The Buccaneers are already showing up in quarterback conversations for the future, and one very early mock draft has them taking a swing on Miami’s Darian Mensah.
Justin Melo of Sports Illustrated projected Tampa Bay to select Mensah at No. 19 overall, a pick that would speak as much to the Bucs’ uncertainty at quarterback as it would to their willingness to think ahead. Baker Mayfield is entering a contract year, and while he has steadied the position since arriving in Tampa Bay a couple of seasons ago, there still hasn’t been an official long-term commitment beyond this season. Mayfield has said he wants a deal done by the start of training camp or else he will play this season on the final year of his contract.
That backdrop makes it easy to see why a quarterback would surface in a mock draft this early. Mensah fits the profile of a player who could be in the mix if Tampa Bay is drafting in a spot where a high-upside option is available.
He’s coming off a big season at Duke, where he threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns while helping the Blue Devils win the ACC Championship. Now he’s headed to Miami, a program that has recently built a reputation for getting the most out of quarterbacks, including helping Cam Ward become a No. 1 overall pick and then a season later reaching the national championship game with Carson Beck.
Melo’s explanation for the pick was straightforward:
“Baker Mayfield is in a contract year and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been hesitant to make a long-term commitment. Darian Mensah threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns for the ACC champion Duke Blue Devils last season. Mensah now transfers to Miami, which helped Cam Ward become a No. 1 overall pick at quarterback.”
A selection like that wouldn’t have to mean the Bucs are done with Mayfield. More likely, it would be a safeguard - a way to create competition, build in insurance, and keep a developmental quarterback on hand if the contract situation never gets resolved.
Still, the idea of Mayfield actually leaving Tampa Bay would come as a surprise. Jason Licht and Mayfield have a strong enough relationship that a deal could still get done. Even so, the possibility of using a premium pick on a quarterback would trigger plenty of discussion, especially with other needs on the roster, including on defense.
For now, it’s only a projection. But it does point to where the conversation could go if the Bucs stay uncertain about Mayfield’s future: they may not wait long to start lining up what comes next.
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