Can Mike Evans And Chris Godwin Turn Baker Mayfield Around?
May 30th, 2023
Baker Mayfield’s best friends?
Say what you want about the Bucs offense and what it may or may not be with new offensive coordinator Dave Canales. He has Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to build an offense around.
(No, Joe is not factoring in Russell Gage. If you haven’t heard, he’s hurt. Again. Gage was by far in this Joe’s eyes the most disappointing Bucs player last year. And now he starts 2023 like he started off last year: getting hurt before the team even took the practice fields for underwear football.)
Joe’s good friend Adam Schein, typing for NFL.com, broke down each division based on quarterbacks. It wasn’t long ago the Bucs were in maybe the toughest division for signal-callers with Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Matty Ice.
Now? A guy that’s been on four teams in two years, Baker Mayfield, might just be the best quarterback. It’s why Schein has the NFC South as the worst quarterback division.
However, Schein notes, Mayfield has an advantage no other quarterbacks have: Evans and Godwin.
This is one of the intriguing elements of Mayfield coming to the Bucs. He has talent. But apparently he needs to be in the right offense.
Not even in Cleveland when Mayfield damn near guided the Browns to a road upset over the Chiefs in the playoffs did Mayfield have guys like Evans and Godwin to throw to.
This is one reason Joe likes the gamble Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht made on Mayfield. Low risk, high reward.
May 30th, 2023 at 5:09 am
Gage seems to be about as dependable as JR Sweezy.
May 30th, 2023 at 5:17 am
How frustrating will it be for Evans and Godwin to go from Tom Brady’s accurate throws to an inconsistent Mayfield? If the games are watchable this season, how many off target throws before the WR’s body language starts showing?
This is a no reward, high draft pick type situation.
May 30th, 2023 at 6:00 am
Dude Mayfield just had…
Odell, Landry, Chubb, Hunt, Njoku, Hopper, a solid offensive line, a compatent defense, and still managed to play bad enough to be shipped out of Cleavland…
Mayfield has been a media darling since his college days because he does have swagger, I’ll give him that; he talks the talk and says all the right things; But when Its time to put action behind his words he folds like a lawn chair…
The reality is, he’s a little runt that’s often injured; he literally doesn’t have one special trait that relates to being a bonifide consistently good NFL QB other than his ability to talk himself up…
So my answer is Joe is no, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin can’t do anything to help Baker…In the words of my old highschool football coach ” you can polish a turd, it’s still a piece of sh!t no matter what”…
He’s just the latest QB to be drafted with the #1 pick that turned out to be a bust, Kyler Murray or the kid in Carolina looks to have the next in line to be stamped with the bust label…
With all of that being said, since he’s a Buc I’m taking the “expect the worst, hope for the best approach” because I honestly don’t expect much from Baker…For my team’s sake, hopefully he proves me wrong…
May 30th, 2023 at 6:01 am
Actually Kyle Trask’s skillset looks to be much better suited for maximizing Evans’ & Godwins’ talents.
I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if Trask was our starting QB this year, from Day One. Just his size alone puts him in some familiar company:
o Kyle Trask: 6’5″ & 236 lbs
o Brad Johnson: 6’5″ & 235 lbs
o Josh Allen: 6’5″ & 237 lbs
That’s pretty good size for an NFL QB, mobile (Allen) or statue (Johnson). Throws a pretty nice intermediate/deep ball & has shown good accuracy in the past (67.9% in 2 years starting at Florida, with 68 TDs passing against only 15 INTs in those 2 years).
Granted, Kyle has no NFL experience, but when Tom Brady is on your team, chances are you won’t be starting. His job was to sit & learn from the GOAT; we’ll see shortly how well he did that. So when it comes to ‘low risk, high reward’, sure does seem like the Bucs would much prefer having Kyle Trask win the evolving QB competition.
May 30th, 2023 at 6:19 am
Defense rules, stop making sense. Anyone who knows anything about football, including Joe, will tell you Trask is garbage, and will be out of football when we draft our QB next year. He couldn’t beat out Gabbert, and he certainly can’t beat out the great baker Mayfield. He’s got Moxie!
May 30th, 2023 at 6:24 am
Good assessment Defense Rules…
Kyle’s an unknown commodity so he doesn’t get talked about as much as Mayfield but I love his skill-set and his demeanor…
He seems to have a quiet confidence about him; I’m definitely rooting for KT to win the QB competition. The sliver lining for me, is the fact that the NFC South as a whole is down at the moment and still very winnable for a Bucs team that still has plenty of players on the roster with playoff experience…
May 30th, 2023 at 6:39 am
Da Bucs Guy Says:
May 30th, 2023 at 5:17 am
How frustrating will it be for Evans and Godwin to go from Tom Brady’s accurate throws to an inconsistent Mayfield? If the games are watchable this season, how many off target throws before the WR’s body language starts showing?
This is a no reward, high draft pick type situation.
^^^^^^^^^
It will be better for Evans, because Mayfield will “throw it up” to him, which Brady rarely did.
If you’re that miserable being a Bucs “fan”, Da Bucs Guy, why don’t you take up bird watching or solitaire?
May 30th, 2023 at 6:45 am
How can they help Minifield when he can’t see them?
May 30th, 2023 at 6:54 am
It’s so easy to applaud the Baker signing. Thinking this team should’ve spent big on a FA QB is flawed. Mayfield was the perfect choice based on price, fit, and upside. Licht’s hands were tied once he started chasing rings with the goat, and it was well worth it.
May 30th, 2023 at 7:18 am
I went back and watched Mayfield’s last game with the Rams and he did not look that good. He is way too inconsistent from one game to the next and i am starting to sour on him at QB for Bucs this season. Hope he somehow turns it around.
Carr is not great either but a considerably better QB than Baker.
May 30th, 2023 at 7:36 am
@Bucs76. Great post! It’s revisionist history to suggest that Mayfield didn’t have any weapons. Just having an elite back like Chubb is a very net plus. He rarely had to shoulder the entire offense.
May 30th, 2023 at 7:54 am
Perhaps they are better targets for Kyle, he can see over the line
Bakers best friends will be the RB in the flat and the tallest TE right in front of him
May 30th, 2023 at 7:57 am
I don’t think Gage was the worst performer last year……How about D Smith or Lenny?
At least when Gage played he performed well….made TDs and some tough receptions.
I am hopeful he gets healthy for this year.
May 30th, 2023 at 8:12 am
I’m so disgusted with Russell Gage it’s not funny.
He’s a bum.
May 30th, 2023 at 8:13 am
@AnonymousBuc76 I laughed my butt off when you called Baker Mayfield a little runt.
Not sure Evans and Godwin will turn Baker around because he has had good receivers before.
People can say what they want about Antonio Brown, but he always got open.
May 30th, 2023 at 8:28 am
They have seen Trask for 2 years and they decided to sign below average journeyman Baker Mayfield, I’m sorry to all the occult of Trask members but the Bucs have made their assessment of The Almighty Trask. The Bucs are moving on and so should all of you.
May 30th, 2023 at 8:36 am
“They have seen Trask for 2 years and they decided to sign below average journeyman Baker Mayfield, I’m sorry to all the occult of Trask members but the Bucs have made their assessment of The Almighty Trask.”
I’ve read this take several times from different people on this site, it’s ridiculous because NO NFL team holds just 1 QB on the roster and that was exactly the position we were in with Brady retiring and Licht not having plans of bringing Blaine Gabbert back. We need whiteout for the red pen
May 30th, 2023 at 8:43 am
So Mayfield the starter?
Who’d thunk it
May 30th, 2023 at 8:52 am
#1 QB picks go to the worst teams in the NFL with the worst O-lines, and get banged up and run for their life, and get called a bust. With the Rams just six weeks, and you’re criticizing him for being inconsistent. Of course, he was inconsistent!! How many head coaches has he had? How many offenses has he had to learn? I hope by mid season, you’re on the Baker train. He’s only 6ft tall, but tougher than any QB in the NFL. Give him decent protection, which he’s never experienced in this league, and he’ll be fine.
May 30th, 2023 at 9:00 am
If Trask had shown this staff anything in the past two years, they wouldn’t have brought in Mayfield. They would have signed a vet specifically to back Trask up (Case Keenum/Chase Daniels type). Not a guy like Mayfield who legitimately expects to start.
That’s the point some of you are completely missing.
Take a look at the GB depth chart. There’s zero doubt they’re all in on Jordan Love. If Trask had shown anything at all, the depth chart would reflect it. There wouldn’t be a competition.
Some of aren’t just rooting for Trask – you’re rooting against Mayfield. And I suspect when/if Mayfield wins, you same people will still be rooting against the guy. That is what makes you annoying. I’m sure the narrative at that point will be along the lines of it being rigged, Trask was robbed, unfair… etc. You’ll be hoping that Mayfield implodes just so Trask can start. It’s already started somewhat.
If Trask wins – great. But I wouldn’t bet my paycheck on it.
May 30th, 2023 at 9:17 am
“If Trask had shown this staff anything in the past two years, they wouldn’t have brought in Mayfield. They would have signed a vet specifically to back Trask up (Case Keenum/Chase Daniels type).”
1.) the whole point in bringing in another potential starters is to hold a QB competition.
2.) Holding a competition instead of giving the job to a QB with limited NFL experience like we did with Jameis Winston is our front office learning from its’ past mistakes and NOT painting themselves in a QB corner.
3.) New OC usually get a QB with starting or back up experience and with some familiarity with the offense the OC is installing in a new location
4.) The QBs you named are old af by NFL standards, and if our org were interested in them then why not just bring Blaine Gabbert back?
Some of us actually want to see how the competition plays out throughout camp and the preseason, because some of us want the best option for the Bucs to be earned and not just given to any 1 player. Some of us don’t feed into fan tribalism or picking a side, because at the end of the day all we want is the best option to get us more wins than losses.
May 30th, 2023 at 9:25 am
Well said Dooley.
May 30th, 2023 at 9:38 am
I just love the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans. Just wonderful how they root for their team to be bad, for their quarterbacks to blow up and their coaches to be fired. What a way to live, full of anger, angst, and negativity.
May 30th, 2023 at 9:38 am
How much better can Evans make a struggling QB look?
I don’t know, but maybe Johnny Manziel does.
May 30th, 2023 at 9:43 am
If the O-line is an immovable object from the beginning, maybe Mayfly will be able to become a pocket passer.
If not he will revert to form, run around, and throw interceptions.
I believe the Bowles cleaner will anoint Mayfly because he is “experienced” and that will become a mistake quickly. If the coaching staff learned anything in the Jameis days, they will sit Mayfly during the break and we will see Trask in all his glory.
I do think Trask will have a better camp than Mayfly, and his skill set is geared toward accurate passes. He was and is the future of the franchise, if the front office ever figures that out.
May 30th, 2023 at 9:49 am
BA’s Red Pen Says: “They have seen Trask for 2 years and they decided to sign below average journeyman Baker Mayfield”
They certainly did see Trask for 2 years. That is why in the draft – with Trask the only quarterback on the Bucs roster – the Bucs decided to NOT draft Will Levis or Hendon Hooker, despite both being available.
After the draft, Minifield was brought in because no NFL team carries only 1 quarterback. Last year the Bucs carried 4.
Minifield will be backing up Trask.
May 30th, 2023 at 10:00 am
I agree with Dooley. Why annointvan inexperienced player starter when a competition will motivate him to work harder all summer to improve instead of relax.
They’re calling it a competition to take some of the pressure off Trask. But everyone who’s seen Mayfield play over the years know he was brought in to be a veteran backup. And everyone who’s seen Trask play knows he’s a much better QB. He proved that at Florida. Although he had Pitts and Toney the other receivers dropped a lot of balls and were inconsistent.
In order to beat out Trask, Mayfield will have to be much better than him in camp.
Another reason I know Trask is going to start is because the Mayfield-Joe said that when media was allowed to see practice Mayfield took 70% of the snaps. Keeping him away from the media lets me know that the Bucs are treating Trask like a secret weapon they plan to unleash on the league in the fall.
Right now all of the media is speaking as if Mayfield has already won the position. That’s what the Bucs wanted, to shield their young qb from public scrutiny for as long as possible. It’s working.
May 30th, 2023 at 10:01 am
Number one overall draft BUST managed to throw for 5000 yards with Evans and Godwin as his primary targets. When you look at their best season (ignoring yards) they have some similar statistics. Neither are exceptionally accurate, both had similar ratings (Mayfield’s was higher for his best year). Mayfield turns it over slightly less.
If Evans, Godwin, and Mayfield are healthy I expect Mayfield to have a career year. The thing is, Mayfield’s career year will be much worse than Tom Brady’s averages over the past 3 seasons with the Bucs.
May 30th, 2023 at 10:13 am
“In order to beat out Trask, Mayfield will have to be much better than him in camp.
Another reason I know Trask is going to start is because the Mayfield-Joe said that when media was allowed to see practice Mayfield took 70% of the snaps. Keeping him away from the media lets me know that the Bucs are treating Trask like a secret weapon they plan to unleash on the league in the fall.”
I just spit my coffee out when I read this bit of mental gymnastics. Good grief – Joes – now Trask has a new nickname – “the secret weapon”.
And anyone who refers to Mayfield as Minnifield or Mayfly or refers to Trask as Trask or TrashK isn’t interested in a competition. They just want ‘their guy’ to win. If ‘their guy’ loses they’ll be rooting for the other to fall flat on his face just to ‘be right’.
I hope one of these guys steps up, but honestly I think the likely answer at the end of 2023 is going to be ‘none of the above’.
May 30th, 2023 at 10:23 am
Whoever the Starting QB is, I will be pulling for him. However, if it’s Mayfield I will have to accept the fact that my Bucs are in a pitiable situation.
May 30th, 2023 at 10:25 am
And I double down on my secret weapon assessment.
May 30th, 2023 at 10:32 am
“And everyone who’s seen Trask play knows he’s a much better QB. He proved that at Florida.”…Atlanta Fan
I saw Trask for a few plays at the end of the year and he looked like sheet!
Mayhaps the Atlanta fan is a Florida homer.
May 30th, 2023 at 10:33 am
Wake me in August.
May 30th, 2023 at 11:04 am
Oregon fan. I’m definitely a Florida homie! Grew up in Lakeland, moved to Tampa. Met a lot of Bucs players and have been a Bucs fan from day one! Go Gators!!
May 30th, 2023 at 11:05 am
I’M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF LETTING RUSSELL GAGE GO, WITH AN INJURY SETTLEMENT OF SOME KIND..WE NEED TO GET OUR FINANCIAL GURUS TO FIND A WAY TO GET DEANDRE HOPKINS ON THE BUCCANEERS !..I BELIEVE BAKER MAYFIELD IS MORE THAN CAPABLE TO LEAD OR BUCCANEERS TO THE SUPER BOWL !…..AS LONG AS THE RUNNING GAME VASTLY IMPROVES “KAREEM HUNT” ANYONE ?..& THE LINE GIVES HIM GOOD PROTECTION..AT THIS POINT “RUSSELL GAGE” HAS BECOME A LIABILITY AS OPPOSED
TO AN ASSET..GET RID OF HIM ! SIGN “DEANDRE HOPKINS” BEFORE SOMEONE LIKE THE SAINTS OR PANTHERS DO ! ! ! I’M DEAD SET ABOUT THIS ! ( THE GLAZERS ARE RICH !, THEY COULD MAKE IT HAPPEN) DO IT NOW! ! !
May 30th, 2023 at 11:06 am
Hey Stormy how do you know this as a fact? “If Trask had shown this staff anything in the past two years, they wouldn’t have brought in Mayfield”. Where we in your esteemed observation going to go into our 2023 NFL season with only 1 QB on the roster? Where we just going to not bring in any other QBs?
Take that Stormy attitude someplace else. We had to have at least 3 QBs with one must needing to be a Veteran QB, we got 2 of them. Are they Super Bowl champion QBs One has a Ring the other is 1-1 in the playoffs. But you say “If Trask had shown this staff anything in the past two years, they wouldn’t have brought in Mayfield”
May 30th, 2023 at 11:20 am
Mordue, like you’re thinking… Hopkins, Hunt few other defensive backups sprinkled in there, we will have a very competitive team no matter who the QB is. Go Bucs!!!!
May 30th, 2023 at 11:30 am
Trask is not unknown- Gators were 8-1 with a chance at a National Championship and finished 0-3. Not all Trask’s fault, but he was part of it.
Let the best QB win the competition.
May 30th, 2023 at 11:41 am
Rusty Rhino – learn to read. And comprehend.
They wouldn’t have brought in a guy like Mayfield – WHO EXPECTS TO AND IS PROMISED A CHANCE START – they would have brought in a vet guy who would be happy and his role as backup was completely understood. That is NOT Baker Mayfield. That is my point.
Again – I don’t know why this opinion/observation upsets some of you so much. Trask hasn’t shown enough to warrant anymore than what is going on right now. Read the room. Trask will have to beat Mayfield convincingly (or Mayfield goes down with an iniury) to start the season. If it’s close, Mayfield will start.
May 30th, 2023 at 11:44 am
Oh wait – nevermind. That crafty Todd Bowles and staff are hiding the “secret weapon” and waiting to unleash the 8th wonder of the world on an unsuspecting NFL.
It’s the “Traskhattan Project”. Those Vikings won’t know what hit em.
May 30th, 2023 at 11:45 am
Nope.
And once Mayfield makes them look bad, Tampa fans will want to get rid of hte two of them…because…that’s how Tampa fans are.
May 30th, 2023 at 11:48 am
And…. Anyone who divulges how awesome Trask is in those ‘secret practices’ will be tied up by all the male swashbucklers and find themselves at the bottom of Tampa Bay wearing cement shoes.
Loose lips sink ships, ya know…
May 30th, 2023 at 11:57 am
I personally think what Canales ran in Seattle is the perfect offense for Mayfield. It’s a little more of what he did in college. I think he will adapt well. I don’t know if this scheme fits Trask quite as well, but I’m all for whoever plays the best, that’s the QB I want.
May 30th, 2023 at 12:06 pm
Go Trask beat Mayfield!
May 30th, 2023 at 12:09 pm
CAPSLOCK TOMMY…this team ain’t paying big money for nobody at this time.
This is a throwaway season coming up.
Some say 6 wins I say 3-4 wins.
May 30th, 2023 at 12:11 pm
Baker will be ok with Evans and Godwin, but he is in a challenging position. As stated above, Trask likely has the better upside, and he will get playing time because noone knows anything about his game. ME and CG are constants in this offense and have been for some time, with little running game to help. Since it is a toss up between talent at the qb position, safe money is on both of them playing this season. I dont think it matters who gets the ball to Mike or Chris.
May 30th, 2023 at 12:16 pm
hopkins could make for a nice triple threat with gage as a 4th…
if brady was here hopkins might be in play…
could he still be in play with this roster ???
May 30th, 2023 at 12:34 pm
Hey Mike Evans made Johnny Football look great in College!
May 30th, 2023 at 1:07 pm
Joe needs to stop assuming Baker is going to start. If Baker is somehow named the starter, the season is lost. He’s a solid back-up but that’s it. He’s going to be the new version of Fitz-Magic. Good in a pinch for a couple games, but is too inconsistent to be a starter.
I really believe this is Trask’s job to lose. I think the Bucs coaching staff and front office think the same.
May 30th, 2023 at 1:23 pm
So what other FA QB was going to come here that would’ve been an “upgrade” over Baker? It’s not like there were a ton out there that we could afford.
It’s Baker or Kyle and you’re just going to have to live with it. There ARE worse out there. Maybe we start Wolford?!
We have good enough players to compete for a playoff spot.
May 30th, 2023 at 1:27 pm
Mike Evans was able to make Manziel look like a good QB. Mayfield is going to be great here. This is all just off-season chatter, boredom and national ignorance to a small market team sans TB12.
May 30th, 2023 at 2:07 pm
Russell Gage has been a massive dissapointment. As soon as he put on his Buc jersey he suddenly turned into a porcelain doll. Pathetic.
May 30th, 2023 at 3:22 pm
You all need to stop telling everyone how great Trask is. It’s top secret!
May 30th, 2023 at 4:17 pm
Maybe it’s time to say bye to RG!!! What a waste!!!! Let some of the young guys get the snaps!!
May 30th, 2023 at 4:34 pm
Let’s see how Gage heals up from this presumably minor injury. Last year was unfortunate. Hopefully he just has a minor hammy or something that will be healed before training camp.
May 30th, 2023 at 5:32 pm
Buc1987 Says:
May 30th, 2023 at 12:09 pm
CAPSLOCK TOMMY…this team ain’t paying big money for nobody at this time.
This is a throwaway season coming up.
Some say 6 wins I say 3-4 wins”
Personally, I’m hoping g for 10-11 wins…but expecting 1-3 wins.
May 30th, 2023 at 5:32 pm
I think Evans is just going to excited about no longer being schemed as a decoy. They had him running deep with very little chance Brady could or would get the ball to him.
May 30th, 2023 at 5:34 pm
Any thing between 4 and 9 wins would be a disaster. We need an extreme result this year, either in wins…or in losses.
May 30th, 2023 at 5:48 pm
Stormy Says:
“They wouldn’t have brought in a guy like Mayfield – WHO EXPECTS TO AND IS PROMISED A CHANCE START – they would have brought in a vet guy who would be happy and his role as backup was completely understood. That is NOT Baker Mayfield”
Okay, so I will address this.
Plain and simple: Todd Bowles.
He wants a veteran starter. He is willing to gamble on a veteran with actual experience. But there is absolutely no chance Bowles willingly Let’s Trask start, even if Trask earns it. He will not risk his job on Trask.
That isn’t to say Trask is bad. It doesn’t mean he is great. It just means this is not a true competition.
So I am 100% certain that, barring injury, Mayfield will be named starter.
Will Mayfield be great? Or even good? Nope.
Mayfield has proven time and time again that he is no good.
Canales has never run an offense. He is a rookie OC. He technically should not even get credit for last year.
Y personal hope is that Baker lasts at least 4-6 games…long enough for the OL to start functioning.
May 30th, 2023 at 6:00 pm
And can we finally stop with the WR screens. Also there seemed to be way to many WR option routes. How many times did we see a disconnect between what Brady thought the WR was going to do on those Option routes.
May 31st, 2023 at 1:03 am
So we again are certain that Mayfield is the starter after a few underwear football OTAs? I do agree that whoever the starter is has weapons…
May 31st, 2023 at 1:05 am
Gage is done… Get your cleats polished Palmer!
May 31st, 2023 at 1:19 am
What Dooley said!
The perfect take and makes perfectly well reasoned sense. Especially when compared to the over simplified “If Trask had shown this staff anything in the past two years, they wouldn’t have brought in Mayfield.” and the classic “Couldn’t beat out Gabbert” stuff.
However… May the best man win …Todd!
Go Bucs!