Shaun King: Baker Mayfield “Is A Little Delusional At Times”
November 15th, 2023
“Another doubter, man.”
One of four quarterbacks to lead the Buccaneers to the NFC title game, Shaun King is a guy whose opinion Joe values greatly.
Not only is King intelligent and insightful, he’s watching closely, isn’t fishing for hot takes, and he has sources.
King is a full-time analyst on VSiN and was called to San Francisco sports radio to talk Bucs this week.
You want straight talk on the Bucs, King is the right guy to ask.
“We’re only relevant because the NFC South is terrible,” King said of his beloved Bucs.
King is a big Vita Vea fan and has great appreciation for the Bucs run defense, but he also views Mike Evans and Lavonte David as players on the down side of their primes.
As for Baker Mayfield, King has long been a fan of Mayfield but he’s confident Mafyield’s ceiling isn’t what Mayfield thinks it is.
“I pull for Baker because Baker’s greatest mistake was he was drafted No. 1, which he had nothing to do with that,” King began on KNBR radio. ” … So when these guys get overdrafted it’s kind of unfair how they’re evaluated. And so Baker is a guy, I think he’s is a winning quarterback in this league. I think he’s a little delusional at times about what his actual ability level is, and he tries to do some things that just aren’t in his [purview] or his scope. But at the end of the day, I mean, you can do worse than Baker Mayfield. If you put Baker Mayfield on the Jets, I means what’s their record right now — probalby 6 or 7 wins I would imagine.
“It’s kind of like being married to a really pretty girl and then Beyoncé walks in and it’s like, ‘Oh, Ok, I’m good. But I’m not great.’ You know what I mean?”
Classic stuff from King. He’s right, the Bucs could do a lot worse than 28-year-old Mayfield, who may still have lots of improvement ahead of him.
On the quarterback front, King said 49ers QB Brock Purdy does not have elite arm talent and is relying a lot on top-10 IQ at the position. He thinks if the Bucs can stop the run Sunday, they have a shot to pick off Purdy and take a tight game into the fourth quarter in California.
King also ranted a bit about Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, a guy he finds quite overrated and Joe agrees wholeheartedly. King says Herbert is way too inconsistent when it comes to hitting wide open receivers and he’s had too much failure late in games.
Joe included the Herbert comments here as a reality check for Bucs fans who are convinced a top-pick rookie quarterback is some sort of guarantee of NFL greatness.
November 15th, 2023 at 4:59 pm
I hope Bud Licht doesn’t put a 💍 on it…
Just leave Bake Bake some money on the dresser at the end of the season..
November 15th, 2023 at 5:01 pm
Pfffffft who wants to listen to SK when these pages employ the Throbbing Rod Muncher??
November 15th, 2023 at 5:03 pm
JmarkBuc……then what does 24 look like??? Smartest move is sign Baker to a realistic 3yr deal and draft a youngen high and let him learn and hopefully ascend to starter
November 15th, 2023 at 5:17 pm
The fact that Bucs have the same record as last year while learning a new offense and still no running game makes me wonder if Shaun King is delusional. The goal posts are consistently moved… from the Bucs only winning 2 games, to Baker being benched by the bye week. I do NOT believe Baker has reached his ceiling. I still see him getting comfortable in the offense and I am seeing improvement each week. He will have reached his ceiling when his deep ball is back in sync, because if you have followed Mayfield at all through his career, he has a killer deep ball, his best throw.
November 15th, 2023 at 5:20 pm
Joe says: “Joe included the Herbert comments here as a reality check for Bucs fans who are convinced a top-pick rookie quarterback is some sort of guarantee of NFL greatness.”
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Long time Bucs fans should be well aware that a QB drafted high in the 1st round is no guarantee of greatness. (unless that fan has memory issues 😉
There are many factors that determine whether a QB coming out of college will be successful or not and even some very good analysts get it wrong at times.
And even some QB’s who DO achieve greatness might play like crap as a rookie. (Peyton Manning as an example)
November 15th, 2023 at 5:23 pm
I would say he’s correct. Sort of dovetails with Chris Simms take that Baker has a big arm but trusts it too much, tries to hit windows that aren’t open. Thats why i like what Bowles and Canales are asking of him, play in your limits, don’t play hero ball, protect the football. Anybody who wants a dose of hero ball, watch Josh Allen gift a game to the Jets and Broncos.
November 15th, 2023 at 5:24 pm
So Godwin is on the downside of his career? lol
November 15th, 2023 at 5:28 pm
Like I said in an earlier post, if the D-line plays like it did last week, we’ll fluster Purdy. If we play like we did against Houston, we’re toast. Just keep it respectable. Fingers crossed. GO BUCS!
November 15th, 2023 at 5:29 pm
Baker is doing exactly what I thought he would. Excellent receivers and he’s below average in production. He’s a QB who will get you to 8-9 or 7-10 with a decent game here and there. But mostly leave you wanting. Nice guy I guess but I want more out of a QB.
November 15th, 2023 at 5:45 pm
There’s a dozen teams at least who’d give their right arm for Baker. Be careful what you wish for.
November 15th, 2023 at 6:13 pm
We can do worse but we cal also do better. Much better. When you are just average it goes both ways.
November 15th, 2023 at 6:16 pm
Uk- other teams don’t have our receivers. He would be less effective on most teams. They might want to keep both of their arms. Lol. I hope baker goes off the rest of the year. Just don’t see it. He disappears against average and better defenses. Most of the time.
November 15th, 2023 at 6:17 pm
Joe,
Shaun king only started 24 games at 14-10. He was an inaccurate qb at 56% with 27 TD’s and 24 TD’s. This is a duplicate article.
November 15th, 2023 at 6:19 pm
Shaun King was a trash worthless qb baking up another trash.
November 15th, 2023 at 6:22 pm
I’VE BEEN HAPPY OVERALL WITH BAKER MAYFIELD’S PLAY & LEADERSHIP THIS YEAR..THE BEST IS YET TO COME WITH BAKER AT THE HELM..MARK MY WORDS..PLAY SOLID DEFENSE.,THE OFFENSE IS GOOD ENOUGH TO WIN GAMES ( DISAPPOINTED BUC’S DIDN’T GRAB MICHAEL CARTER OFF WAIVERS FROM JETS ( THE CARDINALS DID )..OH WELL, I GUESS THE BUC’S BRASS IS HAPPY WITH MEDIOCRE PLAY FROM MOST OF THEIR RB’S..LET’S GO BUC”S ! ! ! THIS TEAM FOUND THE RECIPE FOR WINNING AGAIN, SO LET’S SHOCK THE ENTIRE NFL WORLD & BEAT THE HATED 49ERS THIS WEEKEND & ENJOY THIS WEST COAST TRIP FOR A FRIGGIN’ CHANGE..OK BIG TEAM ? ?..LET’S KICK ASS IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA ! ! !
November 15th, 2023 at 6:24 pm
Shaun King is real respectful qualified expert to render his expert takes on Baker. LOL
As a qb Shaun King had 27TD’s and 24INT’s. He played for small Tulane school and only coaching job he got was running back coach in South Florida.
November 15th, 2023 at 6:30 pm
This is why the bucs will always be a average team at best
November 15th, 2023 at 6:32 pm
There won’t be a toilet Bowl next to a trash in Bucs facility next year. It’s guaranteed.
November 15th, 2023 at 6:33 pm
UKBuccaneer … ‘There’s a dozen teams at least who’d give their right arm for Baker.’
We’ll see if that holds true at the end of the year. If Baker has a winning season, he’ll probably get a number of offers for some pretty good $$$. If Bucs have a losing season, won’t be nearly as many lining up and the $$$ won’t be nearly as high.
Question is … Where do the Bucs fall in those 2 scenarios? If we end up say 9-8, will the Bucs offer Mayfield a ‘can’t refuse’ contract? If the Bucs end up at say 7-10 (or less), will they offer him any contract at all?
November 15th, 2023 at 6:39 pm
If they bring Baker Mayfield back next year I can promise you it will be a losing season . Look at this year all of our losses was because of the offense but only one game. We are the only team that wanted Baker Mayfield lol 🤣🤣 and watch were going to over pay him and be stuck with average Baker Mayfield and we will be in the same boat with the Titans. Ryan Tanahill was better than Baker Mayfield when Tanahill was with the Titans at least he helped them get to the AFC championship . Baker Mayfield will not even help us win 1 playoff game. It’s strong possibility he ain’t getting us to the playoffs but you want to resign him lol 🤣🤣!! The reason why he ain’t throwing picks because he rather go 3 and out. This is a loser fan base and franchise and now you see why lol 🤣🤣. As long as Baker is on this team we ain’t winning no super bowl or even a playoff game. We have a trash GM lol 🤣🤣!!
November 15th, 2023 at 6:40 pm
Baker was the best we could have done last spring. Car is a $35 million per year disaster. Jacoby Brissett is meh. I don’t remember the other choices for a good reason. Maybe Heineken? Nah, Baker is better. Maybe Wentz?? Next joke. If we had a pile of cap room I’d still take Baker.
Now is he the QB of the future? If we win a wildcard game maybe the near future. If this Penix is as good as Joe says and he is there late late first round so we take a flyer? Second round?
Two weeks ago before the Texans game I figured we had no chance against the Niners. They’ve been looking mighty beatable lately. Purdy is looking mighty human. We sure could use the win. It would salve a lot of bruised expectations. I’m not gonna get my hopes up, though. I’d just settle for a puncher’s chance at the end.
November 15th, 2023 at 6:45 pm
All these quarterbacks coming out of the draft and the bucs talking about bringing Baker Mayfield back lol 🤣🤣!! Ain’t no body going to give Baker Mayfield starter money because you ain’t winning with him. If the bucs let him go he will be a a backup for another team not a starter. And now teams that draft quarterbacks in the first or second round are starting them in their rookie year . Man why do this franchise love meadicorey so much ?
November 15th, 2023 at 6:52 pm
David………wtf are yours and Throbbing Rod Munchers qualifications, exactly??
November 15th, 2023 at 7:07 pm
Baker has pretty much been used most of his career in the way that King describes. Since Stefanski got to Cleveland, Baker’s never been given much room to lead an offense. But it’s not clear that the evidence backs that strategy and it would be nice to see a creative offensive coordinator experiment with turning him loose with his biggest strengths, play-action rollout and empty backfield sets.
As it is, he’s been very solid this season, helped by two excellent receivers but also hindered by the coaches’ commitment to the most boring, predictable offense in recent memory and in particular to the terrible running game. A lot of teams will go gaga over the next big or even medium-name QB prospect but most will ultimately wish they could have had a veteran who projects out to about 3800 yards, 26 TDs, and 9 INT.
November 15th, 2023 at 7:17 pm
Mayfield might not be top 10 in the NFL but I would put him in 10-20 range fo sho. He can’t get it done on his own like Brady used to be able to but he ain’t going to blow the game either. He definitely deserves to start in the NFL
November 15th, 2023 at 7:29 pm
How DO you measure Baker against other qb’s? The league leader (Sam Howell) has 397 passing attempts, Baker has 305, with roughly the same completion % and a better TD/int %. This is the offense the coach wants, it isn’t bombs away
November 15th, 2023 at 7:55 pm
He’s not entirely wrong but he is wrong – because he is late
Baker USED to be delusional. Thats the whole reason he signed with the Panthers thinking he could force it to work out. Panthers brought him down to reality. He’s not Tom Brady or Favre. BY the looks of it Stroud will join the super elite level.
However there are never scores of those players in the NFL and its dumb to think having had a Brady through a rental means you are likely to have another one fall in your lap.
More realistic route is to have a top ten top twelve QB , five great targets for him to throw to -Instead of the bucs only two – and a serviceable running game
With a good defense many a super bowl has been won just fine with that.
November 15th, 2023 at 8:03 pm
JK Says:
November 15th, 2023 at 6:52 pm
David………wtf are yours and Throbbing Rod Munchers qualifications, exactly??
——–
Back of the high school classroom typing on a Nokia while the teacher isn’t looking keyboard certification.
November 15th, 2023 at 8:07 pm
Statistically, Evans and LVD are having one of their best years. So, I don’t understand the downside part unless you’re just subjectively looking at their age. LVD especially has surprised me as he is having one his better years as of late. Maybe he wasn’t 100% healthy the last couple of years, but he’s had a rejuvenation this year. That’s why I think it’s ludicrous to even suspect he would consider retirement after this year.
November 15th, 2023 at 8:20 pm
This is the clown who said the guy who outplayed Mayfield in training camp “sucks”.
November 15th, 2023 at 8:25 pm
Seattle Buc Says:
November 15th, 2023 at 8:20 pm
This is the clown who said the guy who outplayed Mayfield in training camp “sucks”.
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Good point (except for the outplayed part) so he does have at least some credibility.
November 15th, 2023 at 8:33 pm
Let me get this straight. Shaun King is calling Baker Mayfield delusional? That’s laughable. JOES must be running out of stories. The usual slugs are piling on Baker again, but Baker will be finish in the Top 10 ratings this year. And if Tampa isn’t smart enough to sign him, someone else will. And Tampa will be forever cursed! (Eerie music and lightning)
November 15th, 2023 at 9:03 pm
Don’t understand the BM hate. The guy plays with heart, has no running game, iffy Oline, bad defense, his receivers drop passes , he’s got a rookie OC and he still has better stats than Lawrence in Jacksonville.
November 15th, 2023 at 9:34 pm
King was an absolute scrub of a qb, please don’t try to paint it any other way one season of runaround play with Dunn and Alstott…and the best D in the league by a mile snuck to 10-6, scored 6 pts in the nfc title game and lost 11-6
He can opine like anyone, but let there be no misunderstanding the dude was a complete waste of a draft pick, much less a second or third round pick which I believe McKay and Dungy burned on him….
In his last start as a Buc he went 10-27 for 80 yards with a pick
In his last games started in the league with the Cardinals, he threw 1 td and 4 picks in 3 games before being benched –
He does hold the Bucs team cafeteria record for most visits in a four year time period
November 15th, 2023 at 9:54 pm
” I think he’s a little delusional at times about what his actual ability level is, and he tries to do some things that just aren’t in his [purview] or his scope. ”
Oh wow, I just wrote nearly the same thing in the other Baker article, and I swear I wrote that before seeing this.
November 15th, 2023 at 9:59 pm
Voice of Truth – King was literally the youngest QB to ever win a playoff game at the time. Not sure if that is still the case, but he wasn’t any worse than Dilfer.
He did lead the Bucs to their all-time best regular season victory ever, the 2000 Rams at Bucs game. I was there, that game was fantastic, and King made the big play at the end, after Dunn lateraled him the ball, to get that victory.
So King will always have a soft spot in my heart.
November 15th, 2023 at 10:00 pm
Pelsbuc61 – You left out his amazing commercials, easily the best commercials on TV. Man I could watch a loop of nothing but his commercials, 24/7.
November 15th, 2023 at 10:31 pm
King was the beneficiary of one of the best defenses the NFL has ever seen
November 15th, 2023 at 10:57 pm
Defense Rules Says:
November 15th, 2023 at 6:33 pm
UKBuccaneer … ‘There’s a dozen teams at least who’d give their right arm for Baker.’
Guess Baker isn’t the only one as far as delusional goes.
12 teams would mean Demand and he would not have had to sign for 1/2 of what Heineke was getting as a back up.
Granted if he continues to play well he will have more options other than he had this year, a possible stater at Tampa, or a certain back up at the Ravens but they were not beating down his door in 2023 and won’t be doing it in 2024.
November 15th, 2023 at 11:00 pm
Rod I remember that game. You were lucky enough to be there but I watched it on TV, besides the two Super Bowl wins that is my favorite game of all time. Absolutely amazing game.
November 15th, 2023 at 11:03 pm
O’Neil. Buc , you conveniently failed to mention tannehill had peak Antonio brown and peak king Henry … bake has drop-o-magic Evans , a rookie oc, and a running game that can see less holes than Stevie wonder… smh😂
November 15th, 2023 at 11:22 pm
Love my Tulane guys, but King had a solid running game, and an all world defense. Baker at best, and worst should be of no important discussion to the play of this team, because he has no influence on them.
November 15th, 2023 at 11:33 pm
We keep Mayfield
Draft a DE, OG, center.
We wim the NFC south for next 3-4 years.
You draft ANY rookie QB, put him behind our line, and he will regressing all next season. And will have happy feet for seasons to come.
November 16th, 2023 at 12:26 am
Proudbucsfan – yeah, that was the loudest most rocking game I’ve ever been too, including playoff games. It was such an entertaining game, so many big plays. Like when Lynch decleated Faulk, in the crowd, it looked like he beheaded him – it was awesome. You had Sapp destroying Warner on an INT for TD return by Brooks, you had that insane play with Dunn at the end. It was for years in the polling as one of the top five MNF games ever.
It’s such a fun game, it’s worth going on YouTube and watching it yet again.
November 16th, 2023 at 12:27 am
Capt.Tim Says:
November 15th, 2023 at 11:33 pm
We keep Mayfield
Draft a DE, OG, center.
We wim the NFC south for next 3-4 years.
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I don’t know about that, you really think the division will stay that bad that you can win it by going 6-11?
November 16th, 2023 at 2:11 am
D Cone Says:
Guess Baker isn’t the only one as far as delusional goes.
12 teams would mean Demand and he would not have had to sign for 1/2 of what Heineke was getting as a back up.
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I spoke in the present tense, not the past. The reason a dozen teams would take Baker now is because of his performance since joining the bucs. There were few suitors until we took him, but he’s performed well and his stock is much improved since last year.
November 16th, 2023 at 2:20 am
I’ll buy that Baker would make the Jets a couple of wins better than they are now. Conversely, we can probably say that the Bucs could be 2-8 or 3-7 with Zach Wilson as starter. Mediocre is always going to be a few wins better than bottom feeding awful but it has been a while since a mediocre QB has won the Lombardi: Dilfer comes to mind.
November 16th, 2023 at 2:24 am
Baker does play with heart. He is scrappy. That is good enough for me. I have enjoyed watching him this season.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:45 am
Tony Marks Says: “Good point (except for the outplayed part)”
Joe Says: “For Trask to get the QB1 gig, Joe believes, he had to out-practice/play Mayfield by a lot. He outplayed Mayfield a little in training camp.”
Oops.
November 16th, 2023 at 7:03 am
“The Bucs could do a lot worse then the 15th best team in the league” man wanting to sign up for multiple years of baker is one of the more idiotic ideas I have read and yall say some dumb nonsense on this website. Shouldn’t never have brought the trap in to being with, completely wasting year one of what should have been full rebuild smh
November 16th, 2023 at 7:04 am
Also, very typical Joe, acting like Sean King “led them to the playoffs” we have had lots of good things happen in Tampa over the years, you don’t have to make up bull spit.
November 16th, 2023 at 7:06 am
All Sean King did was get us HYPED, and then yet again be another let down for our world class defense that was the REAL thing leading the team to conference title after conference title last
November 16th, 2023 at 7:47 am
5 years? 30 million?
Sounds good.
We could invest in the best offensive line and defensive line in the league.
Build a great running game and a great defense.
I say, save money on a QB and invest the money into a wicked defense and the best offensive line in the NFL.
Draft the best center in the 1st round next year.
Extend Wirfs, Evans, Winfield and White.
Extend Baker for 5 years at 6 million per year. Fully guaranteed.
It’s a win-win baby.
We can keep our players together for 5 more years.
Build a better defense. And boom. We are competitive for 5 more years.
November 16th, 2023 at 8:45 am
I pretty much agree with him. You put Baker on the Jets with their coaching, and they are fighting it out with the Chiefs in the AFC.
Unfortunately for Baker he did not have many choices and as a result ended up on the team with the worst head coach in the NFL.
If BA was still the coach this Bucs team would have at least two more victories this year so far.
November 16th, 2023 at 9:17 am
That playoff game that King QB’ed was stolen from the Bucs by a bad call courtesy of referee Jerry Markbreit. It was no state secret that Markbreit hated Tampa Bay. Thank god, that yahoo is out of football. BM is just as good as King. Delusional? More like feisty and scrappy which I like, and so does his fellow players.
November 16th, 2023 at 1:32 pm
King was garbage as a NFL QB, as an analyst I give his opinion the same caliber as his career play… garbage. He was lucky to have been playing during one of the few times during NFL history where a monstrous defense dominated the entire league. His skills had no relevance to the outcome of the season. It’s sad that SF had to dig up a has been(well not really a has been, he wasn’t ever relevant to begin with) just to dig up click bait to promote sales.
November 16th, 2023 at 8:50 pm
Uh, outside of the Brady years, I’m not sure there is anyone around here who gets as hot in the pants for unproven rookie QBs to be drafted as much as you do Joe. (or at least one of the Joes…)
Just sayin
November 17th, 2023 at 5:04 am
Shaun has become an even greater disappointment as a …whatever he is…than he was a Bucs QB.
Geez! Come on Joe! We can take some actual sports journalism sir.
Go Bucs!