SI.com: Baker Mayfield Will Win… A New Contract
June 1st, 2023
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield.
Joe has written repeatedly the following about the near future of Bucs quarterbacks.
Baker Mayfield will do one of two things this year. He will either ball out and get a new contract to be the Bucs’ quarterback for the next couple of years, or Mayfield won’t do enough to get a new contract and the Bucs will draft a signal-caller next spring.
Conor Orr of SI.com is pretty convinced Mayfield is your Buccaneers starting quarterback for a while.
Going through a list of 100 predictions for the 2023 season, Orr believes Mayfield will do enough to warrant a new contract.
Baker Mayfield will throw for 16 touchdowns
The Buccaneers’ quarterback, who is helping to buoy the franchise during its post–Tom Brady half-tank, will have a solid campaign, certainly enough to vault him into a perpetual roster spot for however long he pleases. Will he be the Geno Smith surprise of the year? Probably not. But he will outplay the circumstances, as he has done fairly consistently throughout his career.
Well, if Mayfield plays just good enough, or good enough to get a new contract, that tells Joe two things:
1. The Bucs will have a winning record this year and compete for an NFC South crown. A three-peat?
2. Bucs coach Todd Bowles will be back in 2024.
June 1st, 2023 at 8:15 am
16 Touchdowns is less than one a game and is a guaranteed losing season. Let’s hope that it’s double that.
June 1st, 2023 at 8:17 am
Anything is possible, but this is the QB that has had the worst QB rating in the NFL over the past two years. The Bucs have a strong roster, but based on history they have a bad head coach and a bad QB.
June 1st, 2023 at 8:19 am
Agree with Jay, 16 touchdowns is not enough!
June 1st, 2023 at 8:42 am
Or, he will ride the bench behind starter Kyle Trask. Which is the most likely scenario.
June 1st, 2023 at 8:54 am
DeShaun Watson in 6 games for Cleveland last year had a QBR of 38.3
Baker Mayfield in 2021 in 14 games had a QBR of 35.1
Maybe the problem in Cleveland is the coaching staff.
June 1st, 2023 at 9:06 am
The odds of Kyle Trask being the opening day starter are virtually 0….the Bucs are highly curious to see if Mayfield can return to his early career form where he nearly took down Mahomes in the playoffs.
The only way Trask gets in this season is if Baker gets hurt or ends up sucking….but there’s no off-season QB competition here, QB competitions really only happen in college unless it’s competing for a backup job.
June 1st, 2023 at 9:10 am
Can someone explain me why 16 and not 15 or 21, or whatever?
How do they come with that number?
The just don´t know how ridiculous they sound……
June 1st, 2023 at 9:11 am
Winning the division is not a given, as some think it is.
June 1st, 2023 at 9:13 am
Just good enough is either 1 game over .500 or, with a tie, .500 even.
Is that ‘good enough’?
It is for a losing mentality.
JMO
June 1st, 2023 at 9:15 am
He might win a new contract, but it will be with some other team.
The Canales offense is a reimagined West Coast Offense, and Mayfly’s style is not.
If Mayfly throws 16 TDs, he will also throw 18 interceptions, because he won’t stay on the dink and dunk script, and it will turn into sandlot ball.
June 1st, 2023 at 9:15 am
Wow, 16 touchdowns? If any QB gets a second contract after a 16 TD season, it means the team was winning. That likely stems from a hugely successful ground game. Let’s hope that’s true!
June 1st, 2023 at 9:23 am
16 touchdowns 32 ints Bwahwahwahwah.
June 1st, 2023 at 9:24 am
For the people talking about 16 TD isn’t enough for a new contract…yall must not look at the rest of the NFL. Daniel Jones had 15 TDs last season and earn a new deal.
June 1st, 2023 at 9:29 am
Or…Baker will stink, Trask will shine, and the Bucs draft a backup QB in round 5.
June 1st, 2023 at 9:46 am
It will likely depend on our defense…..If Baker plays well & the defense falters….he stays….if he plays poorly & the defense well….then it might not go too well for him…..
It will be a difficult call if the Bucs go 8-9 again.
And, I agree….16 TD passes is not near enough…..1 per game average….nope…..we need 30 passes from him.
June 1st, 2023 at 9:53 am
Once again Joe totally ignores the possibility that Trask will shine. Given Joe’s history of striking out in assessing quarterbacks – Johnny Manziel, Jameis Winston – Trask is certain to shine. 😛
June 1st, 2023 at 9:54 am
Wow, just want to see who starts after preseason. Way too early to make any predictions, as they will be wrong. Kind of disappointing that Trask doesn’t seem to be getting a fair shot from everything I am reading. Not a fan of Trask, but hopefully he gets a fair evaluation.
June 1st, 2023 at 9:58 am
I think some people missed that this was SI not Joe, the national media thinks it is going to be Baker, this is not Joe’s fault.
June 1st, 2023 at 10:02 am
At least 25 TDs. I think Canales will have this offense running refreshingly efficient and will maximize the talents of either QB that wins the job. I mean it has to be better than last season. I do not know which unit was worse, Last seasons offense or Lovies Defense. I guess both were horrendously bad on historical levels.
June 1st, 2023 at 10:13 am
It makes more sense for the bucs to have Trask win the starter position. Mayfield has shown that he is a limited QB. He will not win games on his own. He always played with a strong run game.
Also for those that say Trask couldn’t beat out Gabbert it was literally explained to use that Gabbert was the back up because it was for Brady’s benefit. An extra set of veteran eyes. this was expanded by Arians. It had nothing to do with Gabbert being better then Trask.
June 1st, 2023 at 10:23 am
@Andrew Fish
Also, if Trask truly could not beat out Gabbert, the Bucs would have released Trask and kept Gabbert. Instead, they let Gabbert go, kept Trask, and with Trask the only QB under contract at the draft, did not draft a single quarterback despite having many opportunities: Will Levis and Hendon Hooker in the first round, Hooker in the second round, etc. That speaks volumes.
June 1st, 2023 at 10:25 am
Well. Baker plays football. Others play around. The Browns will win less games than than Baker will win this year. Baker plays with all the intangibles. Trust. Loyalty. Grit, And, a solid arm. Again, I ask the Bucks to look into the O line blocking patterns that made Drew Breeze a winner. THE browns weren’t smart enough to. I sure hope the Bucks ARE.
June 1st, 2023 at 11:31 am
Baker plays with all the intangibles Backstabbing, Moral Killer and Whinning bitch!
June 1st, 2023 at 11:35 am
If he throws 16 TD’s in 16 games they should be chasing him out of the building with a broom.
20-24 TD’s should be the bare minimum to even consider another contract. Either that, or he better lead one of the most efficient offenses in the league.
June 1st, 2023 at 12:15 pm
Same SI article has the Bucs missing the playoffs. So Baker gets extended for a losing season. Seriously?
June 1st, 2023 at 12:28 pm
Go Trask!
June 1st, 2023 at 12:29 pm
27 TD and 8 int is closer to the truth. Possibly even more TD because Evans and Godwin are light years ahead of what CLE provided. OBJ never wanted to be there and played like it
June 1st, 2023 at 12:35 pm
IF BAKER BEATS OUT KYLE TRASK OR VICE VERSA, I BELIEVE THAT GUY ( PROVIDED THEY STAY HEALTHY ) WILL THROW FOR OVER 30 TOUCHDOWN PASSES & POSSIBLY WIN LEAGUE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR ! CONSIDER ME THE ULTIMATE OPPTIMIST..I BELIEVE OUR ENTIRE TEAM ( PROVIDED DEVIN WHITE PLAYS HIS ASS OFF ) IS GOING TO BE MUCH BETTER THAN WE EVEN REALIZE OURSELVES..I TRULY BELIEVE BOTH BAKER & KYLE CAN START IN THIS LEAGUE & THE REST OF THE TEAM IS GOING TO KICK ASS AS WELL, I BELIEVE THE DEFENSE WILL BE MUCH IMPROVED WITH MORE SACKS,FORCED FUMBLES & INT’S ! GIVING THE BALL BACK TO OUR EXPLOSIVE OFFENSE TO SCORE MORE POINTS ! WE WILL WIN THE DIVISION & WE WILL HOST AT LEAST ONE PLAYOFF GAME..JASON LIGHT’S DRAFT & FREE AGENCY PICKUP’S ARE GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN !..I ALSO PREDICT WITH DAVE CANALES NEW OFFENSE & TODD BOWLES REVAMPED DEFENSE WE WILL WIN NO LESS THAN 10 GAMES THIS SEASON !
June 1st, 2023 at 12:41 pm
He’ll need minimum 26 TDs with 10 or less Ints to be re-signed.
Either that or show great game management and leadership skills to go along with a top 5 running game.
June 1st, 2023 at 12:52 pm
If Mayfield and Trask preform equally in training camp and preseason, Mayfield wins the job simply based on game experience and paycheck. If Mayfield falters in preseason and Trask plays well, Trask will be the starter simply because the head coach wants to keep his job.
June 1st, 2023 at 12:53 pm
Baker Mayfield as a Pro QB is streaky at best. The most TDs he’s ever thrown in a season is 27 which was his rookie year. Since then he’s been injured, eventually replaced by an alleged diddler, and last year had 10 TDs to 8 Ints. That’s what I cringe at reading fellow fans/pundits saying the competition is for him to “lose” as he’s not that much better than the unproven, barely tested Kyle Trask.
June 1st, 2023 at 12:57 pm
Based on His career number that would be 16 TD’s and 10 INT’s. That with the Receivers he has at his disposal? Not too Good.
June 1st, 2023 at 1:04 pm
27 TDs in 13.5 games as a rookie. No defense in 2020 but won a playoff game. O line always hurt or out with covid after that. Those SUPER RUNNING GAME guys in and out in 2021. If you don’t know, go back and watch Chubb on the bench every 4th quarter when it counted. Also, Watson will be unhappy after 6 games. Stefanski will be gone. That’s why I follow a football player. Baker.
June 1st, 2023 at 1:27 pm
40 TDS 10 interception a playoff run
Baker will be back
June 1st, 2023 at 1:29 pm
sounds like years of being mediocre.
June 1st, 2023 at 1:35 pm
Or he could resign next year as Trask’s back up.
June 1st, 2023 at 2:00 pm
Follow the $$$…
The Bucs have more $ invested in KT than Baker Mayfield; who was brought in to push Kyle. When it’s all said in done Baker will have to run away with the competition in order to win the job; if the competition is close or even, expect Kyle to be the starter. In the sports world the guy make the most guap is usually the guy that gets the nod…
June 1st, 2023 at 2:02 pm
Prognosticators! Tell me , how did they do with their guesses about who was going to draft whom in the draft? I think I’ll just do it the old fashioned way and and watch the games to see what happens, ( Always remember Vegas was built by the wrong guesses of prognosticators).
June 1st, 2023 at 2:04 pm
Daniel Jones threw 15 TD passes last year in the NFC East and NYG still made the playoffs. Seems like a lot of people here think the rest of the Bucs suck so bad that they couldn’t do the same in the South.
June 1st, 2023 at 2:47 pm
Rick James superfreak 40 tds and 10 ints playoff win and Todd Bowels will coach of the year Bwahwahwahwah.
June 1st, 2023 at 3:08 pm
Kyle Trask is going to win the job. We can resign Baker as a backup.
June 1st, 2023 at 4:18 pm
If he only throws 16 TDs is doubtful he gets a new contract unless it’s a small one.
June 1st, 2023 at 5:07 pm
SI writer will not have a future in media if he post similar article in near future.
June 1st, 2023 at 6:59 pm
It will be most excellent for the Bucs if he does..
SO tired of the Bucs giving 5 years to the poorest of qbs just to repeat with the next one… UGH!
June 1st, 2023 at 7:50 pm
Not an agent. 60 year Brownz fan. Watched Jimmy Brown. Watched Frank Ryan, Bill Nelson, Mike Phips, Brian & Bernie. Baker impressed me as being Brian Sipe with an arm. A bit of Bernie……….. but could move some. A little loud, but, I like that in a QB. I’ll be a Buck’s fan as long as he,z there………..
June 1st, 2023 at 10:11 pm
Considering all things, the high side of expectations is 7-9 wins. If Baker or Trask can by some miracle lead this team to 9 wins, it would be a winning record and better than last years “Return to the Den of Depression” But it is most likely this team will win less than 9. Winning 9 would be a good start to the Post Brady era to say the least.
June 1st, 2023 at 10:16 pm
That’s at least 10 too little, unless our run game simply explodes and we average 2 rushing TDs per game, which I highly doubt.
June 2nd, 2023 at 4:06 am
16 TDs and a new contract?
This is a great example of the kind of stuff I have been ranting about regarding the National Media. This guys obviously clueless.
June 2nd, 2023 at 9:36 am
Danny Husak Says:
June 1st, 2023 at 10:25 am
Well. Baker plays football. Others play around. The Browns will win less games than than Baker will win this year. Baker plays with all the intangibles. Trust. Loyalty. Grit, And, a solid arm. Again, I ask the Bucks to look into the O line blocking patterns that made Drew Breeze a winner. THE browns weren’t smart enough to. I sure hope the Bucks ARE.
_________________________________
Please don’t ever question someone’s intelligence and then spell BUCS and BREES incorrectly…. and it wasn’t Brees’ line’s blocking patterns that made him a winner… like not even part of it… it’s pass blocking, it’s a universal constant. All teams pass block the exact same.
June 2nd, 2023 at 11:07 am
Spelling is for people with no imagination. Next is math. I’m done. When the petty get goin, the goin gets petty. Tryin to learn ya anything……….
Oh boy. I’d check my Baker facts before Id get all depressed……………..
June 3rd, 2023 at 2:01 am
🤔 Brandon…..and it wasn’t Brees’ line’s blocking patterns that made him a winner… like not even part of it… it’s pass blocking, it’s a universal constant. All teams pass block the exact same.
Brandon, no the pass blocking schemes are not the same for every QB. When the QB is shorter than the line, they scheme the pass blocking to create throwing lanes, It is very hard for QB’s to complete passes consistently if they cannot see the WR’s, and also being able to get the pass off without it being knocked down more times by Lineman. It is very different than with taller QB’s. Drew would not done as well if they did not have the blocking schemes to allow him to flourish. You can be great, but if you cannot see your receivers, you will not do well consistently as a QB in the NFL
June 3rd, 2023 at 2:18 am
Well. Baker plays football. Others play around. The Browns will win less games than than Baker will win this year. Baker plays with all the intangibles. Trust. Loyalty. Grit, And, a solid arm. Again, I ask the Bucks to look into the O line blocking patterns that made Drew Breeze a winner. THE browns weren’t smart enough to. I sure hope the Bucks ARE.
Being a Bucs fan, I cannot really comment on the blocking schemes of the Browns when Baker was there, have not watched them very much. But if they did not scheme for him, that would be just plain nuts. Maybe your right, but in the 2020’s if they were not scheming for Baker it would be like a senior in High School that still cannot add and subtract in math lol lol Are you sure they would cut their own neck like that and not scheme for him? lol Seems crazy to me. lol I hope the things you stated about Baker show up at one Buccaneer place. What stood out immediately about Baker when he came to the Bucs was his demeanor, coming across in a humble way. Seems like Baker has really stopped and did a life assessment, and is responding the right way. Hope so for him firstly and secondly for the Bucs. It does not matter to me who is QB, Baker or Trask, I just want whoever helps the team win. Losing sucks, I no longer care what the name of a player is, just win. I just do not care about whatever, cause when the Bucs lose you just feel crappy about it. If Baker can help the team win, so be it. If Trask wins the Job, so be it, JUST WIN BABY!!!!! lol, that is really all that matters. With that said, again, I hope Baker does well in life, and as a QB, whatever team he is on, the Bucs or anyone else.
June 3rd, 2023 at 4:09 am
I think Baker will be fine no matter what we think.