Watching Baker Mayfield
July 9th, 2023
Is Baker Mayfield a man to watch? Time will only tell.
Mike Jones of The Athletic selected a player from each NFL team to keep an eye on this season. Jones has a variety of reasons for each selection but Jones seems to think if Mayfield can turn around his career with the Bucs, then the Bucs might just be pretty good.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: QB Baker Mayfield
Mayfield, the 2018 No. 1 pick by Cleveland, is trying to prove he’s not a bust while playing with his fourth NFL team and third in the last two seasons. But he’s also trying to replace Tom Brady and keep the Bucs relevant. Talk about a tall task.
Mayfield doesn’t need to be Tom Brady. What he does need to have is a better than a 19 percent conversion percentage on third-and-longs.
If Mayfield can be just an average starting quarterback, the Bucs ought to be in the hunt for mid-January football.
July 9th, 2023 at 12:03 am
If Mayfield can be competent, merely average, we’ll be better than last season. Everything else will be better. All he needs to be is average for this team to flirt with 10 wins.
July 9th, 2023 at 12:34 am
Again 4 to 5 wins tops!
July 9th, 2023 at 1:31 am
Buc1987 Says:
Again 4 to 5 wins tops!
No way ’87
2023 Bucs win 7 games minimum. 8+ is a high probability
There is way too much talent on this team to be a bottom dweller.
The defense will be top 10 and the Offense will be better than last year.
That means 9 or 10 wins. Especially in a weak division and playing the AFC south.
Read Joe’s last sentence…..
July 9th, 2023 at 1:43 am
If Mayfield could average 2 TDs and only 0.7 INTs per game, for the season, we could be alright with an improved run game.
July 9th, 2023 at 4:20 am
If the defense can get some three and outs, some turnovers, and an improved pass rush we can put Baker in more of a game manager role and merely make plays when they are there while limiiting turnovers.
Go Bucs!
July 9th, 2023 at 5:43 am
Man I just don’t understand the poor outlook for the Bucs just based on their QB. SF inserted Brock Purdy and look what they did. That’s because they have a good OC in KS that put him in good situational football. I think Mayfield can be that guy that can play aggressive when he needs to but damn, the dude has talent all around and a defense that’s going to keep a game close. Look at the division also. Anyway, would rather the Bucs catching people by surprise anyway. Much more fun than when they peg you as the NFC SB favorite like last year and just look horrible and painful to watch. Looking forward to this DC offense. Football is upon us!! Go Bucs!
July 9th, 2023 at 6:12 am
Don’t believe the hype with some of these generic pundits on the 2023 outcome of the Bucs. Honestly, I believe most of the Bucs problems last year were due to the emotional rollercoaster Brady was experiencing in his personal life. He was not totally focused which caused a distraction for him n some of his teammates or the team as a whole. Sort of like the demise of the Cowboys when Tony Romo allowed his personal life (girlfriend Jessica Simpson) to impact his performance. Former cowboys Terrell Owens spoke out about it n how it impacted the team n I believe if psycho AB was playing for the Bucs last year, he too, would’ve spoke out about Brady n his relationship, but his comments would’ve been from a missing link perspective. It was obvious that Brady wasn’t focus last year n he knew it. I believe Baker will shine in this offense with an OC who knows how to dial up plays. Let’s at least give Baker a first five games chance.
July 9th, 2023 at 6:18 am
If Mayfield plays well Bucs will be good and probably make the playoffs.
If Mayfield plays bad Bucs will have a train wreck season.
July 9th, 2023 at 6:52 am
Canales has to get this offense to score more than 18.2 ppg. 10 games last season we held teams to 21 points, which has been the averaged ppg allowed by our defense since 2020. Biggest difference between 2020-21 & 2022, is our offense was competent enough to average more than 6 FGs a game. Pretty simple road to success for Traskfield, be efficient, stay active, keep the game changing mistakes at a minimum and put us in position to put points on the board more frequently than Bradywhich did last season. Not that tall an order, but also not the sexiest situation to have in a QB obsessed media space.
No reason Trask or Mayfield can have the success other QBs who aren’t the most talented players on their teams like Geno Smith, Kurt Cousins, or that bum Ryan Tannehill.
July 9th, 2023 at 7:03 am
The season is already a giant win since we will no longer have to see that utterly stupid-looking dunce calling plays wearing that equally stupid looking flat brim hat. Whatever our record will be, we’ve WON!!!
July 9th, 2023 at 7:20 am
As much as I hate Baker Mayfield id take home over every other starting QB in the NFC South…And that’s one big reason why I feel we can still win the division…That being said, Baker still has to prove he’s the best QB on this team…
July 9th, 2023 at 7:25 am
Typo…
“take him”
July 9th, 2023 at 7:46 am
“If Mayfield can be just an average starting quarterback, the Bucs ought to be in the hunt for mid-January football.” – JBF
I have absolutely no idea how you came to that conclusion.
What it would do is NOT get us into the playoffs AND cost us a top pick.
July 9th, 2023 at 7:51 am
Regardless of who is starting (as a result of this fake competition, replacement or injury), the ONLY acceptable outcomes are:
Play incredibly well so that we do not need a top pick, or…
Play incredibly poorly so we have a chance to get the first pick.
This year, there is no middle ground at quarterback.
July 9th, 2023 at 7:56 am
Mayfield could easily get us a 1st overall pick. But…if he wins just below 40% of his games (his career average), he will not male us better and he will cost us that pick.
And I wish people would stop underestimating the Saints this year. They are taking a chance just like we are at QB…except they actually got a QB with a chance to win.
July 9th, 2023 at 8:01 am
I’m not for tanking but 7 or 8 wins will do absolutely nothing for us.
I have zero confidence in Bowles…..so it will have to be Canales & Mayfield that get it done for us.
At this point I’m not quite sure anyone really knows how this will turn out.
July 9th, 2023 at 9:00 am
I am no expert but I sure would feel more confident if they were putting Feiler on Goedeke’s side, and Mauch next to Wirfs.
Baker will likely play about as well as the OL plays.
July 9th, 2023 at 9:06 am
Going to battle with Baker is no better than counting on any other place holder QB – Brissette, Bridgewater et al
Just good enough to win 6 games, max
Especially with a HC that thinks scoring more than the other team is a luxury
July 9th, 2023 at 10:18 am
If you’ve ever played competitive sports at a high level, you know the whole idea of losing to get a high draft pick is ridiculous.
July 9th, 2023 at 10:33 am
Sure…IF he can play like the number one draft pick the Browns thought he was, he might be a fine player. And if I was 40 years younger, I’d look pretty good again. LOL.
July 9th, 2023 at 11:59 am
Larrd-
Not sure why everyone believes the team has handed Feiler the starting guard with Hainsey looming behind him. Hell, there is even a possibility that Ryan Jensen could move to LG ala 2020 season when Marpet when down. Training camp hasn’t started, we shouldn’t be an anointing fringe players starting positions until they start hitting.
July 9th, 2023 at 12:04 pm
Buddha – agreed. Tanking strategies have given a handful of teams dumb luck.. but look no further than our tank for Jameis. There’s still an awfully lot of good quarterbacks that aren’t taken with top 5 picks, along with veteran free agent acquisitions of game manager types.
If the Bucs stay healthy they are likely a playoff team, objectively, no one in the NFC south presents a more talented roster and defense than the Buccaneers. Regardless the idea of them as a bottom dweller with the likes of the Cardinals, and Colts is absurd
July 9th, 2023 at 12:39 pm
Guys, you are greatly underestimating the talent of Baker Mayfield. He’s played against Joe Burrows three times and he’s beaten him three times. As a matter of fact, he threw 5 touchdowns in one of those games. He also averaged over 340 yards in four of the games he’s played against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. If Baker had any kind of defense, he would have beaten Jackson four times instead of just twice. Baker’s going to win the QB battle (nothing against KT) and the Bucs will have an outstanding season. Go Bucs.
July 9th, 2023 at 12:48 pm
For those of you denigrating Baker, remember he was a #1 pick. High draft picks guarantee nothing. I’d rather win now. I think Baker can do this for us.
July 9th, 2023 at 1:07 pm
For the 798th time.
Mayfield won’t beat out Trask – and if he does he won’t last 6 games.
July 9th, 2023 at 1:15 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai …
Carr and Mayfield have nearly the same comp% and TD:INT ratios. The difference is Carr’s had the same team. Baker has had to learn new systems.
Raiders spent $100M. Bucs spent $8M.
July 9th, 2023 at 1:24 pm
Sly what’s the PYPG?
Career? Last season?
180 YPG is abysmal.
July 9th, 2023 at 2:38 pm
Sly Pirate, you made an excellent point. If baker starts most of our games he costs us $8.5 mil. If he blows chunks early or gets hurt early it’s only $4 mil. We’ve got nothing invested, but much to gain.