to be Tom Brady’s successor after the future Hall of Famer retired for good this offseason.

The move also likely eliminates any possibility that Brady returns to Tampa Bay, as he did last year after announcing his retirement – slim as those chances may have been.

Mayfield, a former No. 1 overall pick with the Browns, has bounced around the league after four underwhelming seasons in Cleveland.

He was traded to the Carolina Panthers last offseason after the Browns landed Deshaun Watson, then was cut halfway through the season and resurfaced with the Los Angeles Rams.

Mayfield went 1-3 with the Rams, but head coach Sean McVay expressed interest in retaining him, either as a backup or a possible security blanket in case injured quarterback Matthew Stafford doesn’t recover properly ahead of the 2023 season.

Instead, Mayfield took a job with the Buccaneers, where he has a much greater chance of starting.

He will likely compete with Kyle Trask, whom Tampa Bay selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.