Baker Mayfield’s return might not take as long as the Buccaneers first feared, but Tampa Bay has to handle this one with care.
The quarterback, known around the NFL for playing through pain, left Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. The MRI brought some relief, showing no additional damage, but the injury was still serious enough to knock him out for a stretch.
Todd Bowles said Mayfield would miss at least three weeks, and undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels is set to run the offense in his absence. Still, there’s already a sense that Mayfield wants back sooner than that.
According to JoeBucsFan, Amazon NFL insider James Palmer said during the Thursday Night Football broadcast that Mayfield may try to cut that timeline short.
“Don’t be surprised if Baker tries to push this and come back after two [missed games],” Palmer said.
That would fit the quarterback’s reputation. Mayfield has never looked like the type to be content watching from the sideline while his team is in the fight.
Tampa Bay’s schedule may also be part of the equation. The Buccaneers play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, then turn around quickly for the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football. After that comes a 10-day mini-bye before Week 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and those extra days could give Mayfield the window he needs.
The Bucs need him back, but they need the right version of him back. Mayfield has been a major reason for Tampa Bay’s 0-3 start, with inaccuracy and careless turnovers dragging the offense down.
That’s why the decision can’t just be about toughness or urgency. Mayfield should be careful not to jump back in before he’s fully ready. With the criticism already piling up, rushing himself could do more harm than good.
For Tampa Bay, the best outcome is simple: let him heal, let him reset, and bring him back when he can truly play like the franchise quarterback the team believes he can be.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Suddenly Face A Bigger Baker Mayfield Problem Than Expected
Baker Mayfields thumb injury has turned into a much bigger issue for the Buccaneers than a short-term scare. The veteran quarterback suffered a dislocated thumb and is expected to miss multiple games, with his return hinging on how quickly he regains grip strength. For Tampa Bay, the timing is especially tricky because Mayfield had been in the middle of another season as the teams starter after appearing in three games so far.
The immediate answer is rookie Jalon Daniels, who has been named the backup and will start while Mayfield is out. It puts an abrupt spotlight on Tampa Bays quarterback depth and raises the stakes around how the offense functions without the player the Buccaneers signed to a multi-year deal. The bigger question now is not just who starts next, but how long the team has to live without Mayfield and what kind of shape he is in when he finally returns. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Fan Goes Viral For A Gameday Moment Bucs Fans Pounced On
A gameday photo from the Packers-Buccaneers matchup quickly took on a life of its own, with a Green Bay fan in a cheese-themed outfit drawing plenty of attention on social media. Buccaneers fans, already tuned into a rough start for their own team, jumped on the image and helped turn a random moment from the stands into one of the evenings louder online talking points.
It fit the mood around Tampa Bay, where the Bucs came in at 0-3 and were turning to undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels at quarterback because of Baker Mayfields injury. Green Bay arrived at 1-2, but the game was about more than the records for Tampa Bay supporters, who had little patience to spare and plenty of time to notice, and react to, anything that stood out. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Bowles Just Became The Center Of Tampa Bay's Biggest Debate
The Buccaneers slow start has pushed Todd Bowles into the middle of a conversation nobody in Tampa Bay wanted to have this early. At 0-4, with a 3-12 record stretching back to last season, the losses are piling up fast enough to turn every miscue into a referendum on direction, execution and leadership. Bowles stepped to the podium after the latest setback and owned the mess, taking responsibility while insisting he still believes he can guide the team out of it.
Bowles has handled the public side of the slump the way a veteran coach usually does, but the frustration around the team is only growing because so many of the defeats have stayed within reach. Close games tend to sharpen the focus on the head coach, and if the Buccaneers keep coming up short in those spots, the accountability debate will only get louder. For now, Bowles is asking for patience, even as the results make that a harder sell by the week. [Read more 🡒]