Buccaneers begin negotiating to keep Baker Mayfield on the team.

Next week in Indianapolis will mark the start of the annual NFL scouting combine, which will feature intense exercises and interviews with notable collegiate players.

But the crucial choices that will determine how the Buccaneers play in the upcoming season are expected to be made in the pubs and steakhouses downtown.

Agents for important players, including wide receiver Mike Evans, safety Antoine Winfield Jr., and quarterback Baker Mayfield, will meet with general manager Jason Licht.

The Bucs and Mayfield have started talking in general terms about a possible new contract, even if no deals are imminent. In an effort to secure Mayfield’s return to Tampa Bay, Licht is scheduled to speak with Tom Mills, Mayfield’s agent, during the combine.

With a career-high 4,044 passing yards and 28 touchdowns last season, Mayfield’s outstanding play highlighted his crucial role in helping the Bucs win their third straight NFC South championship.

After playing for several different teams, Mayfield is looking for consistency, but the Bucs and head coach Todd Bowles want to build on his success to keep the club together.

Although Mayfield would love to stay in Tampa Bay due to the team’s winning potential, the impending free agency period raises the possibility of competition, most notably from the New England Patriots.

The Patriots are a strong candidate in the bidding process because of their strategic position in the quarterback draft and the prior ties between members of the organization and Mayfield.

Mayfield hopes to obtain a fair market value during the discussions that follow, which might be in the neighborhood of $40 million each year given his contributions. As this is going on, talks about the franchise player tag are heating up, and Winfield is starting to look like a strong contender because of the positive salary cap implications.

Despite his outstanding play in the previous season, Evans’ future with the Bucs is still up in the air due to the deadlock in contract extension negotiations. The legal free agent negotiation period will begin after the franchise player designation date, which makes these considerations much more urgent.

In addition, the combine provides a forum for more extensive team assessments and strategy planning. It is expected that Licht and Bowles will discuss a number of roster-related issues, including cap space management and possible contract extensions for players like Tristan Wirfs.

With the arrival of new head coaches in Atlanta and Carolina, the NFC South has significantly altered. These coaches’ knowledge of the Buccaneers’ players may have an impact on their offseason plans and free agency efforts.

The Buccaneers will be keeping a careful eye on quarterback Michael Penix Jr., running back Ray Davis, and wide receiver Tony Franklin during the combine, all within a larger overall framework.

These assessments highlight the team’s continued dedication to strategic planning and roster improvement as they get ready for the next campaign.