Buccaneers still "not close" on Baker Mayfield extension reveals NFL insider

"The Bucs are in no rush on either one of these," NFL Network's Mike Garafolo said on The Insiders, available to NFL Game Pass subscribers on DAZN.

Here's more from Garafolo on where things stand between the Bucs and their two standout players.

Mayfield and Bucs "are not close"

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According to Garafolo, negotiations between the Bucs and Mayfield "are not close," with the two sides far apart on the financial details.

Training camp looms on July 28, and "That's where some pressure could be applied," said Garafolo.

"It's a situation where you know he's gonna be the guy, and they know he's gonna be the guy," he added, sounding confident that Mayfield will be in Tampa regardless.

Mayfield, 31, is heading into the last season of a three-year, $100 million contract that ranks 16th in average annual salary among quarterbacks at $33.3 million.

Back in June, he told KWTV that he "would love to be there," before adding, "I think both sides want to get it done. Now it's a matter of finding that middle ground and what makes both sides happy."

Achieving that middle ground seems harder than it might otherwise have been had Mayfield's numbers not dipped last year.

With that said, he seems intent on keeping things professional, and it seems only a matter of time before he inks a deal to remain in Tampa.

Vea's extension guided by Simmons' deal?

Vea is also waiting for a payday, and Garafolo pointed out that the extension signed by Tennessee Titans DT Jeffery Simmons could play a factor.

Simmons recently reset the interior defensive line market with a three-year, $105.8 million deal, and that number is likely in the range Vea expects.

Stuffing the run and collapsing the pocket from the inside isn't a skill set that's easy to replace, not for a defense that already lost standout linebacker Lavonte David to retirement this offseason.

Vea is entering his ninth season with Tampa and the last year of a four-year, $71 million contract that now looks a little light.

His $17.75 million average puts him 19th among his positional peers, which is probably not where a two-time Pro Bowler expects to land.

He skipped offseason work entirely, including mandatory minicamp, and with training camp looming, GM Jason Licht knows he cannot afford to be without a defensive lynchpin when the pads come on.