The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are once again making headlines in the mock draft world—this time with a projection that looks ahead to 2027. CBS Sports' Josh Edwards has paired the Bucs with quarterback Drake Lindsey in his early 2027 NFL mock draft, continuing a trend that keeps linking Tampa Bay to a potential future replacement for Baker Mayfield.

The reasoning? Simple: Mayfield isn't under contract beyond the 2026 season. That looming uncertainty is enough to keep the Buccaneers connected to quarterback prospects in long-range mock drafts, even while the current roster is built to win now. It's a classic case of "what's next?" in the NFL, where teams without a locked-in franchise passer are always fair game for speculation.

But here's the twist: Tampa Bay has spent the 2026 offseason and free agency focusing on rebuilding key parts of the defense, not chasing another quarterback. That tells us the organization still believes in its current setup—Mayfield included—to compete immediately. They're not hitting the panic button; they're doubling down on what's working.

Still, quarterback chatter is inevitable when long-term deals aren't inked. National analysts are quick to connect dots when there's no clear multi-year commitment on the table. It's the NFL's version of a rumor mill that never stops spinning, especially for a team that's been competitive but not quite set at the game's most important position.

Does this mean the Bucs are ready to move on from Mayfield? Not necessarily. Right now, it says more about future uncertainty than present dissatisfaction. For fans, it's a reminder that the NFL draft is always about planning ahead—even when the present looks promising. Whether Tampa Bay actually goes quarterback in 2027 remains to be seen, but one thing's certain: the conversation isn't going away anytime soon.