The Buccaneers spent the offseason trying to do more than patch holes on the roster. They set out to change the mood in the building, and Baker Mayfield says that part of the plan is already showing up in the locker room.
Mayfield pointed to the spring as the first sign that Tampa Bay had a different kind of team forming around him. Speaking to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, he said the new arrivals stood out not just for talent, but for how they carried themselves.
“I could tell that from the spring with the new additions that we had, whether it was the draft picks, some of the undrafted free agents and the free-agent signings. The culture, the guys they brought in just for the attitude and mindset.
I think, for me, that was probably the most important thing… We got the right fit of guys to have truly a group of savages out there. It’s an aggressive unit.
We need to have that killer instinct," Mayfield said.
That attitude is exactly what Tampa Bay was chasing after last season’s 8-9 finish. The organization clearly believed the issue wasn’t just performance, but edge - leadership, accountability, and a tougher mindset across the board. The personnel moves reflected that idea, with the Buccaneers aiming for more than good football players.
Some of the names Mayfield had in mind are veterans A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches. Robinson brings a hard-nosed reputation and a no-nonsense presence. Nunez-Roches adds constant noise and energy, talking trash to opponents and even to teammates during practice.
The edge isn’t coming only from the veterans. Rookies Rueben Bain Jr. and Josiah Trotter have also made an impression, bringing physicality and a mean streak of their own to Tampa Bay.
Mayfield made it clear he wants the newcomers to lean all the way into that identity.
“The new additions that have come in, the attitude guys, have to say we’re not going to take any s--t and we’re going to try and embarrass you on the field."
That kind of language fits the tone Tampa Bay has been selling all offseason, and Mayfield sounds fully on board with it. He enters the season feeling like the roster finally matches his own intensity.
The Buccaneers will get their first real chance to show whether that new edge is more than talk next weekend, when they travel to Cincinnati to face a Bengals team with one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses.
In Other News...
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Todd Bowles Enters A Buccaneers Season With No More Excuses
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The Athletic recently put Bowles third on its list of NFL head coaches most likely to be fired in 2026, a reminder that the league is always quick to turn up the heat when results lag behind talent. For Bowles, the next stretch is less about explaining away setbacks and more about proving the Buccaneers can take the next step with the pieces already in place. The margin for patience is shrinking, and the season ahead may say plenty about how long that leash really is. [Read more 🡒]