Will Baker Mayfield “Follow The Wristband?”
May 21st, 2023
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield.
Last year, Seattle quarterback Geno Smith revived his 10-year career at 32 years old by edging out Drew Lock for a starting job and following the gospel of his offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron, and QB coach Dave Canales, the Bucs’ new playcaller.
According to former Bucs defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Smith quickly earned the trust of coaches by staying on script and executing.
“Plain and simple, Geno follows the wristband. So it’s a great thing for [Seahawks coaches] and they’re loving every bit of that,” Suh said.
Suh was a guest analyst on NFL Network and talked about how a veteran QB that emerged through “trials and tribulations” is a fantastic kind of tough-guy leader to play alongside.
That got Joe thinking about Baker Mayfield. He’s been through a lot at 28 years old and is known as a tough-guy leader.
Will Mayfield “follow the wristband?”
Certainly, Canales and Todd Bowles are seeking a guy to play within the script and grow in the offense.
Joe thinks Mayfield will stay in lockstep with coaches, a lesson he learned well while thrown into the fire with the Rams late last season — in an offense similar to what Canales will run this season. Gone seems to be the Mayfield who took unnecessary chances and got injured trying to block defensive players years ago.
Interestingly, Suh referenced QB Jay Cutler as a veteran he had a ton of respect for and played alongside in Miami in 2017.
(Joe remembers that fun Monday night game five Decembers ago when Cutler carved up the Patriots and Tom Brady for a thrilling Dolphins victory. What a game! Joe loved seeing the mighty Patriots get shocked.)
Cutler was pulled off the street in August of that year to replace Ryan Tannehill, who was lost injured for the season. Cutler finished 6-8 for the Dolphins behind an offensive line with two shaky guards.
Why can’t Mayfield have at least a Cutler-like season for Tampa Bay? Joe finds it hard to believe Mayfield can’t be an average starter with an elite Bucs receiving corps and a good defense.
The doom-and-gloom talk for the Bucs is wearing on Joe’s nerves. There’s no reason Tampa Bay shouldn’t be competitive in the mighty NFC South.
May 21st, 2023 at 8:18 pm
Simple Joe,
It’s because the Offense would be so much more effective with Trask running the show.
Trask is simply more talented. His skill set is better than what Mayfield has in him. It’s not a blind attack on Mayfield. It is what it is. On the other hand Mayfield brings a ton of experience in the pros than Trask. That’s the only advantage.
If Trask demonstrates that he can take charge of the offense and command respect from his teammates due to Trask’s ability to guide them to wins, including putting the team on his back (take the games over) then he’ll win the job, hands down. “IF” he can take command….
Mayfield on the other hand has learned to at least “fake it till he makes it” and will give the impression of being able to put a game on his back.
The pundents would have a different attitude if it were Trask with the nod because there would be hope or the mystery of what the possibilities may just be. EVERYONE knows what he did in college (Trask) and how he took command there. They (the pundents) are probably confused why Bowles is such a chicken shart and won’t give the kid a chance and they CAN’T STAND the cowardice in (Bowles) for not going for it with a guy with a far higher ceiling (Trask) than what’s turned out to be bad choice even for a journeyman (Mayfield)
No guts, No glory and NOBODY is interested in watching us get embarrassed week in and week out, without at least going with the unknown in Trask. They are bored with No guts, No glory and so am I.
It LOOKS desperate going with Mayfield because IT IS! And Nobody likes a desperate, likely to lose, coward to not even try, gonna probably fall face forward in the mud type team.
He BETTER have more than a wristband!
Don’t be mad at me. I’m just the messenger.
I’m gonna pull for whoever we put on the field. But don’t ask me or anybody else outside of Tampa to get excited about it if it’s a journeyman in Mayfield.
Everybody’s already seen this movie. Everybody gets killed in the end. What’s fun or exciting about that?
May 21st, 2023 at 8:36 pm
Maybe Traskfield can be an average starter, but it also depends on the play calling, O-line, and running game. A new offense is always a scary proposition the first year it is installed. Oh I forgot the head coach, can he refrain from making knuckleheaded decisions this year?
May 21st, 2023 at 8:53 pm
Joe, I agree with you. Too many commentators are jabbers who repeat the same diatribe over and over – and make no effort to do their own homework on teams.
I believe the Bucs can win their division and surprise some contending teams.
Todd Bowles doesn’t want to be one and done this year – and Defense does win games – just look back to the Brooks, Sapp, Lynch, Barber defense helping a mediocre offense stay in the game.
Go Bucs
May 21st, 2023 at 8:59 pm
The best thing that can happen is Baker being on the sideline while Trask starts. That would mean that Trask beat out Baker and then we can see what we got in Trask.
May 21st, 2023 at 9:51 pm
Agreed Joe. It’s funny our division was once very mighty panthers went to the SB n lost Aints went n won falcons up 28-3 then lost n finally our beloved Bucs went n won big time against what is considered the best team in all of football.
May 21st, 2023 at 9:55 pm
@cmurda I agree completely. We already know Mayfield is not likely the long term answer at QB or else he would have stuck with another team. If Trask can beat him out as the starter then we get to see what we have in Trask.
We are on a much faster road to recovery if Trask can step in and be the starter then we can use the draft next year to fill a different position and we may due to his lack of starts get Trask on a short contract extension for less money.
May 21st, 2023 at 10:03 pm
No, I do not think that Mayfly can follow a wristband of plays. He has seen too many O-lines collapse that he is scared shoulderless.
He will roll put and run like he always has and then toss too many interceptions.
I believe Trask is better suited to an Arians game, but will learn consistency for moving the chains and have an occasional flash of a 50 yard TD pass.
I also still think the Bowles cleaner will put Mayfly in because of “experience”. That will really put this team into a hole Trask will have to dig them out of/
May 21st, 2023 at 10:31 pm
I agree. The defense should be improved… and the people that thought Leftwich or the line should think we will improve on offense due to their elimination. The people that think that Brady retiring will help the offense will get what they want. Either way, our offense was one of the worst in the league last season. Even a middle of the pack offense should help us win 10 games.
May 21st, 2023 at 10:43 pm
Mayfield can certainly be at least an average starter.
May 21st, 2023 at 10:48 pm
Everyone is talking a lot of smack about the Buc’s in the press of late, and its going to be funny when the Buc’s beat the crap out of the Mc’homie train, Buc’s will probably be 5-1 when they face up with the Bills in week 6, but Buc’s will give a free slap dance on the Bills too, It’s amazing that teh so-called “sport-writers” are talking smack about the Buc’s, its rubbish and complete nonsense, everyone has a opinion, and that dont mean swat to me, maybe the chip on Baker’s shoulder isnt a bad thing after all, and there’s plenty of a chip to go around the whole Buc’s team
May 21st, 2023 at 11:04 pm
YOUR DAMN RIGHT JOE !..THIS BUC’S TEAM IS GOING TO SURPRISE ALOT OF TEAMS THIS YEAR & BE RIGHT IN THE THICK OF THINGS COME DECEMBER ! WE HAVE A NICE MIXTURE OF YOUNG GO GETTERS & ENOUGH GRIZZLED VETS TO MAKE LIFE TOUGH ON EVERY TEAM WE FACE THIS YEAR..IF JASON LIGHT TAKES MY ADVICE & PULLS OFF A TRADE FOR “AUSTIN ECKLER”,HE & RASHAD WHITE CAN BE OUR ONE,TWO PUNCH WE NEED IN THE RUNNING GAME..I’M CONFIDENT IN BOTH OFFENSE & DEFENSE, BUT I FEEL WE NEED THE ATTRIBUTES OF ECKLER & HIS EXPERIENCE ADDED TO OUR RUNNING GAME TO MAKE US VERY HARD TO DEFEND AGAINST SCORING POINTS, MOST IMPORTANTLY IN THE REDZONE WHERE ECKLER THRIVES..
May 21st, 2023 at 11:06 pm
Competing against 3 other teams with losing records is exactly what we will be doing 👍
Sometimes, the truth hurts
May 21st, 2023 at 11:19 pm
OH BY THE WAY..SIRVOCIA DENNIS CAN STEP RIGHT IN & TAKE DISGRUNTLED ILB DEVIN WHITE’S SPOT AS A ROOKIE,MAKING DEVIN EXPENDABLE ( ESPECIALLY BY TRADING HIM TO AN AFC TEAM )..CATCH MY DRIFT ?
May 22nd, 2023 at 12:25 am
“Why can’t Mayfield have at least a Cutler-like season for Tampa Bay?”
———
Cutler won 6 games, and that’s exactly what I expect the Bucs to win with Mayfield – going 6-11.
May 22nd, 2023 at 6:40 am
Enough Joe. Stop writing articles assuming baker is the qb
It has not been decided except by you
May 22nd, 2023 at 7:17 am
I go with Trask until or unless he can’t carry the mail. He does not have to carry the offense like Brady did ( until the past season). He just has to be reliable and consistent with a NOT pass happy offense. Avoiding turnovers will be key. Short and medium throws and avoiding turnovers and a solid run game will be the key.
May 22nd, 2023 at 7:27 am
Agreed Joe, it’s like a coin flip and people are telling you they got some inside info that heads is going to win, the NFC south…. one gigantic coin flip.
May 22nd, 2023 at 9:23 am
Ok Joe I just realized why you dont insert Trask into more of these scenarios.
You just don’t know! Nobody knows really. What is up for debate is what can Trask do. But it is certain noone on this site including myself has seen much of what the guy can do. No factual history of doing anything but holding a clipboard. And of course the 10 meaningless snaps against Atlanta.
May 22nd, 2023 at 11:22 am
@garro
We have seen what Trask can do. He has a ton of film. He More Than carried the mail in college. He PICKED THE ENTIRE TEAM UP and Carried them across the finish line. A LOUSY TEAM BTW… He pulled off what seemed impossible for the Gators. I am NOT a Gator fan BUT what he did CAN NOT be denied.
garro, have YOU gone back and watched the tape with your OWN EYES? I’m pretty sure MOST of you DID NOT do your due diligence BEFORE YOU SPOKE ON THE MATTER! In fact it’s Clear that you HAVE NOT. If you had, YOU’D HAVE A CLUE as to what the kid CAN DO.
But you didn’t so YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAK ON THE SUBJECT! Go back, DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE, come back and THEN speak on what you think the kid can and Can Not do.
Yeah, your right. You watched what we all watched. Coward and Not to Bright Bowles FAIL TO DO HIS JOB! Bowles was Never going to develop the future of the team and until the Glazers assure someone that they will give a coach more than a year or two to fix the QB problem, we will NEVER be a Dynasty!
Most of you (it seems) are crawling around on your bellies BEGGING to be NOTHING SPECIAL! THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS IT and YOU PEOPLE wonder WHY NOBODY OUT THERE RESPECTS YOUR TEAM or YOUR FEELINGS!
WAKE UP! You are the Pitiful. They (EVERYBODY) Laughs at YOU and YOU wonder WHY? Give it a Rest! EVERYBODY laughs at YOU AND YOU KNOW WHY!
May 22nd, 2023 at 12:07 pm
BTW garro,
I didn’t mean to sound like I was after you. The write up wasn’t for you. You and I seem to basically be on the same page and I was adding to what you said. Sorry it came out that I used you as the wrong example. You ARE CORRECT!
I’m CLEARLY in the camp of giving Trask a shot and giving US ALL a REAL SHOT at A REAL FUTURE with a Dynasty. And IF he’s not the guy, let’s draft the next shot at OUR FRANCHISE QB in the draft.
I am CLEARLY NOT FOR going BACKWARDS and trying to bring a heartbeat back to a dead career! It seems Many don’t get the concept of being at the top year after year OR they WOULDN’T BE BEGGING for one of the WORST QB’s out there to lead them to the GLORIOUS “Den Of Depression”.
Again garro.. Apologies
May 22nd, 2023 at 12:15 pm
Jeez, @obvious. Switch to decaf. Just having a crack in your butt doesn’t make you the Liberty Bell.
May 22nd, 2023 at 12:15 pm
Bucs have the longest odd of winning the NFC South at +500. Saints are at +135.
Surely Trask has better odds of winning the starting job but it’s Baker this and Baker that. Blah Blah Blah.
All I see in BM is another Tua and Kyler and none of them impress me much.
Had Trask been a 4 year starter he too would have gone in early 1st Round of the Draft. Big, mobile enough to extend the play, and proven what he can do with a couple of stud receivers.
Two fewer years of college experience but two full years up close and studying Brady?
Gotta be way better than +500 that Trask starts Game 1.
May 22nd, 2023 at 6:54 pm
Has everyone somehow forgotten ALL of the amazing College QB’s taken in the last decade that turned out mediocre or worse?
MARK SANCHEZ
CHRISTIAN PONDER
TIM TEBOW
PAXTON LYNCH
JOHNNY MANZIEL
BLAINE GABBERT
BLAKE BORTLES
JOSH ROSEN
I’m sure there’s more but all of these guys had GREAT tape from college! Just like Trask. He’s had 2 years (as a 3rd stringer) behind Brady and the opportunity to study a buttload of tape so he has leg up for sure over anyone who was drafted and had to start right away. However, he still has NOT even played a single regular season game! So the truth is we simply don’t know yet if he will be any good.
Let me be clear…If & when Trask hits the field for us I truly hope for nothing more than massive success! We simply DO NOT KNOW how he will be in the NFL until he gets a full (or close to) season under his belt.
Baker on the other hand has played 72 games with 102 TD’s, 64 INT’s for 16,288 yards and comp% of 61.4%.
He has 6 years of seeing and reading NFL defenses. Trask has yet to see even a full game! These are just facts folks…so OF COURSE Baker likely has the best chance to start the season.
Again, I’ll root for whomever is at QB, legit, but how ’bout we at least let them go through training camp & pre-season with a new OC and a whole new system?