New Baker Or Fluke Baker?
February 23rd, 2025
A lot of Bucs fans are wondering if 2024 rookies Jalen McMillan and Bucky Irving can improve on their stunning stats next season.
Joe is just as focused on another guy and one aspect of his game.
That’s Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield ran for 378 yards last season, more than double his previous career high. His escape skills and quality scrambling were key pieces of the Bucs’ offense. Mayfield also rushed for 24 first downs, another career high big a big margin.
And guess who led the NFL in fumbles last season? Mayfield tied for the league lead with 13, a career high by a mile.
So Joe’s wondering if Mayfield’s scrambling can and will continue at this high-octane, high-performance pace. And do the Bucs want Mayfield on the move?
Rookie offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard told Joe and other reporters in an off-podium chat at One Buc Palace that Mayfield can improve by cutting turnovers. (He tied for the 2024 league lead in interceptions.) Maybe that means taking fewer chances and throwing balls away more often.
If Mayfield goes back to his more typical 160 or so rushing yards per season, Joe would be just fine with that, though the Bucs will have to find ways to recapture the lost production.
February 23rd, 2025 at 10:09 pm
If you’re throwing the ball a ton and putting up points, I don’t care about turnovers that much.
Rushing however, Baker should cut back on the ‘power’ run stuff since he’s going to eventually get hurt, and on every run he looks like he’s going to fumble the ball. I like the effort, but unless it’s a 3rd down, just play it safe.
But if he wants to work on something this offseason – how about practicing handoffs a day on end arounds. Give me a 1000 a day.
February 23rd, 2025 at 10:11 pm
Baker rarely fumbled when he took off and ran, it was when he was in the pocket dodging and weaving from hungry defenders is where the most of his fumbles occurred
February 23rd, 2025 at 10:18 pm
I hate to see him running too much for sure. But if it is his progession as a QB, if it makes key third downs, extends drives, scores points, and wins games…then I’m cool with it. That being said I think he and Griz have the sense to know they would much rather it be in the hands of the other 5 guys on the offense who have the skills to do more than he can do with it.
February 23rd, 2025 at 10:21 pm
DRD, did you read the article? Mayfield was tied for the league lead in fumbles.
February 23rd, 2025 at 10:40 pm
Munch you wouldn’t be satisfied with Baker giving you a thousand pushups a day. Take a deep breath and let it go Rod. Washington was playing like one of the best 2 or 3 teams in the conference finishing the season and so were we. We’d probably have beaten them most nights but not that night. One more play by our offense or defense and we win that game. Overall as a team we didn’t deserve to win that game, we weren’t quite good enough. Give Washington some respect Rod-they made zero mistakes and never punted the ball!
February 23rd, 2025 at 11:02 pm
I just want to see Baker win Angry Runs one time, and then he can be a little more laid back.
February 23rd, 2025 at 11:07 pm
Mayfield is an exciting player and the Bucs offense is fun to watch largely because of his flamboyant style.
Coach Grizzard is right- if Bucs want to win more, especially in the playoffs, they need to cut down on the turnovers.
As for the lost production, if that even becomes a thing, 15-20 yards/game can easily be made up among the talented offensive roster, assuming they stay healthy.
We all know what is needed on Defense.
February 23rd, 2025 at 11:14 pm
So many of his runs came on critical downs or key moments in games. I’m good with it. How many of those fumbles were lost Joe?
February 23rd, 2025 at 11:22 pm
3 is the answer. I can live with that.
February 24th, 2025 at 12:23 am
Scrambling causes fumbles?
I think that the loss of Godwin and White being taken out of the game plan late in the year. He learned that he could call his own number if it was not there imediately in the passing game. Not sure what the deal is with the fumbles.
He still tends to hold the ball too long at times.
Go Bucs!
February 24th, 2025 at 12:58 am
Pro-Football-Reference shows Baker with 16 INTs & 13 fumbles (of which we only lost 5). So 21 Bucs’ drives were ended because Baker either threw an INT or fumbled the ball.
At the same time though, Baker picked up 24 first downs via his running. Haven’t analyzed how many of those were on 3rd or 4th down, but I’d say that he kept as many drives alive with his scrambling as he ended with his INTs & fumbles.
And somewhat interestingly, Baker actually ran FEWER TIMES in 2024 (60) than he did in 2023 (62). He was just a LOT more productive running in 2024 (378 yards, 6.3 YPC & 24 first downs) than he was in 2023 (163 yards, 2.6 YPC & 16 first downs). I would think that’d mean that he’s making better decisions on when/where to run.