Baker Mayfield Is Losing Ground
August 2nd, 2023
Whatever giant-sized lead Baker Mayfield had entering the quarterback battle in training camp, it’s been cut significantly after six practices. (Today is a day off.)
The Bucs had another practice last night inside the Glazer Shed, and if you’re scoring with the eye test, it was another loss for Mayfield to competing Kyle Trask.
Earlier in the day, Buccaneers offensive coordianator Dave Canales made it clear to media that Mayfield won the first two days of training camp because of how he was running the offense. It was as if Canales tried to deliniate that Mayfield won more on preparation and execution than perofrmance.
But Canales also emphasized that the competition tightened from there and, like many players have said, Trask moved his needle significantly in the right direction this week (practices were Sunday, Monday at last night).
Joe simply sees Trask as the better performer lately, but what has Joe a little queasy is that Joe can’t say the QB play looks special overall.
Joe gets that some fans are glued to social media and various corners of the Internet that offer nuggets from practice. Much of it is misdirection because the defense doesn’t get to come after the quarterback full force. That reached a fever pitch last night with all kinds of good plays by the offense not really being good plays.
Perhaps the greatest example was Mayfield throwing a bomb to Deven Thompkins that he skied for and pulled in. Great catch about 45 yards downfield. However, Mayfield had a guy in his face that put his hands down (sort of a self-hug) to avoid hitting Mayfield in any way. Mayfield got a bit of a hip tap anyway on the throw, which was just evidence of how badly he would have been crushed if the football was real.
It’s frustrating for Joe when it comes to evaluation.
Still, Trask is improving steadily. That’s crystal clear. Mayfield? He’s not.
The dynamic of the quarterback battle can change daily, but Joe’s starting to think the first preseason game and the two joint practices with the Jets will be weighted far more heavily by management than they originally planned.
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:14 am
Thank you Joe for your honest appraisal!
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:16 am
Baker will start. Baker will lose. Fans will demand we see Trask. Then Trask starts and subsequently loses often.
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:20 am
Where all the Kyle Trask haters at?
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:24 am
Put granny’s iPad back little boy
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:26 am
Great point about the difficulty making a good evaluation. I was just thinking that. The Jets practices will be another click of the ratchet. Then the preseason games another one. The the real thing. Will be a lot different in September so no matter who is ahead now, things can change in a hurry when they come at you for real.
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:28 am
Not surprising. Hard to change who you are this many years in. Cmon Kyle put a knife in his career
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:31 am
Baker has been consistently mediocre at best. There’s no upside in starting half baked. Keep him holding a clipboard and give the keys to Kyle so we can see what he can do for all 17 games. If he isn’t good then we’ll have a high draft pick to find a replacement.
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:32 am
Combination of Bowles and these QB’s all but guarantees a top 5 pick
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:35 am
Ultimately, neither one of these guys are likely a long term option.
Won’t matter who opens – if the first four games are brutal, they’re flipping QBs during the bye. Trask or Mayfield. Doesn’t matter.
The opening day QB is getting a four game audition.
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:42 am
Joe, why don’t you provide a more detailed breakdown of the QB performances “similar” to what you did earlier in training camp? I mean, how difficult can that be? It’s not. It’s coming. Not everyone, most fans in fact, are NOT interested in the hyper details of training camp snaps. Also, whatever “details” you’re getting, most fans ignore that the defense is often not going 100 percent under coach’s orders. Lastly, there is no instant replay and the Bucs don’t allow video to be shot by media like they did years ago. –Joe
The information we’re getting as fans (no matter if you’re a Baker or Trask supporter) is lacking and provides nothing but speculation which fuels anger on this site.
August 2nd, 2023 at 9:09 am
I think if you’re counting at home Baker has 5 picks so far in camp to Trask’s one. Baker can’t protect the ball, he won’t start. Preseason games are going to be the tell.
August 2nd, 2023 at 9:20 am
IF Trask becomes the starter and proves the naysayers here wrong by being above average with low turnovers. We will be in a spot next year to move forward with another position of need, not a project of a young QB. We won our first Super Bowl with Brad Johnson and a great D.
August 2nd, 2023 at 9:24 am
May the best QB win.
August 2nd, 2023 at 9:25 am
It sure seems that Trask is doing surprisingly well. Even if the QB play isn’t particularly special…we still want the best one in there. Jaymiss 2.0 is the last thing we need.
August 2nd, 2023 at 9:29 am
Sorry but anyone who thinks Trask is going to be anything but a rookie Qb this year if he starts is fooling themselves. Not saying Mayfield is better or anything like that. Facts are not many rookie QBs have excelled no matter what the circumstances. I don’t want to hear he isn’t a rookie. Less than 10 actual pass attempts is the definition of rookie. Mayfield can and will play better when the real bullets fly just because of his game experience. Not to say Trask can’t be a reliable average Qb, that is within reach, but I don’t see anything more than that. So let’s see how this plays out. Hopefully we can bite the bullet and live thru an awful year and finally draft the franchise QB that’s eluded us all these years. Because we saw for the last 3 years, what a great Qb does for your team.
August 2nd, 2023 at 9:34 am
“The information we’re getting as fans (no matter if you’re a Baker or Trask supporter) is lacking and provides nothing but speculation which fuels anger on this site.”
Man preseason will be here soon just sit tight lol.
Joe has historically given the best notes on practice that I’ve ever seen from any writer so I appreciate what we get lol.
August 2nd, 2023 at 9:36 am
Picking Kyle Trask with the last pick in the 2nd round is starting to look like a pretty good move at this point…
I hope he wins the starting job. We all know what Baker Mayfield can do already.
August 2nd, 2023 at 9:46 am
I don’t think Baker has regressed; I think he did that quite a while ago and is stuck there.
From the first practice there were times he let his happy feet run free and tried to force things.
I don’t yet know if he tossed any interceptions last night but he had been on track for 34 interceptions this season, two per practice is a bad sign.
August 2nd, 2023 at 9:50 am
May the best man win, and win bigly.
August 2nd, 2023 at 9:52 am
Dear JoeBuc, no disrespect intended, but it’s obvious that the fans on this site are extremely interested in details. I’ve been in the media business for years and I know what limitations are imposed. I wasn’t even talking about shooting video. Thanks for your feedback though.
August 2nd, 2023 at 10:03 am
“The dynamic of the quarterback battle can change daily, but Joe’s starting to think the first preseason game and the two joint practices with the Jets will be weighted far more heavily by management than they originally planned.”
Ditto Joe.
Heard Palmer was on fire though. And good to hear Thompkins name again even if it was a bad/good play.
We shall see.
Go Bucs
August 2nd, 2023 at 10:09 am
Uh yea Joe and I will go ahead and assume you know the quarterback play would look far from special. Even if trask plays well but we end up with a high enough draft pick to enter the qb sweepstakes we need to.
August 2nd, 2023 at 10:23 am
Joe, you never dismissed your notes before when they allowed you to trash Trask, but now that they show Trask performing well you give us all sorts of excuses why we shouldn’t rely on the notes. Ever consider running for political office?
August 2nd, 2023 at 10:25 am
Hodad Says: “I think if you’re counting at home Baker has 5 picks so far in camp to Trask’s one.”
Being too short for the NFL has consequences.
August 2nd, 2023 at 10:26 am
Chipbuc, how many FSU jerseys do you have?
August 2nd, 2023 at 10:27 am
In that photo Baker looks like he works at Krispy Kreme.
August 2nd, 2023 at 10:46 am
What did we really expect? It’s a meh QB room.
August 2nd, 2023 at 10:48 am
Chipbuc
Sorry but anyone who thinks Trask is going to be anything but a rookie Qb this year if he starts is fooling themselves.
AARON RODGERS In his first season as a starter, he was the second first-year starter to ever throw for more than 4,000 yards (4,038), with 63.6 completion percentage, 28 TDs to only 13 INTs for a 93.8 passer rating, and added four rushing TDs and 207 rushing yards.
I think we would take those numbers for a ROOKIE right?
August 2nd, 2023 at 10:53 am
Funny how the training camp notes have changed, i.e., little or know mention of Baker’s TD throws only the interceptions. Training camp INTs nonetheless. Btw, Baker Haters, he made three TD throws yesterday, or was it four? Also Joe, Brianna Dix had a much different opinion of the long TD pass that Baker threw yesterday than you did. Go Bucs.
August 2nd, 2023 at 11:15 am
John Wolford had the best practice yesterday, if we’re going off practice alone, maybe Wolford should start?
I have 0 doubts that Mayfield will separate and be named the starter when the pre season games start.
August 2nd, 2023 at 11:17 am
If rah rah Canales is going to base the QB competition based on 15 minute team periods in contactless practice then he belongs in college….guess we’ll wait and see.
August 2nd, 2023 at 11:28 am
That is dreadfully concerning!
Is he losing ground because all the coaches and experts were wrong about Trask OR because the Bucs were wrong about Mayfield?….
Hopefully the defense is good enough this year that they won’t get blown out!
August 2nd, 2023 at 11:30 am
“Stormy Says:
Ultimately, neither one of these guys are likely a long term option.”
NAILED IT
Licht’s had TB12. Once he gets his core skill players resigned, OL/DL reloaded, he’ll go get another proven vet QB.
August 2nd, 2023 at 11:34 am
Tbbucs3 in in full panic mode, coming up with excuses he would never come up with if Mayfield was looking good.
August 2nd, 2023 at 11:35 am
Panthers have Mayfield v2 this year. Number 1 pick. Folks are shouting tank for Caleb aka Mayfield v3 and probably another high draft pick.
Any college QBs in Draft talk should be putting up monster numbers because they are playing against defenders that are not very good. 98% of college players don’t make it to the NFL so each week QBs are looking at a couple good players and a lot of weakness that can be taken advantage of.
There are lists a mile long of Great college Qbs that didn’t pan out in the NFL. Until they get in there where everyone is good you really just don’t know.
If Trask gets the nod and starts as basically a rookie I think he will out play most of the other rookies that start this season and even some second year starters.
He’ll be back to playing pitch and catch to guys like Pitts and Toney except it will be Evans and Godwin who can beat Good NFL defenders. He might not put up 40 TD’s but 25-30 is definitely possible if he has more than 2 seconds to throw.
August 2nd, 2023 at 11:59 am
Remember back when Joe was celebrating Mayfield because he was eating hot dogs at a Rays baseball game with a couple of fat Bucs players? Pepperidge Farm remembers.
August 2nd, 2023 at 12:04 pm
Faker Mayfield!
August 2nd, 2023 at 12:18 pm
“Looks like Trask made them”
Lmao can’t help but laugh at some of these, after 2 good practices Florida fans are ready to put Trask in the ROH. But your right noopoker, Kyle Pitts and Toney would’ve been nothing in *college* football without the mighty Kyle Trask their to save them.
August 2nd, 2023 at 12:20 pm
I hope Trask ends up being the next Tom Brady, but we’re talking about practice man. Not the game, we’re talking about practice.
August 2nd, 2023 at 12:24 pm
it’s awesome to have you reporting on these practices, Joe… thank you!
August 2nd, 2023 at 12:26 pm
STOP WITH ALL THE MAYFIELD HATE. BOOMER SOONER HERE. IF THIS DOESNT END I CANT WATCH OR GO TO ANY GAMES. WE STAND WITH BAKER.
SOONER NATION
PALACE ON THE PRAIRIE
August 2nd, 2023 at 12:43 pm
A whole lotta yak about a few non contact practices.
Let’s see where we’re at after the first two preseason games. Presumably the Bucs will alternate starting quarterbacks those games to see which guy does the most with the starters. Still won’t be like a game that counts, but actual game play matters more than practice.
Then whomever does the best with the first stringers is likely to start the third preseason game, prepping him for Week 1.
August 2nd, 2023 at 12:51 pm
I saw that pass by Baker. Bad pass but great adjustment by DT for a splash play. It seems DT is going to push for playing time this season.
Mayfield played poorly and it was his second drive in a row after going three and out. A drive where he had another ball batted on second down and a pick dropped by Izien on 3rd down.
They reset to give him one last chance at the end of practice so that big play to Deven was really “6th down” for the offense.
I’d say Trask is leading at this point.
August 2nd, 2023 at 1:40 pm
We’re kinda playing with house money this year. No one expects us to win many games. It’s just a year to get the books in order from the Superbowl run. So it doesn’t hurt to see what you have in Trask with the starters. I am pulling for the kid.
August 2nd, 2023 at 1:45 pm
BOOMER SOONER Says: STOP WITH ALL THE MAYFIELD HATE. BOOMER SOONER HERE. IF THIS DOESNT END I CANT WATCH OR GO TO ANY GAMES. WE STAND WITH BAKER.
It’s not hate BOOMER. If folks can imagine and try to justify the Bucs losing so many games that they will have a top pick in the draft then others can imagine Trask starting and having success. We are all fans and certainly you will watch unless it is only to see a Sooner at the helm. If you can’t watch a Bucs game what other options are there? Cheez-It Bowl?
August 2nd, 2023 at 2:04 pm
Buh Bye Baker. We will start Trask and let him lear this lost year.
August 2nd, 2023 at 2:09 pm
Even if it’s close, you start Trask. Need to know what you have in him. Tape is already out on Mayfield. Trask’s play is the deciding factor of looking for QB of the future next year.
August 2nd, 2023 at 2:12 pm
Wheres the notes? Watergate?
August 2nd, 2023 at 2:31 pm
There is no good choice here. Neither should be starting, but the sad fact is that Faker Mayfield will start some games and Kyle Whoever will start some games. Neither are going to be the answer.
August 2nd, 2023 at 3:38 pm
Agree with APiratesLife. Neither should be a starting QB in the NFL. I just feel bad for our WRs who are going to have a bad year stat-wise. Hopefully I’m wrong 😔
August 2nd, 2023 at 3:47 pm
Bucfan life. You don’t know if Trask is good enough or not just like all those quarterbacks coming out next year. It’s still a possibility that Trask could be a good quarterback you don’t know that. How many first round can’t miss quarterback became a bust ? A lot of people said the same thing about Brock Purity last year. Trask don’t have to become a hall of famer all he has to do is mangent the game and turn the ball over at the wrong time of the game. Go BUCS!!
August 2nd, 2023 at 3:51 pm
Let’s get real. Good teams win plenty of games with just a decent qb. The bucs lost more than they won with the Goat last year. An average qb surrounded by a solid group of very good players on defense, offense and special teams can have a winning season record. Not super bowl results but dam good. A win more than lose record this year would be decent. Just playing every game close would dam good this year. Build on that with a good draft and the bucs could be legimate contenders in 2 years. Hope springs eternal but it would be a mistake to expect too much this season.
August 2nd, 2023 at 4:02 pm
BOOMER SOONER… we stand together my friend. Anyone who doesn’t think that Mayfield can really play has never watched this guy! Im tired of this Baker Hater BS.
August 2nd, 2023 at 4:14 pm
“Tape is already out on Mayfield”
Do people forget how horrendously bad the Browns were before Mayfield got there??
August 2nd, 2023 at 4:41 pm
The only way I can see Bowels giving trask the start at the beginning of the season is if Licht and the Glazers commit to keeping him past the end of the season.
I would rather Baker start the first few games and take the hits on a new OL. Then put in Trask, who will have the chance to play hero…if he can.
August 2nd, 2023 at 4:43 pm
Tbbucs3 Says:
“Do people forget how horrendously bad the Browns were before Mayfield got there??”
So? He still blew it when he got a good team.
August 2nd, 2023 at 5:34 pm
Buccaneer Bonzi … apparently you never really watched any Browns games. They had a great running attack but their defense stunk it up. Trust me, I saw every game a number of times. Even with Nick Chubb and that wonderful advocate for women’s rights the “great” Deshaun Watson at QB, the Browns were 3-3 and he hit only 57% of his passes with a handful of TDs.
August 2nd, 2023 at 5:54 pm
Tbbucs3 – idk about Toney but you need to go look at the stats for Pitts in year two. In the games he played he was average at best, very similar stats to Cade Otton. He did deal with some injuries but idk if those impacted the entire season. If he has another mediocre year then it might be he is more busy than boom and maybe Trask did have a hand in his college performance.
August 2nd, 2023 at 5:57 pm
@tbbucs3
Please find a new team to cheer for
August 2nd, 2023 at 6:01 pm
Baker never had Ground He was Released twice by 2Nfl teams that needed a Quarterback…I don’t understand why we paid for a Year….Let’s Go Kyle You got this
August 2nd, 2023 at 6:36 pm
Baker lol
August 2nd, 2023 at 7:05 pm
Usfbuc
LoL yeah a 6’5 TE who runs a 4.4 would’ve been average without Trask….that’s complete nonsense.
And Bucsfan94, your orange and blue pom poms are showing.
August 2nd, 2023 at 7:07 pm
Reality BucFan – They paid Mayfield $4m, that’s like mid-tier backup money. In any case I’ve said all along I want Trask starting, not that I actually think he’ll be good, but because he’s the best route to getting the #1 overall pick. BUT, I also said, I want him playing just to see what we got, and perhaps, maybe, he’ll actually turn out to be a good player, in which case you already have your QB of the future. Either way, I want him out there.
But for Mayfield, $4m isn’t that much, guarantees nothing. I just hope Trask can keep it up and solidly win the job, and Bowles, who will be coaching for his job, isn’t quick to yank him off the field.
August 2nd, 2023 at 7:19 pm
@tbbucs3 I hate the Gators btw
August 2nd, 2023 at 7:24 pm
^ Ok then understand the difference between practice and games
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:00 pm
Then you can understand the difference between giving a guy a chance and not giving him a chance. As you clearly have not given him a chance at all
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:02 pm
Imagine what would have happened if Brady never got the chance he was given or Rogers, or young, or Mahomes
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:04 pm
or Mayfield?
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:04 pm
What do you mean? Mayfield is getting a chance he’s blowing it though
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:07 pm
And I’ve been a Mayfield supporter since Cleveland drafted him and blame Cleveland for his struggles
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:13 pm
There’s literally nothing to lose starting Mayfield, his body of work is why he deserves a chance to start…if he’s good then great if he sucks then in comes Trask….
Why Trask to the wolves right now when you have a guy with 70 career NFL games started?
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:13 pm
Feed*
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:21 pm
There’s a lot to possibly lose. If Mayfield don’t fix his turnovers in the preseason and and Trask keeps on his path, and we have a really good defense, then we possibly miss out on a good year if Mayfield can’t protect the ball while Trask may be able to. I want Mayfield to succeed in the NFL just like Trask. But I’m for who’s doing the best and so far that’s Trask rn unless the preseason games say otherwise. For all you know Trask is the next Rodgers who’s finally getting his shot to start. Of course he can be trash still, but we won’t know unless he goes out there and plays. So whoever is doing best should always start. Not just cause an obvious bias
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:40 pm
Anyways, regardless of who starts, the Bucs have a real chance of starting 0-3 because Minnesota, Chicago and Philly (our first 3 opponents) are already in gameplanning mode and have Cousins, Fields and Hurts getting all 1st team reps while Canales and the Bucs are more focused on running some college like QB competition when it should just be Mayfield on a short lease with Trask on standby.
August 2nd, 2023 at 8:56 pm
Just remember guys . If you have two QBs you have no QBs .
August 2nd, 2023 at 9:02 pm
Just play the best one…don’t care about the name but the logo
August 2nd, 2023 at 9:41 pm
I agree that we got a pretty tough 1st 3 games
August 3rd, 2023 at 8:49 am
Give Mayfield the first 4 games and if he’s failing, give Trask the next 4. Then we should have seen enough to make a decision about the rest of the year and the draft.