Joe saw the Seahawks trade of starting quarterback Geno Smith to the Raiders yesterday and had three initial thoughts.
The first was Tom Brady’s performance as an executive in Vegas might look a lot his time as Bucs offensive coordinator in 2022.
Second, Joe had a moment of silence for Raiders GM John Spytek, the former Bucs assistant GM.
Joe has seen reports that Smith is expecting a new contract in the $40 to $45 million range. Does anyone think Spytek was coveting Smith? The Raiders coughed up a third-round pick.
Third, Joe wondered how Baker Mayfield will react when Smith, who is 4 1/2 years older than Mayfield, gets a fatter contract than he has. After two consecutive postseason and Pro Bowl trips, Mayfield will earn $30 million this season after earning about $40 million combined the past two seasons.
Remember, Mayfield was often compared to Smith because of their comeback stories and tie to former Bucs and Seahawks assistant coach Dave Canales.
More important, Mayfield is a much better quarterback than Smith.
Mayfield turns 30 next month and is in his prime, and he’s a clear top-10 NFL quarterback earning nowhere near his value.
How long will that last? Will Mayfield quietly play out the final two years of his relatively inexpensive Bucs contract (2025 & 2026) or will he turn into a business man sooner than the Bucs expect?
This is another reason Joe wants the Bucs to be in win-now mode as free agency begins.
