Baker Mayfield is headed into 2026 with plenty on the line, and Pro Football Focus doesn’t exactly see him as one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks right now. Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick placed him 18th in their latest ranking, a drop that reflects how uneven his 2025 season turned out for Tampa Bay.
That placement comes after a year that started with Mayfield looking like he was carrying momentum from 2024, when he played at arguably a top 5 level. Instead, his play fell apart late, and the Buccaneers staggered to the finish without a postseason berth for the first time since 2019.
PFF pointed to the full shape of his season, noting that Mayfield posted 28 big-time throws and 28 turnover-worthy plays. That turnover-worthy number led the NFL and helped define a season that never quite settled down.
The stretch after Mike Evans broke his collarbone in Week 7 was especially rough. Evans did not return until Week 15, and from Weeks 7 through 18, Mayfield put up only a 56.2 PFF passing grade while throwing 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Even then, his legs helped keep Tampa Bay afloat, with a league-leading 6.9 yards per carry on scrambles. Still, PFF made clear that he will be doing it without Evans as a receiving option for the first time in Tampa Bay.
The ranking is a sharp drop, especially for a quarterback who, at his best, has shown he can live in the top 10 conversation for a full season. The group from 12 through 17 included Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams, Sam Darnold, Jalen Hurts, Jared Goff, and C.J. Stroud, and the argument here is that Mayfield belongs somewhere in that middle class rather than all the way down at 18th.
There is also a real case that Tampa Bay’s setup gives him a chance to push back against that ranking. Zac Robinson is in place as offensive coordinator, and the offense is expected to benefit from his play-calling background and influence from Rams head coach Sean McVay.
The receiver room still has Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and Tez Johnson, with third-round pick Ted Hurst added to the mix. Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell give Mayfield two reliable options out of the backfield as well.
For a quarterback who has spent much of his career proving people wrong, this is familiar territory. If Mayfield stays healthy and Tampa Bay does the same, PFF’s list could look a lot different a year from now.
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