Welcome Baker Mayfield

[Buc2]

I really didn't need another reason to drink heavily on Friday, Bucs.

Rollin' into Sundays already on the floor? Interesting strategy, Clewy.

[Buc2]

I was always a Baker believer so am ready to hop on board. If Canales can keep things simple for him, he can make plays with his feet and arm and brings a competitive fire. Having good weapons around him will certainly help. Do need to upgrade his protection though.

Living north of the border seems to have a strange effect on people.

[MJW]

@MJW, welp...here we go. We're gonna win just enough games to push us out of a top 10 pick next year. What do you think? Like 5-12 or 6-11?

Definitely one of the half-dozen thoughts that rushed through my head when I heard the news.

This year is destined to be one of those weird-ass "we never talk about it again" seasons like 2014 or 2008.

[BucsNBills]

Taking a completely glass half full viewpoint of Mayfield and his potential here. I imagine this will be painful to read again this time next year, but whatever.

So let's truly analyze baker's career thus far:

Year 1: wins rookie of the year, and he truly looked the part of the number 1 overall pick.

Year 2: This is the Freddie kitchens year I believe which is right up there with Urban Meyer in terms of incompetence. By now Baker has already had two different head coaches and offensive schemes to learn.

Year 3: The first year with Stefanski and Mayfield looks pretty solid all around. He gets the Browns to the playoffs and their first post season win since electricity was invented, and vs their hated rival Steelers. He then goes toe to toe with Mahomes and had it not been for a game changing fumble in the end zone that game could've gone Mayfield's way as well. Regardless, Baker looks to be The Guy in Cleveland.

Year 4: Baker could've had a long term deal but made the fatal decision to "bet on himself" instead. He gets hurt very early in the season and makes another mistake by trying to though it out and this backfires horribly for him.

Year 5: Cleveland turns their back on Baker and out of nowhere trades for Watson. They hold onto Baker for a bit before trading him to the Panthers, which had their own dysfunction going on with a head coach that would soon be fired mid season. Baker is now on first fourth head coach and system and... admittedly doesn't look good. He's eventually cut from the Panthers where he then signs with the Rams. He looks incredible vs the Raiders but the Rams terrible 2022 is too much to overcome and he matches their ineptitude.

Which now brings us up to date where he's now a Buc. Is it possible that Mayfield just had a terrible run of luck over two seasons with his injury and then being bounced from bad team to bad team? Yes, it's possible. I do feel a bit more excited with Baker under center than Trask because the upside is higher and Trask might honestly be the most boring and unexciting quarterback ever.

Can Baker play like he did in year 1 and year 3 where he led his team to the playoffs? Sure, it's possible. And if he does, will that be enough to win the division and get us to the divisional round of the playoffs at least? Ehh, maybe.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see, but if I had to bet I think I'll be cringing hard at this post a year from now. Oh well

[Snake]

The arm talent is there in spades. He had the second strongest arm in his combine year, behind Josh Allen. He makes poor decisions, and he plays like he’s more athletic than he actually is. That’s been a consistent problem during his career. He cannot scramble around like he did Oklahoma.

[Grahamburn]

It's a perfect win-win for both sides. $8.5M is a nothing burger for a starting QB. He's going to be ready to play. If he's successful maybe he parlays that into a franchise tag here or a long term deal.

If he bombs we know exactly what we need to do going into next year when the dead money starts to come off the books.

[Buc2]

It's a perfect win-win for both sides. $8.5M $4.5M is a nothing burger for a starting QB. He's going to be ready to play. If he's successful maybe he parlays that into $8.5M and turns it into a franchise tag here or a long term deal.

If he bombs we know exactly what we need to do going into next year when the dead money starts to come off the books.

[real bucs fan]

The arm talent is there in spades. He had the second strongest arm in his combine year, behind Josh Allen. He makes poor decisions, and he plays like he’s more athletic than he actually is. That’s been a consistent problem during his career. He cannot scramble around like he did Oklahoma.

Ya people forget that he has a rocket. I believe he has the record for longest throw in an NFL game.

To me the issue has always been that he’s not the smartest QB. But that’s where Canales and his QB friendly system comes in. Bakers not the biggest, not the fastest, thiugh he’s got enough size and good mobility (albeit maybe not as mobile as he thinks, good point). But he’s got a hell of an arm, and he absolutely has the competitiveness. If Canales works out, and in turn Baker works out, there is upside here. And that upside would be a lot of fun.

It’s not saying much, but I think we will be a better offensive team than we were last year. I think there’s a path where we are surprisingly good on that side of that ball and can actually be a good football team.

Let’s see what Baker and Canales can do before shitting on them.

[Bootz]

From being the "let's win it all" Bucs to being the "let's wait and see" Bucs.

#ItsABucsLife

[mdb1958]

Which arm did he have operated on?

[Snake]

Which arm did he have operated on?

Non-throwing

[real bucs fan]

From being the "let's win it all" Bucs to being the "let's wait and see" Bucs.

#ItsABucsLife

We are now paying the price for kicking the can down the road during the Brady years. All things considered, think we should be pretty competitive. Defence remains intact, so do the weapons, and now have a new offence and QB. Just need to shore up the OL in the draft.

[Bootz]

I wonder if we'll fair better than the Patriots did/have post-Brady...

[Grahamburn]

From being the "let's win it all" Bucs to being the "let's wait and see" Bucs.

#ItsABucsLife

We are now paying the price for kicking the can down the road during the Brady years. All things considered, think we should be pretty competitive. Defence remains intact, so do the weapons, and now have a new offence and QB. Just need to shore up the OL in the draft.

I don't feel like we're paying a price other than not being able to pursue huge names in free agency. Retaining our guys on defense is a huge win to me.

[Phantom]

Folks..

Don’t be surprised if we go 13-4 with Baker

And win the Super Bowl

[Snake]

Folks..

Don’t be surprised if we go 13-4 with Baker

And win the Super Bowl

…

[Phantom]

Folks..

Don’t be surprised if we go 13-4 with Baker

And win the Super Bowl

I don’t smoke weed, sir..

Yeah? So you chose him? Interesting

Nope. Chose Minshew!

LOL!

[mdb1958]

No gummy bears either..

[Snake]

I don’t smoke weed, sir..

Nope. Chose Minshew!

LOL!

Let’s not pretend either are top 25 starting QBs.

[TonyLip]

Folks..

Don’t be surprised if we go 13-4 with Baker

And win the Super Bowl

[Four Verticals]

If Baker becomes our Brees that would be best case scenario, and I’d be all for it. Trask can then play the Philip Rivers role lol

It's an interesting comparison. The stats are similar as they depart from their original teams. Did anyone know Brees was going to turn into HOFer Brees with the Saints? No.

On the HOF question no but the situations are pretty different. Brees had a really good season in 2004 and, while not as good in 2005, was still a quality starter and he hurt his arm in the last game of the season to the point there was concern he'd recover from it. He wasn't bouncing around the league being pretty bad for multiple teams as Mayfield has been.

[real bucs fan]

It's an interesting comparison. The stats are similar as they depart from their original teams. Did anyone know Brees was going to turn into HOFer Brees with the Saints? No.

On the HOF question no but the situations are pretty different. Brees had a really good season in 2004 and, while not as good in 2005, was still a quality starter and he hurt his arm in the last game of the season to the point there was concern he'd recover from it. He wasn't bouncing around the league being pretty bad for multiple teams as Mayfield has been.

Last year was the only year Mayfield “bounced around the league”. Brees 4 years starting in SD we’re pretty similar to Bakers 4 years in Cleveland actually, including the fact the last year was injury riddled and the team that drafted him moved on after.

[Phantom]

[Buc2]

People, please stop with the Brees comparisons.

[_MB_]

3500 yards and 25 touchdowns 12 picks.

[BucFanClw]

I really didn't need another reason to drink heavily on Friday, Bucs.

Rollin' into Sundays already on the floor? Interesting strategy, Clewy.

It makes it easier to have undeserved hope.

[Grahamburn]

People, please stop with the Brees comparisons.

Why? Got any Kahlua?

[Grahamburn]

It's an interesting comparison. The stats are similar as they depart from their original teams. Did anyone know Brees was going to turn into HOFer Brees with the Saints? No.

On the HOF question no but the situations are pretty different. Brees had a really good season in 2004 and, while not as good in 2005, was still a quality starter and he hurt his arm in the last game of the season to the point there was concern he'd recover from it. He wasn't bouncing around the league being pretty bad for multiple teams as Mayfield has been.

I mean, damn. No, it’s not a perfect parallel.

[Bootz]

It's not even in the same realm.

Brees showed the type of progression you want to see in a young QB.

Baker has shown the type of regression you absolutely do not want to see. It's not even close either really.

[Miller4Prez64]

Comparing Baker to Brees is crazy. I do think Baker has enough to make something out of his career, but not to that level. Especially since our front office is setting him up to be slaughtered behind this o-line.

[Grahamburn]

Miami nor SD wanted Brees. Baker won Rookie of the Year and was one play away from beating the Chiefs in the playoffs as QB for the BROWNS!

[Phantom]

[Phantom]

Bowles favors Mayfield over Trask

appears the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may hold a quarterback competition in name only later this year.

After it was learned Wednesday that the Buccaneers had agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $8.5 million with free-agent signal-caller Baker Mayfield, NFL Network personality Rich Eisen suggested during his Roku show that Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles favors the No. 1 pick of the 2018 NFL Draft over backup and 2021 second-round choice Kyle Trask.

"Bowles hopes Baker Mayfield’s the guy," Eisen declared, as shared by the JoeBucsFan website. Eisen added that Bowles and company view Mayfield as the successor for recently retired starter Tom Brady.




"This is the guy after the guy," Eisen said about Mayfield. "If anybody can be the guy after the guy, it’s this guy."

Eisen's information isn't necessarily new. For a piece published on March 1, Armando Salguero of Outkick and Fox News noted that "Bowles liked Mayfield when the (New York Jets) he coached at the time were evaluating quarterbacks for the 2018 draft." Salguero also wrote that "Bowles liked Mayfield better" than Sam Darnold, whom the Jets selected with pick No. 3 after Mayfield went to the Cleveland Browns with the first-overall choice.

The Browns landed Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans in March 2022 and later sent Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers in July. Carolina parted ways with Mayfield in December after he largely failed to impress with that organization, but he found a home and some success with the Los Angeles Rams. Over five appearances and four starts with the Rams, Mayfield completed 63.6% of his 129 passes for 850 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.


Trask, meanwhile, has attempted a total of nine career NFL regular season passes.

With Brady seemingly not walking back through the door as a QB1, it's been thought that Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht would acquire a veteran who would legitimately compete with Trask. Bowles may already have a different plan in mind for summer workouts.

[Snake]

Talk about cratered value. Sheesh.

[Moozician]

Bowles favors Mayfield over Trask

appears the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may hold a quarterback competition in name only later this year.

After it was learned Wednesday that the Buccaneers had agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $8.5 million with free-agent signal-caller Baker Mayfield, NFL Network personality Rich Eisen suggested during his Roku show that Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles favors the No. 1 pick of the 2018 NFL Draft over backup and 2021 second-round choice Kyle Trask.

"Bowles hopes Baker Mayfield’s the guy," Eisen declared, as shared by the JoeBucsFan website. Eisen added that Bowles and company view Mayfield as the successor for recently retired starter Tom Brady.




"This is the guy after the guy," Eisen said about Mayfield. "If anybody can be the guy after the guy, it’s this guy."

Eisen's information isn't necessarily new. For a piece published on March 1, Armando Salguero of Outkick and Fox News noted that "Bowles liked Mayfield when the (New York Jets) he coached at the time were evaluating quarterbacks for the 2018 draft." Salguero also wrote that "Bowles liked Mayfield better" than Sam Darnold, whom the Jets selected with pick No. 3 after Mayfield went to the Cleveland Browns with the first-overall choice.

The Browns landed Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans in March 2022 and later sent Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers in July. Carolina parted ways with Mayfield in December after he largely failed to impress with that organization, but he found a home and some success with the Los Angeles Rams. Over five appearances and four starts with the Rams, Mayfield completed 63.6% of his 129 passes for 850 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.


Trask, meanwhile, has attempted a total of nine career NFL regular season passes.

With Brady seemingly not walking back through the door as a QB1, it's been thought that Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht would acquire a veteran who would legitimately compete with Trask. Bowles may already have a different plan in mind for summer workouts.

I know this is just speculation by Rich Eisen. If it's true, though, and Bowles already leans towards Mayfield as the starter, it shows a total lack of confidence in Trask.

I still have not heard "Trask is our guy, he's the man, kids progressing greatly..." You hear NOTHING about Trask.

Ergo my lack of confidence in him. There MUST be some kind of fatal flaw in his play (other than being a Florida Gators QB).