> Does the Maverick have a bed extender?

It does, but it's never really made sense for my use. I use the bed frequently, but like 95% of the time I don't need the tailgate down, and for the times I do, I keep some ratchet straps in the back seat.

Yeah, that's what I did with my Baja. I actually just left the straps (and a snow shovel) in the bed. People are surprisingly not dicks, never had any of that stuff stolen.

I used the bed extender a lot, though. Moving furniture, beds, a moped, you name it.

I feel like a tonneau cover does help with theft, even if it's not secured at all, there's a significant difference between walking past a truck and grabbing something out of a bed and undoing a tonneau cover to grab something.

Tonneau covers also slightly help with drag, offering slightly better mileage for fuel