Baker Mayfield enters Buccaneers training camp with one of the league’s loudest storylines already attached to him: no new contract, and plenty to prove.
For now, Mayfield is set to play out the rest of his current deal, a setup that could send his price even higher if he turns in the kind of season Tampa Bay is hoping for. The Buccaneers’ brass, in other words, may get a full year of evidence on whether they should have moved sooner.
As if that weren’t enough, ESPN’s latest top 100 NFL players list gave Mayfield another reason to keep the chip on his shoulder. He didn’t crack the ranking, though he did land among the biggest snubs.
“When he's healthy, he's a top-10 quarterback,” an NFL personnel evaluator said, per NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. “I don't think he was healthy last year. He should have a big season.”
“Mayfield is poised for another big year, which should help his standing on the list,” noted the publication.
That’s a sharp contrast to how last season ended. Mayfield didn’t look right down the stretch, and Tampa Bay’s offense went with him, dropping off badly and missing the playoffs for the first time since he arrived.
The Buccaneers are otherwise bringing back most of the same core, but they will have to move forward without one major piece after Mike Evans left in free agency for the San Francisco 49ers.
There is still reason to think the passing game can take a step. Emeka Egbuka is expected to make a big jump in Year 2 after finishing his rookie season on a quiet note. And with millions of dollars potentially at stake, Mayfield has every reason to answer both the contract question and the ESPN slight the hard way: on the field.
In Other News...
Bucs Suddenly Have A Week 1 Concern They Can't Ignore
The Buccaneers have spent most of camp trying to build momentum for their offense, but the receiver room added an uneasy wrinkle late in the preseason. Jalen McMillan and Emeka Egbuka both sat out the teams recent practice because of injuries, which naturally puts a little more pressure on the build-up to the season opener against the Bengals.
There is still optimism both players could be available, but the situation is enough to keep Tampa Bay on alert this early in the week. Todd Bowles said he will take another look at their status next week, and until then the Bucs are left waiting to see whether two important pieces of their passing attack can get back on the field in time. [Read more 🡒]
Shilo Sanders Just Pulled The Buccaneers Back Into His Latest Controversy
Shilo Sanders quick run with the Buccaneers ended as abruptly as it began, after the undrafted safety was waived following an ejection for throwing a punch in a preseason game. The son of Deion Sanders had signed a three-year deal in Tampa Bay, but his NFL opportunity was cut short before he could make much of an imprint on the roster.
Since then, Sanders has turned his attention to music, releasing a rap album called World of Headache that leans into the incident and even includes appearances from his father and brother. For a player who spent five college seasons at South Carolina, Jackson State and Colorado, the football side of the story may have paused for now, but his name is still finding a way back into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Just Added A Quarterback Twist To Their Practice Squad
The Buccaneers filled out their practice squad with a familiar group Tuesday, bringing back 15 players who were with the team in training camp and adding one notable name at quarterback. Easton Stick, most recently waived by the Indianapolis Colts, joined Tampa Bays 16-player unit as the club continued sorting out its developmental depth heading into the next stretch of the season.
Stick brings some NFL experience to the room after appearing in six league games, and his path also includes a long run at North Dakota State. The only addition who does not count against the practice squad limit is Paul Rubelt, the International Player Pathway Program member, giving Tampa Bay a little extra flexibility as it rounds out the back end of the roster. [Read more 🡒]