“I Like Tampa. I Like Baker”
June 6th, 2023
NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt.
You’ve read all sorts of stories Joe has referenced over the past two months in which so many NFL analysts think the Bucs are in the running for Caleb Williams next spring (#CollaspeForCaleb).
One reason for the pessimism is Bucs quarterback Kyler Traskfield. The Bucs are trying to sell their broadcast partners and influential media types that they can win with Traskfield, but it is not resonating. At all.
Well, Kyle Brandt is done with it. The NFL Network king of pop culture and co-host of “Good Morning Football” has had enough of the kvetching over the Bucs and Baker Mayfield.
So yesterday on his show, Brandt asked, why not the Bucs and Mayfield?
“I have this thing where I can’t quit Baker,” Brandt began. “I love Baker Mayfield as a persona. I love him as a talent, too. I think he has one of the strongest arms in the NFL. I will stand by that statement and there is videotape to back it up.
“Listen, someone has to win the [NFC] South. Point to the team there, ‘Aw, they got it!’ …
“I like Tampa. I like Baker. I like the GM. I like a lot of players that are there.”
Brandt added if you look “top to bottom” on the Bucs roster, they should be able to hang if not beat anyone in the NFC South.
Of course, Brandt confessed he may be a bit too obsessed with Mayfield.
“I just can’t quit Baker Mayfield,” Brandt said. “Sometimes you like things irresponsibly that you shouldn’t. That you should move on from.
“I won’t. I don’t care. Wherever his next team is — I hope it is Tampa Bay for the next 10 years. If he goes to another team, I will still believe in him.”
If Mayfield doesn’t play well this year, Joe thinks it is just about a sure thing Brandt will be pulling for Mayfield with a new team in 2024.
Rarely do quarterbacks get back-to-back prove-it seasons with the same team.
June 6th, 2023 at 8:12 am
If he wins the job I hope he does well. If he’s given the job I hope he does well. If he’s given the job and doesn’t do well. Well then from licht all the way down to canales should be held accountable. It’s as simple as that.
June 6th, 2023 at 8:12 am
“#CollaspeForCaleb”
Great plan! Of 69 quarterbacks drafted in the first round since 2000, all of 5 have won Super Bowls! 7%! Surely another under-sized over-hyped quarterblack will be in that 7%!
June 6th, 2023 at 8:21 am
Trent Dilfer won as many SBs as Aaron Rodgers and more than Dan Marino. It’s about more than the QB.
June 6th, 2023 at 8:32 am
I like them too, but they are a bunch of losers and will lose at least 2/3 of the games.
June 6th, 2023 at 8:32 am
Joe has a lot in common with Brant. Both obsessed with Mayfield.
June 6th, 2023 at 8:36 am
This won’t end well in Tampa, Brandt gets to cheer for Mayfield at another team next year. He can have Bowles also. Lol.
June 6th, 2023 at 8:57 am
“I think he has one of the strongest arms in the NFL.”
LMAO Kyle Brandt needs to be drug tested
June 6th, 2023 at 9:08 am
I have said it before and I will say it again. The Bucs lucked out having the opportunity to be able to have Baker be able to step right in after TB12’s departure. The guy can play. He was the Number pick in the draft for a reason. He TOOK THE BROWNS TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!!
June 6th, 2023 at 9:10 am
haha QB, GM… no mention of the coach!
June 6th, 2023 at 9:15 am
But is it ModhairKen? Last 10 Super Bowl winning qbs are as follows:
Mahomes
Stafford
Brady
Mahomes
Brady
Foles
Brady
Manning
Brady
Wilson
So one in the last 10 years wasn’t a franchise qb. It is more than just. Qb but without one you have extremely thin chances of doing it. Baker nor Trask especially with Bowles has no chance. It kills me to realize that this season is a lost cause cause we do have an easy schedule but with no coach and mediocrity at qb the likelihood is slim to none.
June 6th, 2023 at 9:19 am
The naysayers are the same ones who said the Rays would finish last in the AL East. They still have to play the games. Suddenly the only player that matters is the QB. The NFL is the ultimate team sport.
June 6th, 2023 at 9:19 am
^^^
Those QBs all played on teams with at least 52 other players who all contributed, lol you’re just naming names and not including how good the defenses for most of those SB winners are. Terrible take, just using the logic of listing SB winning QBs as if this game of football is not more complex than most other sports because there are so many moving pieces.
June 6th, 2023 at 9:19 am
Had the Jets and Bowles had the Vision to take Josh Allen instead of Darnold in 2018 they may have had a longer relationship. Brandt would be crying ‘same Old Bills’. Baker and Darnold are both Busts or Back Ups at Best.
If Bowles is going thru a what if (had he gotten Mayfield in 2018) then he may just find a case of history repeating itself and be out of a job.
As the edge Rushers get faster, the ability to get outside will diminish, and Mayfield on size alone will not fare well from the pocket.
June 6th, 2023 at 9:37 am
Brandt must have partied hardy for most of the off-season. He is delusional to not hold Mayfly at arm’s length until he proves he is not a consistent 24.5 QBR guy.
He has already done that twice, and the third time will be the charm. His career in the NFL will be well toasted and buttered.
June 6th, 2023 at 9:38 am
You forgot to mention that he is from Tampa and is a bucs fan. That is why he is always up on Tampa.
June 6th, 2023 at 9:45 am
Good finally a positive article
June 6th, 2023 at 9:47 am
In the whole history of the Bucs, maybe they have had three good QBs. Mayfield will end up being another failed Bucs experiment in a very very long line of bad QBs. The guy’s body of work speaks for itself and I don’t expect his play to change for the better or his QBR to go up dramatically.
June 6th, 2023 at 9:52 am
???
Brandt is from the Chicago burbs.
June 6th, 2023 at 9:55 am
The flaw in his argument is the Buc’s uninspiring HC has a track record of HC Fail.
June 6th, 2023 at 9:56 am
I am with you Kyle Brandt! As a former Browns fan I have watched firsthand Baker’s journey. Critics of Baker need to look more closer at the details of his journey and not random clips and uninformed comments. I love Tampa and I love Baker!
June 6th, 2023 at 10:10 am
#99
What’s positive about Mayfield starting?
June 6th, 2023 at 10:15 am
Barker Maybefield does NOT have one of the stronger arms in the league. Brandt is as delusional as those that think a QB bust career can be salvage at will.
Maybe Brandt has side business deals with Maybefield and he needs the bum to be a starter.
June 6th, 2023 at 10:25 am
ATLBuc, that wasn’t my point ,my point was a positive article from a journalist, since everyone else is crapping on the bucs
June 6th, 2023 at 11:20 am
The arm strength thing is almost entirely meaningless, at least in the context in which it’s typically used. Can he throw a 20 yd out pattern with some heat? That’s what’s important. And accuracy. Obviously. I’m sure he can throw it 50 plus yards which is as long as he’ll usually ever need to throw it.
June 6th, 2023 at 11:25 am
Dooley – Is this you trying to convince yourself thatnot having a true franchise quarterback isn’t imperative? Because your galaxy brained take is clearly what you are implying. OBVIOUSLY there are a lot of moving parts, anyone with something above a chimpanzee brain realizes this, and taking away patrick mahomes from the chiefs is the equivalent of taking Steph curry away from the warriors. Theyd be DONE. The Bucs do not win the superbowl and follow that up with a freight train of an offense with blaine gabbert and it is literally no coincidence that those last 10 quartebacks listed – played out of their minds and uplifted the entire team. The exception to the norm (Trent Dilfer and the like) does nothing to validate your point. It weakens it. Teams like the 49ers, are the exception, and even then – last I checked the 49ers havent won the superbowl since they had a true franchise quarterback.
June 6th, 2023 at 11:36 am
One positive point about Baker is that he’s a natural leader in the locker room and really seems to have matured from his off the field issues in his college days……
Remind us of a certain former Bucs quarterback anyone?? (Hint- his name will trigger gator fans)
June 6th, 2023 at 12:12 pm
@Gofortheface30
“just using the logic of listing SB winning QBs as if this game of football is not more complex than most other sports because there are so many moving pieces.”
Is what I said, nothing I typed implied not needing a QB to win, but the logic of just listing SB winning QBs to make it seem as if that’s all a team needs to win a super bowl is false because if it were true, why aren’t Matt Ryan, Phillip Rivers, Tony Romo and a few other QBs who can be labeled “franchise” QBs NOT SB winners. It’s because they’ve been on TEAMS that haven’t been good enough to get the job done. Team meaning more than just having a good QB.
Every team that’s been to an SB since 2012 has ranked in the top 10 of both defensive and offensive rankings with the exception of Falcons in ’16, Patriots in ’17, the Chiefs in ’20 and ’19, and the Broncos in 2015. A more accurate statement would be QBs on teams with good offenses and defense gave teams the best chance of getting to an SB and winning it, but talking like all you need is a “franchise” QB to win a SB is short-sighted and not truthful. Let me guess, all a house needs is a roof? LOL foh
June 6th, 2023 at 12:22 pm
The better, articulated point should be that the Bucs have a solid supporting cast that weather a mediocre division such as the NFC South this season. Realistically, noone was brought in to be the savior. As stated above, you cant have a real conversation about success of one player unless that player is Brady or Mahomes. Btw, saying Carrmeis, Stroud, or whoever Atl rolls out can win the NFC South is just as invalid as putting Traskerfield out there. This is the ultimate spoiler season in the NFC South, and we have enough veterans and talent to play for spite. We keep the other three knuckleheads out of the playoffs, and there are likely roster changes and regime changes across the board. Its not going to come down to quarterbacks, it will come down to coaching, and I currently cant say Bowles is the lesser of the four in the division.
June 6th, 2023 at 12:24 pm
gofortheface30…Brad Johnson won a Super Bowl.
June 6th, 2023 at 1:12 pm
Baker = worst QB in football the last two years, and even in his one ‘good’ year he was literally just a game manager on a team with the NFL’s best running game with one of the NFL’s best offensive lines.
There’s no reason anyone should be optimistic since if you’ve watched football for any length of time you know how this ends. It’s OK to be hopeful, but to expect good things, to be optimistic, that’s ridiculous.
June 6th, 2023 at 1:17 pm
I noticed that when Kyle was listing things he liked at Tampa he said he liked Tampa, he liked BM, and he likedJL! I don’t see any mention of Todd Bowles! Abstained on purpose, I believe so! Bowles is the unknown in a Bucs winning season equation! Let’s hope he gets his act together this year!!!
June 6th, 2023 at 1:19 pm
Buc1987 Says:
Brad Johnson won a Super Bowl.
———
The Bucs defense literally outscored the Raiders offense in the SB, and allowed 3-net points in the playoffs – total. 31 points given up, 28 scored – and it should have been 35 points scored, except Rice smacked a guy in the head while Ronde returned a TD vs the 49ers and it was taken off the board. If that counted, the Bucs defense in the 2002-03 playoffs would have outscored the opponent offenses, BTW, all three games were vs Top 10 offenses in the NFL, including the #1 offense, and two of the three games were vs the top 4 scoring offenses. What the Bucs defense did was the all-time greatest playoff performance ever by any team.
June 6th, 2023 at 1:30 pm
I’m a Browns fan. If Baker was willing to accept $11 million/ year there’s no question he never would’ve left Cleveland. He has no touch, not very mobile, doesn’t overcome his lack of height… but he’s a leader, has a rocket arm and is a master of intangibles.
I’d much rather have Baker than Rapey McWatson
June 6th, 2023 at 2:52 pm
If the defense plays well and the o-line gives Mayfield 2.8 – 3.0 seconds to throw, all this whining will be forgotten. Tampa will win 9-11 games this season.
June 6th, 2023 at 5:40 pm
I told y’all that most of you guys pick and choose which players yall give passes to. I don’t understand how Baker Mayfield who is on his 4th team in 6 years gets all these passes. He had a good running game a good defense and a good offensive line and not labeled a bust. But Jamies had Mike Evans and nothing else for the first 3 years to throw the ball to no running game or defense but should have won the MVP. I remember hearing any quarterback would love to have these weapons Jamies had and last year Brady played with the same guys Jamies had and Brady playing bad with that team. But now Baker Mayfield is going to be the bucs quarterback for the next 10 years? Come on man!!!
June 6th, 2023 at 7:22 pm
Onelbuc, Winston is gone, wanting him back, shame. We won a Super Bowl with james out the door the next year, dont type his name again. Baker, 10 years? No chance
June 6th, 2023 at 7:28 pm
We got Brady and flourished, talking about Winston, you are delusional. Bucs fans need to carry themselves better
June 6th, 2023 at 7:37 pm
Yea, I get annoyed at people who cite dilfer as an example that you don’t need an elite QB to win a SB. The Raven had a historically great defense that year. In addition, rules have changed since then to favor the passing game, making it more difficult to dominate with a defense.
June 6th, 2023 at 8:28 pm
Kord. It’s not about hyping Jamies up I’m showing how most of yall don’t call it you see it . You see I don’t care about who the player is ain’t no player is exempt from criticism to me . Baker Mayfield suck and how many more chances is going to get? How many more excuses will Baker Mayfield gat ? I was rooting for guy Cleveland because the media hated him so much and I gave him a pass his last season with the browns because he was hurt but what I saw in Carolina and LA I was done with Baker Mayfield this is his 4th team in 6 years and every Bucs site or podcast is promoting Baker Mayfield and just bashing Trask every time they bring up his name!!!
June 6th, 2023 at 9:08 pm
So the plan is Bucs sign a guy that nobody wanted for low end backup money that reaches high end backup money IF he meets incentives – and that guy is going to save Bowles’ job…
But the guy who set record at Florida, got drafted in the 2nd round, has prototype measurables and was draft specifically to be Brady’s successor – that guy nobody wants to have a realistic shot at the job.
If they don’t start Trask it will rank up there as one of the biggest epic fails this franchise has ever been through – and with Tampa that’s saying something.
The handwriting is on the wall. The track record has been established. The numbers are available for everyone to see.
If you run Mayfield out there and he dumps the bed the story will be “Why didn’t you see what everyone else saw and what the numbers were screaming? You ignored all the signs, thought you knew better and now not only have you flushed the season with that choice, but you also ran the successor out on a rail.”
Let’s add to that Trask going elsewhere and becoming a bonafide starter in the league and now the legacy will be cemented.
And US fans? Well we’ll have to embrace going back to being the Yucks. Tampa let two Super Bowl winning QBs walk in favor of inferior players. I guess it’s just in the DNA here.
June 6th, 2023 at 9:11 pm
Oh wait excuse me – it’s not two SB winning players that walked in favor of lesser players – actually it’s three.
June 6th, 2023 at 9:57 pm
Just Leave Trask Alone Says: Blah, blah, blah…Trask was so great in college.
Seriously dude? You want to lionize Trask based on his college career but you want to talk trash about Mayfield? Why don’t you compare apples to apples? I guess because all Trask has done for two years in the is ride the pine, so we’ll have to talk about Mayfield’s college career instead.
-Awards & Honors
2015 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year
2017 AP Player of the Year Award
2017 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year
2017 Consensus All-America
2017 Davey O’Brien Award
2017 Heisman Memorial Trophy
2017 Manning Award
2017 Maxwell Award
2017 Walter Camp Player of the Year Award
-Pass Completion Percentage
2015 68.1 (#4) NCAA
2015 68.1 (#1) Big 12
2016 70.9 (#1) NCAA
2016 70.9 (#1) Big 12
2017 70.5 (#1) NCAA
2017 70.5 (#1) Big 12
-Passing Yards Per Attempt
2015 9.4 (#3) NCAA
2015 9.4 (#1) Big 12
2016 11.1 (#1) NCAA
2016 11.1 (#1) Big 12
2017 11.5 (#1) NCAA
2017 11.5 (#1) Big 12
-Adjusted Passing Yards Per Attempt
2015 10.4 (#2) NCAA
2015 10.4 (#1) Big 12
2016 12.3 (#1) NCAA
2016 12.3 (#1) Big 12
2017 12.9 (#1) NCAA
2017 12.9 (#1) Big 12
-Passing Touchdowns
2013 12 (#5) Big 12
2015 36 (#6) NCAA
2015 36 (#1) Big 12
2016 40 (#6) NCAA
2016 40 (#2) Big 12
2017 43 (#2) NCAA
2017 43 (#1) Big 12
-Passing Efficiency Rating
2015 173.3 (#3) NCAA
2015 173.3 (#1) Big 12
2016 196.4 (#1) NCAA
2016 196.4 (#1) Big 12
2017 198.9 (#1) NCAA
2017 198.9 (#1) Big 12
-Total Yards
2013 2505 (#5) Big 12
2015 4105 (#3) Big 12
2016 4142 (#3) Big 12
2017 4938 (#3) NCAA
2017 4938 (#2) Big 12
Career 15690 (#5) NCAA
-Total Yards Per Play
2015 7.7 (#2) Big 12
2016 9.5 (#2) NCAA
2016 9.5 (#1) Big 12
2017 9.9 (#1) NCAA
2017 9.9 (#1) Big 12
-TD Responsible For
2015 43 (#5) NCAA
2015 43 (#2) Big 12
2016 46 (#5) NCAA
2016 46 (#2) Big 12
2017 49 (#1) NCAA
2017 49 (#1) Big 12
Career 153 (#2) NCAA
June 7th, 2023 at 1:59 am
especially with an offensive play caller whose offense is designed for Mayfield’s strengths. If he can’t make it here he’s doomed anywhere else.
June 7th, 2023 at 3:27 am
OK Don’t tell me it’s raining lets compare their senior seasons
Lets look at what Trask did at Florida in a 12 game season ONLY playing against the SEC in 2020 vs Baker’s 14 game season in 2017:
4,283 Total Pass Yards (Baker 4627)
356.9 PYPG (Baker 330)
68.9 Comp % (Baker 70.5)
9.8 YPA (Baker 11.5)
46 TD (Baker 44)
8 INT (Baker 6)
You want to tell me there’s a big gap there? Those are stratospheric numbers for both players.
Florida didn’t play UTEP, Baylor, Iowa State, K State, West Virginia or Tulane like the Sooners did either.
They played LSU, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Arkansas and South Carolina all teams that can play defense.
Trask put those numbers up without non-conference cupcakes on the schedule.
Lets look at some other things Trask did:
Holds the records for TDs and passing yards at Florida despite the 12 game schedule
400 yards in five games (another school record)
He also threw for at least four touchdowns in seven consecutive games this season, making him just the ninth FBS player since 2000 to do so.
Trask came out of nowhere the year before as an injury replacement. Once he got on the field he just started balling. He went from an unheralded backup to Heisman finalist in a single season.
Trask has earned his place. He’s done everything Tampa has asked him to do. Meanwhile Baker was the worst QB in the NFL last season. We have not seen Trask on the field. They’re not even going to see what they have in a 2nd round draft pick with that kind of resume over a guy who’s a bust on his 4th team? These things matter.
Joe might be right – maybe this whole QB competition is just kabuki theater and they are already penciling in Mayfield with this QB on the move offense Canales is drawing up. If that’s the case Bake better stay on the field because Trask has a history of making the most of his opportunities when he gets them.
Baker is in a tougher situation that he realizes because if he puts up a 170 YPG result like he did last year the voices calling for the hometown guy Trask will get loud. They’re already loud and its June. After 2022 Baker should not be handed ANYTHING.
June 7th, 2023 at 7:57 am
Rod, wtf!
“It’s OK to be hopeful, but to expect good things, to be optimistic, that’s ridiculous.”
Why even bother to be a fan, Eeyore?
June 7th, 2023 at 7:58 am
“broadcast partners and influential media types”
I’m sorry…What?….Why?…Who?
Please define and explain why the Bucs are trying to sell anything.
June 7th, 2023 at 11:23 am
Mike S: Do you see me here bashing Trask? Don’t worry I’ll wait while you look. If you actually read what I wrote you will see I’m pointing out that he was saying Trask is so great because of his college career vs Mayfield who sucks because of his NFL career. All I did was compare apples to apples and you pointing out that there’s no significant gap between the two of them in college, only corroborates my point. As well as you bringing up the fact that Trask was injured and did not play. Mayfield was also injured and continued to play. And regardless of the talent in the the SEC, it doesn’t compare to the talent in the NFL. Would you disagree? So Mayfield was injured in the NFL and continued to play against the elite of the elite in this sport. And while you’re quick to point out Trask’s injury and give him a pass for that season, no one wants to do the same for Mayfield and the fact that he didn’t sit out the season and he continued to play against those top tier athletes. That’s fine though. People can hate on Mayfield all they want. The guy was a walk on because no D1 schools wanted him, so he knows how to fight on his back. And I’ll tell you this, when someone is on their back most of the onlooking “masses” believe they’re losing, that is until they get their opponent in a submission hold and cause them to tap. Mayfield is a true underdog story but apparently no one in TB can relate to that. SMH