There’s reason to think Baker Mayfield’s absence from Week 6 won’t last much longer, even if he’s definitely out against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hoping to have their quarterback back on the field within the next week or so after the thumb injury that sidelined him. The timing matters because Tampa Bay has already been leaning on survival mode, and the idea is that Mayfield needs to return soon if the team is going to look anything like the version it expected heading into the season.
That possibility still appears alive. Rick Stroud reported that Mayfield is expected to test his grip and throwing ability, though there’s no guarantee yet that he can do it effectively.
If he doesn’t recover faster than expected, Jalon Daniels is set to start against the Steelers. After that comes a Week 7 trip to Carolina, which is the likelier spot for Mayfield’s return.
“Fully expect Baker Mayfield to test his ability to grip and throw the football today. Whether he can do that effectively is to be determined.
Jalon Daniels is expected to start vs. Steelers unless Mayfield recovers more quickly than expected.
Next game is at Carolina following the Steelers Sunday,” Rick Stroud wrote.
The Buccaneers have at least managed to stay afloat, helped in part by Daniels getting a win for them against the Dallas Cowboys. But that kind of patchwork approach can only buy so much time.
If Mayfield comes back and starts stacking wins late in the season, Tampa Bay should still be in decent shape. The cushion, though, isn’t endless.
The NFC South is weak, but not weak enough for the Buccaneers to get by on six or seven wins and expect everything to sort itself out. They still need to figure something out.
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Brian Thomas Jr. and Jordan Addison sit near the top of the conversation as the kinds of targets that would force the Steelers to think big, while other names such as Chris Godwin, Jauan Jennings, Jerry Jeudy, Calvin Ridley and Quentin Johnston offer different blends of price, upside and contract control. For Pittsburgh, the challenge is not simply finding another wideout, but deciding whether the upgrade is worth paying for now, with the deadline approaching and several options carrying very different levels of complexity. [Read more 🡒]