Report: Vikings will not be pursuing Baker Mayfield

A potential suitor is not in the market for Mayfield.

There have been several teams linked to quarterback Baker Mayfield this week that many feel may pull the veteran quarterback away in free agency. The Falcons, Vikings, and Patriots are three teams that have been constantly tied to Mayfield as potential landing spots if he elects to test the free agency market.

However, it seems like one, and maybe two of those teams will not be pursuing the 28-year-old quarterback.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, she stated she was told that interest in Mayfield by the Minnesota Vikings is simply “not true.”

“There were some whispers that perhaps Baker would be the option for Minnesota if they lost Kirk. I was told that is not true,” Russini said on The Athletic Football Show. “He’s not the type of player they’re looking to go after.”

Russini and host Robert Mays both went on to say that for the Vikings it is either retaining Kirk Cousins or drafting a quarterback. Russini would then add that she heard directly from Mayfield’s camp that Baker “loves Tampa” (in line with others that have reported similarly) and so a deal with the Buccaneers is likely to happen but the money could snag talks.

She also maintained that the Atlanta Falcons, if they are knocking on Cousins’ door, then Tampa Bay’s NFC South rival will not be pursuing Mayfield while later adding that the market for him is not what was initially believed to be.

How could this be? Agents can’t discuss actual contract terms until the legal tampering begins Monday at noon ET, but they can currently gauge a team’s outlook on what a potential contract for their client could look like. Russini shared this as she discussed why and how momentum as picked up with Atlanta pursuing Cousins for what is going on right now between agents and teams.

General manager Jason Licht said that they know what the market for Mayfield looks like. With the above now known, it appears Licht & Co. feel the market lines up with what Russini is reporting so they are willing to play the respect-the-player-and-be-patient game.