Baker Mayfield Cites Early Bonds With Vita Vea, Jamel Dean
February 9th, 2024
Baker Mayfield
It seems like ages ago that Baker Mayfield was battling to the death with Kyle Trask for the Buccaneers’ starting job.
Yes, Todd Bowles called Mayfield “a natural born leader” days after he was signed in March, but the QB battle was on and Mayfield was a Day 1 participant in the Tampa Bay voluntary offseason program.
Speaking on The Jim Rome Show this week, Mayfield referenced how valuable that early time was for his leadership. He talked about building bonds on the defensive side of the ball.
Joe found it interesting that Vita Vea and Jamel Dean were the names Mayfield mentioned. Of course, captain Devin White was staying away from One Buc at that time, and fellow captain and Bucs icon Lavonte David was enjoying well deserved time off.
Vea commands a ton of respect in the locker room. Dean is one of the Super Bowl veterans and a very likeable dude.
Todd Bowles during various SiriusXM NFL Radio appearances this season praised Mayfield for reaching out to defensive players consistently all season long through sitdown meals and other ways. Mayfield says it comes naturally to him to want to learn about all his teammates and what makes them tick.
Joe knows leadership is only a small piece of any team’s puzzle, but Joe wonders how Year 2 of a Mayfield era might pulls the Bucs into a more unified roster, especially with Mayfield not competing for a starting job.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:14 am
For years, McCaffrey was touted as this great player. And every year he was hurt. So I thought he was fragile and hype. But he stayed healthy this year and lived up to those accolades.
Can Dean do the same next year?
February 9th, 2024 at 9:17 am
It’s not even year 2. It’s year 3. This year holes are filled and standards laid. But year 3 will can be a 14-3 type of year and another trophy-toss-in-the-boat season.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:25 am
I am wondering how bad Dean/Davis were injured this year. They can still look like top 5 man press corners in games at times and then look completely lost in others
February 9th, 2024 at 9:35 am
I’m not confident Dean and Davis can play a full season, They always seem hurt or in and out of games because of dings. Hopefully Licht can get some type of relief from both of their hefty salaries so we have some more cap space.
February 9th, 2024 at 9:35 am
It’s odd that Vea and Dean are mentioned in a discussion about Baker’s leadership. I agree that the competitiveness and leadership of Baker are big strengths. He is also a good communicator on the sidelines talking to receivers and the OL.
I would like Vea and Dean to be a little more active in their leadership roles. They have enough experience to speak with some authority to the younger guys.
February 9th, 2024 at 10:18 am
LordC
My thoughts exactly. WHEN they play, at least sometimes when they play they look all pro…other times they look like rookies.
But until they discover that most important ability…availibility I consider them very expensive…as in % of cap space.
February 9th, 2024 at 11:52 am
All if these articles fawning over Baker and I’m really gonna LMFAO if he doesn’t get resigned.
We’ll see what happens but I’m not looking forward to another year of inconsistent QB play. Could be worse I guess.
February 9th, 2024 at 12:03 pm
Robbie: Baker seems to be in your head already and the season’s over. Talk about who’s having a meltdown, LOL!
February 9th, 2024 at 12:18 pm
robbie when you have to change your name again like you have for the past 3 years , why not try an insect name. You speak of infestation? You have beven been doing it for Trask going on the 4th year now. You have not used an insect name as I remember. I knew you were chomping at the bit yesterday to give the training camp response. Just can’t hold yourself back.
February 9th, 2024 at 12:26 pm
If they ‘re-sign Baker Trask will probably still be the backup. Unless Baker gets inhired Trask will not play. Well maybe if we are blowing a team out. But that remains to be seen. It is only February.
February 9th, 2024 at 12:58 pm
Did you think that up all by yourself? Oh. And did I not give you the direct quote from coach Bowles why Baker was starting over your boy Trask? You just can’t accept it robbie boi.
February 9th, 2024 at 1:30 pm
Geez is the argument about Trask’s abilities and who the coaches, not Joe or anyone else that attended training camp and offered their opinion, about who won the QB battle still going on? If Trask is as talented and a starting caliber quarterback in the NFL, then he should go to Jason Licht and ask to be released. No real reason for the Bucs to refuse his request.
Trask will then have the opportunity to sign with any team he desires. All he has to do is bet on himself like Baker did last year. He could sign a veteran minimal contract with the Raiders for instance. Then he can battle it out in training camp. If he is a talented as all the Traskers say, he should have no problem winning the starting job. Afterwards he can ball out and lead them to a division crown and the playoffs.
Then like, Baker he will have the opportunity to sign a large, multi-year contract.
February 9th, 2024 at 1:46 pm
Robbie, Jo Buck is not on the coaching staff. His literary opinions of his observation does not count. My guess is he was trolling guys like you. Trask did not outplay Mayfield, or he would have been the starter. Pretty simple these things.
February 9th, 2024 at 4:05 pm
Time to trade Trask for a 6th round pick
February 9th, 2024 at 4:24 pm
What ever happened to Kyle Trask? Pfft…
February 9th, 2024 at 5:18 pm
The only one melting down here is robbie from what I can see.
February 9th, 2024 at 5:39 pm
After the way Mayfield played this year, anyone still hanging on to anything Kyle Trask-wise is just a Baker hater. Only an extremely low football IQ would lead one to think Trask is in Baker’s stratosphere.
Baker got the team off to a hot start.
Baker helped keep this team together during a rough stretch.
Baker won the South Division this year with ZERO running game.
Baker won a playoff game this year.
Baker was a Pro Bowler this year.
Baker was the offensive MVP of the Pro Bowl
February 9th, 2024 at 5:43 pm
Kyle Trask 2023 accomplishments:
1. Made the 53 man roster.
2. Was on the active roster for every game during the season.
3. Completed 0% of his passes
4. Gained minus 1 yard rushing on the season
5. Convinced some high IQ Bucs fans he was clearly the better option during the 2023 season.
February 9th, 2024 at 6:32 pm
Joe, you ever get tired of fluffing up Baker? We get it, he’s the greatest leader a football team can have. Like the sun, brillant, and players orbit around him. Once he even saved a kitten from a tree! Woman love him, men want to be him. Need some chapstick Joe?
February 10th, 2024 at 12:14 am
Robbie= David burner
February 10th, 2024 at 9:20 am
Dean and Davis are a solid tandem and we need them healthy and missing minimal time. Some talk this offseason of trading one of them because of injuries. But once Dean went down vs. Detroit, Goff torched McCollum the rest of the game.