The three biggest names in the quarterback market were taken off the board within 24 hours at the dawn of free agency, as Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield and Russell Wilson evaluated their markets and capitalized on their opportunities.

They all had different priorities at unique stages of their careers. And as they quickly secured their next contracts, the veteran trio also helped shape the QB market for the remainder of the offseason.

Mayfield started the chain reaction Sunday afternoon when he agreed to a three-year, $100 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wilson agreed to a one-year deal with the league minimum of $1.2 million on Sunday night with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cousins ​​capped it off Monday afternoon when he signed a four-year, $180 million pact with the Atlanta Falcons.

While the moves and financial parameters were unique, they were also somewhat connected when they came together, according to at least a half-dozen sources with direct knowledge of the situations.

Mayfield had the best season of his career in his first-round pick with the Bucs, and the 28-year-old wanted to stay in Tampa after bouncing around the league for a few years. He has had eight head coaches and seven offensive coordinators while playing for four teams in his first six seasons, so continuity has been a goal of his for some time, league sources say.

Mayfield appreciated the way the Bucs set him up for success last season, not only with former offensive coordinator Dave Canales, but also with coach Todd Bowles’ leadership and the culture of the veterans around the building. And while Canales left for Carolina, Mayfield is somewhat familiar with new offensive coordinator Liam Coen from their month together with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.

The Bucs and Mayfield accelerated negotiations last week, and over the weekend they intensified with a series of offers and counter-offers. For Mayfield and that desire for continuity, the guaranteed money in the second year of the deal was especially important from a job security perspective.

He got $40 million fully guaranteed, with $30 million in 2024 and another $10 million in 2025, plus another $10 million for injuries. So as long as he plays well, Mayfield should be back with the Buccaneers in 2025. But if the Bucs decide to part ways after the 2024 season, he will have earned $40 million for his services.

Last month, league officials believed Mayfield could view New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones’ four-year, $160 million contract as a similar deal. And perhaps, if Mayfield had wanted to push his free agency in on Monday when the NFL negotiating window opened, he might have been able to find a deal with more total money.

But that’s not as easy as it sounds. Over the weekend, people around the league believed that Cousins ​​would choose between the Falcons and Minnesota Vikings, leaving the losing team and the Buccaneers alone in a competition for Mayfield. But the hypothetical risk of that strategy could have led to the Vikings offering a low number and the Buccaneers withdrawing their best offer. And while the New England Patriots were high on Mayfield internally, a union between the sides simply didn’t make sense — once again, Mayfield left behind two potential suitors with the right cap space to make a good offer and the personnel to challenge for a division title.

Ultimately, Mayfield wanted to return to the Bucs. He received an offer that should provide him with security for at least two years and he accepted it.

The best chance to start

Wilson’s situation was very different from Mayfield’s. The Denver Broncos will officially release him on Wednesday at the start of the new league year, but they informed him of that decision last week and allowed him to visit with teams in the meantime.

Then there was the wildcard with the economy. The Broncos are still dependent on Wilson’s $39 million salary in 2024, which is significantly more than he could have gotten in free agency. So Wilson informed the teams that he would play for the minimum — with the Broncos picking up the balance of the account — so they could use their cap space elsewhere.

Wilson had two quality meetings with the Giants and Steelers. Both were considered exploratory sessions and they got a sense of their vision for the offense and Wilson’s goals for the season.

The Giants made no guarantees about playing time, as Jones is expected to start once he is cleared of his torn ACL. As for the Steelers, who benched Kenny Pickett in the 2022 first-round pick last season, Wilson has a very realistic path to a starting job for a team that has consistently been in the playoff mix in coach Mike’s 17 seasons Tomlin never finished below .500.

Wilson met Friday with Steelers decision makers, including Tomlin, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and general manager Omar Khan. With Tomlin and Smith, the offense should again be physical with a strong ground game and provide plenty of opportunities for Wilson to throw the deep ball, assuming he wins the lane.

Wilson put together a better season in 2023 before the Broncos benched him in December, in part to ensure injury wouldn’t further complicate their offseason decision with the quarterback. If the 35-year-old can maintain that trajectory, he will increase his chances of a more lucrative payday in 2025, whether that be in Pittsburgh or elsewhere.

A two-team race for Cousins?

Cousins, despite coming off a torn Achilles tendon, was the central figure in the quarterback carousel, and he had indeed established himself in Atlanta and Minnesota, where he played from 2018 to 2023. If any of those options fell by the wayside and financial offers plummeted, a league source said the Broncos likely would have become involved.

But dwindling offers haven’t been an issue as the Falcons and Vikings push hard for Cousins, who is guaranteed $90 million in the first two years of the deal. Cousins ​​had previously crossed paths in Washington with new Falcons coach Raheem Morris, and quarterback should be a quick study with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, whose principles are similar to those of Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell from their days along with the Rams.

It’s been an eventful first day of NFL free agency!

Which team made the best move? pic.twitter.com/s9LP5GjdCI

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) March 12, 2024

The Falcons have also put together a better roster in recent years, and the arrival of Cousins ​​should help them compete for the NFC South title and a playoff spot. They have a strong running game, an improving offensive line and attractive pass catchers in Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

It was a perfect recipe for Cousins, who turns 36 early next season.

The Vikings tried to keep Cousins, but they also knew it was important to prepare for the future at the position and couldn’t make the same financial commitment. So when the Falcons upped their offer, given the appeal of the roster and coaching staff, it all came together for Cousins.

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The remaining QB market

There are still some moving pieces left. The Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and Patriots have the first three picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, and indications are that each team will take a quarterback, with USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels among the expected candidates.

That essentially left only the Vikings, Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders with openings. The Raiders agreed to a two-year, $15 million deal with Gardner Minshew that could be worth up to $25 million, and he will compete with Aidan O’Connell. The Broncos still have Jarrett Stidham, while the Vikings appear to be starting over.

With Jacoby Brissett rejoining the Patriots, the free agent market is being highlighted by Sam Darnold, Joe Flacco and Ryan Tannehill. It still feels inevitable that the Raiders will release Jimmy Garoppolo, and the Bears should still want to trade Justin Fields. It’s conceivable that the Commanders could move Sam Howell, and the Jets are expected to part ways with Zach Wilson in some capacity.

With deals completed for Mayfield, Russell Wilson and Cousins, there is one final fascinating element in play. The final three teams in need of quarterback reinforcements – the Vikings, Broncos and Raiders, respectively – are ranked Nos. 11-13 in the draft. They could compete again for Michigan’s JJ McCarthy or perhaps even Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix.

The veteran trio set the tone for more fireworks on the quarterback front over the next two months.

(Photos by Baker Mayfield, Kirk Cousins ​​​​and Russell Wilson:
Todd Rosenberg, Stephen Maturen and Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

TAMPA, Fla. – From the very first day Todd Bowles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took the field for training camp, few outside the organization gave them much of a chance this season.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield was on his fourth team in 19 months, trying to fill the huge shoes of the recently retired Tom Brady. The roster lacked household names from the Bucs' 2020 Super Bowl season and instead featured unproven youngsters in some of those key spots. Oddsmakers predicted that Bowles could be one of the first NFL head coaches fired this season. The Bucs never had that championship feel, at least not to outsiders.

So it came as no surprise early last week when Tampa Bay, despite defying expectations by winning the NFC South, was tabbed as a home underdog by Las Vegas for its NFC wild-card matchup with a sagging Philadelphia Eagles -team.

The Buccaneers simply shrugged off the disrespect and attacked the Eagles with a vengeance on Monday night at Raymond James Stadium.

With an aggressive defensive performance and a gutsy performance from Mayfield, the Buccaneers defeated Philadelphia 32-9 to advance to the divisional round of the playoffs. Tampa Bay travels to Detroit for a Sunday afternoon game against the Lions, who are riding high after beating the LA Rams for their first playoff victory in 32 years.

“The underdog role doesn't bother us,” linebacker Shaquil Barrett said. “We know our capabilities in the locker room, regardless of what is projected or what people think is going to happen in the game. We always come in thinking we have a great chance of winning the game. So people saw us as the underdog tonight, and we know they'll see us as the underdog going into Detroit, but we know we have to keep doing the same.

It's often said that teams take on the personalities of their strongest leaders, and the Buccaneers are no different. Players will readily admit that they are a mix of Bowles and Mayfield.

Bowles, the second-year head coach, is stoic and fearless, but also intensely competitive. The former defensive back is calculated yet very aggressive. Mayfield, meanwhile, is so unapologetically himself. He is sometimes brash, always fierce as a competitor and plays with the toughness of a middle linebacker.

Inspired by their coach and quarterback, the Buccaneers steeled themselves against outside noise all season, especially during a four-game losing streak that stretched from October to November and turned into a 1-6 skid.

“We just stayed the course,” Barrett said. “We always knew we were a better team than during the losing streak we had. … Now everything is starting to click and that's why we're going to stick with the program and trust the process and just keep doing what you have to do. We knew it was going to work.”

Confidence grew during a four-game win streak and a 5-1 win over the Bucs to end the regular season while clinching the division. And the resolve remained just as strong this week as the Buccaneers prepared to avenge a 25-11 loss to the Eagles in Week 3.

The Buccaneers looked to turn the tables after giving up 472 total yards, including 201 on the ground, to the Eagles in that first meeting. Mission accomplished. On Monday night, it was the Buccaneers who racked up 426 total yards and 23 first downs, converting 6 of 14 third down attempts. They held the Eagles to 276 yards (just 42 yards rushing) and 0-for-9 on third down.

Bowles and his defense put on a signature performance as they eliminated the threat of the Eagles' rushing attack. They forced quarterback Jalen Hurts to beat them with an undermanned wide receiving unit, while also nursing a painful and slow-healing dislocated middle finger on his throwing hand.

By making the Eagles one-dimensional, Bowles was able to call up one blitz-heavy package after another. Hurts (sacked three times, including a safety) and his teammates and coaches never knew how to adjust.

AGAIN, HOW DO YOU BUCS FANS FEEL?!

: #PHIVsTB on ESPN/ABC
: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/VtoFNKaLZ5

—NFL (@NFL) January 16, 2024

Linebacker Devin White said the Bucs defense entered the game “with a dominant mentality. We wanted to jump on it early and just beat them. I think it was the preparation. That played a big role and I came here with a winning mentality.”

Offensive players draw fuel from these defensive exploits, but also inspiration from Mayfield. The quarterback was so battered and bruised by rib and ankle injuries that he called in his personal physical therapist twice during the week, hoping the extra treatment would give him a chance to play.

It worked. Mayfield passed for 337 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, while also scrambling for 16 yards on two carries. Mayfield became only the second Buccaneers quarterback (Brady is the other) to pass for 300 yards or more in a playoff game.

“He pulled it out,” Bowles said. “I mean, if you looked at him during the week, he was limping around, he didn't want to practice and he was getting a little better every day. … He never flinched (Monday). He made play after play after play.”

He baked.

: #PHIVsTB on ESPN/ABC
: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/GjDnqU2FLh

—NFL (@NFL) January 16, 2024

Tight end Cade Oton, who had a team-high eight catches for 89 yards, said the Bucs as a team adopted Mayfield's character.

“It's just watching his actions. The way he plays, the way he practices, the way he leads, it's very genuine and he's always just competing,” Oton said. “He wants to win, but he also wants camaraderie with us. He's just a great person to have leading our team.”

“He's a dog,” left tackle Tristan Wirfs said. “He's a super tough guy and an incredible competitor. He did everything he could to be with us. It's just great to see.”

The Buccaneers listed Mayfield as questionable during the game, but the quarterback said there was never a chance in his mind he wouldn't play Monday night.

“We worked extremely hard to get a chance to get into the playoffs and we just wanted a chance and our guys came out and played really, really well,” said Mayfield, whose three touchdown passes were 44, 56 and were 23 yards. “Special teams, defense – again… we're happy, but we still have more to go.”

The redemption tour continues Sunday in Detroit, where the Bucs will try to avenge a 20-6 Week 6 loss to the Lions. Detroit is an early 6 1/2-point favorite, but no one in Tampa cares about that. Why would they do that, given the odds they've defied so far?

(Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

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Quarterback Baker Mayfield and woman Emily Wilkinson's romance did not go smoothly.

Before they started dating in 2017, Wilkinson was hesitant to date Mayfield because she assumed he would become a “typical playboy athlete.” After getting to know the quarterback on a deeper level, she discovered there was more to him.

“He's such a softy,” Wilkinson said ESPN in July 2019. “He's a mama's boy.”

Six months after their romance, the couple got engaged and married in 2019. Since their wedding, Mayfield has played for four different NFL teams, including the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Throughout his career, Wilkinson has been in the stands cheering on her husband despite their difficult first year of marriage.

Mayfield found his groove with the Buccaneers during the 2023 season, but that wasn't the only highlight for the duo. In December 2023, the couple announced that she is pregnant with their first child.

Keep scrolling to see Mayfield and Wilkinson's relationship timeline:

2017

The pair were introduced by a mutual friend, but Wilkinson was initially hesitant to go out with him. According to an ESPN profile on Mayfield, the athlete repeatedly followed Wilkinson on Instagram to get her attention. His persistence paid off when he convinced her to meet him in person.

2018

The same year Mayfield was drafted by the Browns, he proposed to Wilkinson.

'I can be this man's WIFE! Best day of my life,” Wilkinson wrote via Instagram in July 2018. “I love you fiance!!!!!! @bakkermayfield.”

July 2019

A year after announcing their engagement, Wilkinson and Mayfield get married.

February 2020

The couple's first year of marriage then got off to a rocky start Kacie Dingesswho was a fan of the Browns, claimed that Mayfield had cheated on Wilkinson with her the year before.

Dingess claimed she sent Mayfield a video of her shooting a beer during a Browns game, which mimicked a viral clip of him doing the same thing. After sending the message, Dingess claimed Mayfield added her on Snapchat and they connected in person.

“[When] I went away, I was like, 'Good business with you,' joking,” Dingess said during an appearance on Rover's Morning Glory show. “And he said, 'Don't say that!' And I thought, 'I'm just kidding.' And then I lost my Juul in his car and we had to look for it for a few minutes. He said, 'Okay, drive safe,' and I said, 'Okay, see you later.'

Dingess said she decided to come forward after Mayfield blocked her social media. Although neither Mayfield nor Wilkinson addressed the allegations, the social media personality shared a cryptic post from her husband.

“Even if people don't want you to be, you're always perfect in my eyes,” she captioned a selfie of her and Mayfield at the time.

July 2021

The duo celebrated their second wedding anniversary and Wilkinson posted a touching tribute to her husband.

“I can't believe it's already been two years! We have been married longer than we were dating/engaged… and I can confidently say that I love you now more than ever!” she gushed through Instagram. “Thank you for being the best life partner… now let's celebrate.”

April 2022

As Mayfield was honored by his alma mater, Oklahoma University, Wilkinson was at his side as his Heisman statue was erected on campus.

“Last weekend was a special weekend. Of course, it is incredible to see a Heisman statue go up, immortalizing my husband and the legacy he left at OU,” she wrote via Instagram. “But what gave me the most joy was seeing Baker at his old stomping grounds, surrounded by a crowd of fans who absolutely adore him. For someone who gives everything to this game, it sure was fun celebrating you and your OU achievements! We love you #6! .”

March 2023

Mayfield and Wilkinson had an “incredible week” at the Pro Athletes Outreach conference, working on their marriage with other NFL couples.

“Every year Baker and I make it a priority to go to PAO, a faith-based marriage conference for the NFL,” she wrote via her Instagram Story at the time. “It's so fulfilling and such a beautiful reset in our marriage, not to mention a perfect time to connect with other like-minded couples in the NFL. (And SO fun!)”

December 2023

The couple announced that the Mayfield family is expecting their newest member.

“We hid something……..,” they wrote via Instagram. “But we are happy to announce that baby girl Mayfield will be joining our crazy team in early April 2024!🩷🩷🩷.”