QB Baker Mayfield, TB (4 Viewers)

[Hot Sauce Guy]

You don't think David Carr is going to own this Division for several years?

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

I'm a little surprised people aren't more positive about this. The Buccaneers have one of the best WR tandems in the league. I mean, who's better? Hill-Waddle? Allen-Williams? One of the best, for sure. Why waste that talent on a guy who couldn't beat *Blaine Gabbert* for the backup job last year?

In the NFC South, the Buccaneers have a shot. Better OC coaching and a year of maturity for Rachaad White and they could win nine games. Not for sure, but definitely a shot. If Mayfield settles in and relies on his receivers, he could lead them into the playoffs. He has a pretty good TD-INT ratio. Like someone said, he's probably not going to lose them games.

You remain a division contender and a good chance at being competitive for $8.5 million? How is that not a great deal? Unless the argument is that they should totally tank for a better pick next year, this looks like a win for Tampa. He's about to be 28. He might be able to turn it around, and it looks like an inexpensive way to find out.

I like the move.

You don't think David Carr is going to own this Division for several years?

I mean, he hasn't played in about 10 years. But it is the NFC South, so anything is possible...

 

[Ministry of Pain]

I'm a little surprised people aren't more positive about this. The Buccaneers have one of the best WR tandems in the league. I mean, who's better? Hill-Waddle? Allen-Williams? One of the best, for sure. Why waste that talent on a guy who couldn't beat *Blaine Gabbert* for the backup job last year?

In the NFC South, the Buccaneers have a shot. Better OC coaching and a year of maturity for Rachaad White and they could win nine games. Not for sure, but definitely a shot. If Mayfield settles in and relies on his receivers, he could lead them into the playoffs. He has a pretty good TD-INT ratio. Like someone said, he's probably not going to lose them games.

You remain a division contender and a good chance at being competitive for $8.5 million? How is that not a great deal? Unless the argument is that they should totally tank for a better pick next year, this looks like a win for Tampa. He's about to be 28. He might be able to turn it around, and it looks like an inexpensive way to find out.

I like the move.

You don't think David Carr is going to own this Division for several years?

I mean, he hasn't played in about 10 years. But it is the NFC South, so anything is possible...

I coulda just said Carr
I don't see the Saints running away with it, for sure.

 

[travdogg]

Hopefully this leads to a return of Baker Mayfield lives in the stadium commercials. Maybe have him be scared awake by the cannons going off or something?

Sidenote: Kinda interesting that Mayfield started in Carolina last year, and is now in TB, and Dalton started in NO and is now in Carolina. Can't remember that happening before where half the division basically swapped starting QBs from a year ago.

 

[Capella]

The team that barely made it to 8-9 with Brady at the helm is going to win 8 or 9 games this year? With Mayfield or Trask under center instead of Brady?

I mean 2022 is over. It’s a whole new team and circumstances. The 2022 team went from 14 wins the year before to 8. Things change.

 

[Capella]

Bowles/Licht are clearly trying to win in 2023.

Both of those things can be true. They may be trying to win, but they might also sell off Evans, Godwin, or both.

I believe Godwin just did a big restructure to help them get under the cap so it doesn't seem likely he would be traded because there is now a dead money hit. But as we've seen with lots of teams, they can get around the cap if needed.

I believe you’re correct.

Evans seems like a good candidate to trade. UFA in 2024, but of course they’d need a trade partner willing to take on a massive contract.

No cap savings if they trade him, in fact the hit would accelerate. He’s getting an extension sometime before camp opens to create savings for this year. In fact it may even happen in the next two weeks.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

No cap savings if they trade him, in fact the hit would accelerate. He’s getting an extension sometime before camp opens to create savings for this year. In fact it may even happen in the next two weeks.

Good point. I was just researching his contract and it seems they backloaded it, possibly in a prior restructure?

Man - dude’s done well for himself. When he leaves the Bucs he’ll have made $110M, a ring, and will hit FA for one last big payday.

Maybe having Evans in a contract year helps Mayfield too. If one believes in such things.

 

[rockaction]

I coulda just said Carr

I will never not **** up David and Derek Carr. Do not feel bad. It took me nearly four years, and I still pause when I type it.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

I coulda just said Carr

We were gentle with you, GB.

 

[Capella]

Good point. I was just researching his contract and it seems they backloaded it, possibly in a prior restructure?

I think he’s restructured every year the last 3 years or something. It’s been a lot. They gain nothing by trading him and he’s still good and a local legend now and Bowles/Licht don’t want to get fired so I just don’t see it.

 

[Jakey]

I might go with a cheap Baker/Garoppolo/Geno/Desaun for next season FBG contest.

 

[Faust]

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield chose Tampa Bay because of chance to win, isn't trying to be another Tom Brady

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield chose Tampa Bay because of chance to win, isn't trying to be another Tom Brady

I’d love to see a Baker Mayfield career redemption arc for purely selfish reasons.

“playing well” is at least on the spectrum of possible outcomes for him in TB.

Last couple times I’ve heard him, he’s sounded a bit humbled. I think he knows he’s playing for his future.

Fearless projection: 3400 PaYd, 26 TD, 11 Int, 160 RuYd, 5 RuTD.

 

[travdogg]

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield chose Tampa Bay because of chance to win, isn't trying to be another Tom Brady

I’d love to see a Baker Mayfield career redemption arc for purely selfish reasons.

“playing well” is at least on the spectrum of possible outcomes for him in TB.

Last couple times I’ve heard him, he’s sounded a bit humbled. I think he knows he’s playing for his future.

Fearless projection: 3400 PaYd, 26 TD, 11 Int, 560 RuYd, 5 RuTD.

You are out of your mind on those rushing numbers. Mayfield has 660-6 rushing in his 5 year career.

 

[rockaction]

560 RuYd, 5 RuTD.

Tramadol is quite the synthetic opiate, isn't it?

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

560 RuYd, 5 RuTD.

Tramadol is quite the synthetic opiate, isn't it?

Toldja it was fearless!

That was also supposed to be 160. I’m neither that high, nor that fearless.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield chose Tampa Bay because of chance to win, isn't trying to be another Tom Brady

I’d love to see a Baker Mayfield career redemption arc for purely selfish reasons.

“playing well” is at least on the spectrum of possible outcomes for him in TB.

Last couple times I’ve heard him, he’s sounded a bit humbled. I think he knows he’s playing for his future.

Fearless projection: 3400 PaYd, 26 TD, 11 Int, 560 RuYd, 5 RuTD.

You are out of your mind on those rushing numbers. Mayfield has 660-6 rushing in his 5 year career.

Lol - typo. Was supposed to be 160

 

[Faust]

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer believes the Bucs coaching staff is "excited to see what they can do with Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask."​

Breer said he's not buying rumors about Tampa trading up in the 2023 NFL Draft to acquire a quarterback of the future. It's conceivable that Bucs coaches think they can work with Mayfield after the improvements he showed in the final month of the 2022 season with the Rams, along with his system-based success in 2020, when he led the Browns to the postseason. Trask, meanwhile, has almost no regular season experience and lacks mobility and arm strength (much like Mayfield). It seems the Bucs will wait until 2024 to take a franchise QB.
RELATED:

• Kyle Trask

SOURCE: SI.com
Apr 24, 2023, 12:00 PM ET

 

[Faust]

Bucs executive Bruce Arians believes QB Baker Mayfield was a better prospect than first-round QBs Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson.​

“I can honestly say out of these four, I had Baker rated higher,” Arians said. “He had a tough time playing hurt and things didn’t work in Cleveland. Happens to a lot of guys." Arians believes Mayfield's struggles the last two seasons had more to do with Mayfield's situation than Mayfield. The Bucs signed Mayfield to a one-year deal in March after he showed showed signs of life in a four-game stretch with the Rams last year and plan to let Mayfield compete with 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask for the starting job this preseason. Mayfield is the favorite to open the year as the Bucs' starter.
SOURCE: Pewter Report
May 6, 2023, 1:05 PM ET

 

[Faust]

QB Baker Mayfield doesn't care what outsiders project for 2023 Buccaneers

 

[League Champion]

Bucs executive Bruce Arians believes QB Baker Mayfield was a better prospect than first-round QBs Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson.​

“I can honestly say out of these four, I had Baker rated higher,” Arians said. “He had a tough time playing hurt and things didn’t work in Cleveland. Happens to a lot of guys." Arians believes Mayfield's struggles the last two seasons had more to do with Mayfield's situation than Mayfield. The Bucs signed Mayfield to a one-year deal in March after he showed showed signs of life in a four-game stretch with the Rams last year and plan to let Mayfield compete with 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask for the starting job this preseason. Mayfield is the favorite to open the year as the Bucs' starter.
SOURCE: Pewter Report
May 6, 2023, 1:05 PM ET

He needs to be put in an insane asylum immediately!!!!

 

[Dr. Octopus]

He needs to be put in an insane asylum immediately!!!!

"As a prospect" makes it a viable position to take. He was drafted No. 1 overall for a reason. He just let himself get fat and painted himself as a victim instead of being a leader.

 

[travdogg]

Bucs executive Bruce Arians believes QB Baker Mayfield was a better prospect than first-round QBs Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson.​

“I can honestly say out of these four, I had Baker rated higher,” Arians said. “He had a tough time playing hurt and things didn’t work in Cleveland. Happens to a lot of guys." Arians believes Mayfield's struggles the last two seasons had more to do with Mayfield's situation than Mayfield. The Bucs signed Mayfield to a one-year deal in March after he showed showed signs of life in a four-game stretch with the Rams last year and plan to let Mayfield compete with 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask for the starting job this preseason. Mayfield is the favorite to open the year as the Bucs' starter.
SOURCE: Pewter Report
May 6, 2023, 1:05 PM ET

He needs to be put in an insane asylum immediately!!!!

I mean, he's not necessarily wrong, its just it isn't relevant in 2023. Mayfield's gotten a lot worse since 2018.

 

[Drake Hater]

Godwin & Evans values take a hit with Baker. Evans probably the heavier fade here, correct?

 

[travdogg]

Godwin & Evans values take a hit with Baker. Evans probably the heavier fade here, correct?

Tough to say. Depends which version of Baker shows up. Mayfield has been successful as a downfield passer, and as a short area passer in the past, but is also sometimes bad at both.

Early drafts have Godwin going in round 5, and Evans in round 7, which sounds about right to me given the risk of bad Baker, but its possible Evans is a value there, if he's just forced volume which happened all the time before Brady.

ETA: One thing I'll guess is that the number of RB checkdowns goes way down with Brady gone.

 

[Faust]

Todd Bowles said Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask "have had equal first team reps" at quarterback in OTAs.​

When you have two quarterbacks you have none, and when you have a Mayfield-Trask duo splitting reps at camp you have an offense that will struggle to get out of first gear. We'd still project Mayfield as the winner of this battle, but it does look like Trask will have a chance to unseat him with a good training camp.
SOURCE: James Palmer on Twitter
May 30, 2023 at 1:46 PM ET

 

[Drake Hater]

Mayfield has been successful as a downfield passer, and as a short area passer in the past, but is also sometimes bad at both.

He's not going to get much help from a running game it seems. Defenses playing the Bucs this year could be a solid streaming choice.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Reports (and video) shows both Mayfield & Trask comically inaccurate at OTAs.

I want no part of this offense for FF.

 

[TripItUp]

I'm scooping up Baker really late in best balls this year as my QB3 or QB4. He has a path to top 15 numbers.

ADP in FFPC best balls is #227

 

[acarey50]

I'm scooping up Baker really late in best balls this year as my QB3 or QB4. He has a path to top 15 numbers.

ADP in FFPC best balls is #227

He's a target of mine late as well as a QB3 type, especially with Howell creeping up in ADP. If I only get 1 or 2 playable weeks out of him it's a value pick that late.

 

[Grahamburn]

No idea what an extension would cost, but a franchise tag would currently be about 30M.

Cheap for an above average starter. More likely Mayfield will continue to be an average to below average starter and not someone teams will want to commit to long term as their starter. He's just good enough to get you beat in the playoffs if the roster around him is great.

But, maybe he's Drew Brees? I'd want to wait a season or two to find out though.

Interesting. Tampa may be in this exact situation now after the 2023 season.

 

[Grahamburn]

Same can be said about Baker Mayfield. That’s my point. They’ll wait until the Browns are desperate to get rid of him, knowing the Browns won’t cut him & has no other legitimate suitors.

And FWIW, I’ve heard Carroll actually does like Lock. Maybe he thinks he can fix him, if the Browns aren’t willing to eat that much of his contract.

It’ll be interesting to see it play out.

Seahawks re-signed QB Geno Smith to a one-year contract worth 'around $4 million.'

If Smith hits all his incentives, it could be worth up to $7 million. The Seahawks have been rumored to be looking at the available quarterbacks, but if they don't draft one, they'd enter camp with a three-man battle between Drew Lock, Jacob Eason, and Smith. That's as Down Bad of a depth chart at the most important position in football as we can recall in recent memory. Smith hasn't started more than three games since 2014, but posted a career-best 68.4% completion rate and five touchdowns in said three starts with Seattle last year.

No path for Baker to have a Geno Smith level Comeback Player of the Year season with Dave Canales (former Seattle QB Coach) as the OC? Nobody can see that as a possibility?

 

[Grahamburn]

Reports (and video) shows both Mayfield & Trask comically inaccurate at OTAs.

I want no part of this offense for FF.

Pretty easy to edit videos to make someone look bad if that's their agenda.

Report from OTAs:

• Mayfield took starting reps once again and overcame a somewhat slow start to catch fire at the end of practice. He showed great anticipation hitting Warner on a quick slant and following that up with a dart to sixth-round pick Trey Palmer on a skinny post. Mayfield also showed great patience in allowing routes to develop just outside the red zone before finding a wide open Rakim Jarrett for a score. Once inside the red zone, Mayfield showed off his scrambling ability on a designed QB keeper end-around for a rushing touchdown.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Pretty easy to edit videos to make someone look bad if that's their agenda.

Lmao they weren’t edited.

 

[Grahamburn]

Pretty easy to edit videos to make someone look bad if that's their agenda.

Lmao they weren’t edited.

I don't mean "doctored." More like he missed 4-5 throws out of 50-60, but in a one minute video you can string together the bad ones back to back and say "OMG Baker woefully Inaccurate at OTAs!"

Anyway, I think we know pinpoint accuracy isn't necessarily his game. I wonder if throwing to bigger targets like Evans/Godwin will help him versus throwing to smaller ones like Landry/OBJ.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Anyway, I think we know pinpoint accuracy isn't necessarily his game. I wonder if throwing to bigger targets like Evans/Godwin will help him versus throwing to smaller ones like Landry/OBJ.

I don’t think Evans is going to have a good year. Deep ball accuracy just isn’t Mayfield’s strength.

Godwin might be peppered with passes.

All this is assuming he beats out Trask, which isn’t a guarantee.

 

[Grahamburn]

Anyway, I think we know pinpoint accuracy isn't necessarily his game. I wonder if throwing to bigger targets like Evans/Godwin will help him versus throwing to smaller ones like Landry/OBJ.

I don’t think Evans is going to have a good year. Deep ball accuracy just isn’t Mayfield’s strength.

Godwin might be peppered with passes.

All this is assuming he beats out Trask, which isn’t a guarantee.

Right. Evans' strengths are deep ball skills and size to overpower DBs.

It sounds like they're moving Godwin back outside.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

It sounds like they're moving Godwin back outside.

Mostly I’m worried about that OL.

If they couldn’t protect Brady enough for him to get it done, what’s Mayfield going to be able to do?

I’m still an avoid on that offense. The only dynasty player I’d like to roster there is White. And I’m not that optimistic for 2023.

I could be wrong.

 

[Drake Hater]

I'm scooping up Baker really late in best balls this year as my QB3 or QB4. He has a path to top 15 numbers.

ADP in FFPC best balls is #227

Interesting about best ball strategy with him. In my season-long ppr league he likely won't be drafted. If White is able to develop into a solid RB that could give Baker some room to have a few good games.

 

[Grahamburn]

It sounds like they're moving Godwin back outside.

Mostly I’m worried about that OL.

If they couldn’t protect Brady enough for him to get it done, what’s Mayfield going to be able to do?

I’m still an avoid on that offense. The only dynasty player I’d like to roster there is White. And I’m not that optimistic for 2023.

I could be wrong.

I'm not really trying to talk you into anything, but there's a better than zero chance they're at least somewhat improved on offense in 2023. Believe it or not.

2022 was a combination of not having Jensen, Marpet, Gronk, AB, or a healthy Godwin, having a distracted Brady and then Leftwich not being able to adjust at all to those already crippling factors.

Not to mention Byron flat out ignoring analytics. Refusing to run play action. Calling the most first down runs in neutral situations in the NFL. Refusing to run in the red zone. And just being generally predictable all around.

Cluster-eff of epic proportions.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Cluster-eff of epic proportions.

And when I think about solutions to offense problems, I think….Baker Mayfield?

 

[Grahamburn]

Cluster-eff of epic proportions.

And when I think about solutions to offense problems, I think….Baker Mayfield?

More all encompassing. Adding Canales as an OC. Everyone was fading Seattle last year too. There was a lot of missed value in their skill position players, and obviously Geno. Evans/Godwin were great receivers before Brady. White is a nice piece as a 3-down back, and I think Tampa's run game could take a huge leap simply by having more modern concepts and utilizing the TEs more effectively. Not that he had a monster year by any means, but Cade Otton also led all rookie TE's in receptions last year.

Even just in the clip I posted above with Baker running in for a score after a fake end around keeper. That's just something you'd never have seen in an Arians/Leftwich/Brady offense.

Obviously not expecting an elite juggernaught offense, but they could easily be improved over 2022. I'm a Bucs' fan though so my glasses may be rosy.

 

[InDitkaWeTrust]

Anyway, I think we know pinpoint accuracy isn't necessarily his game. I wonder if throwing to bigger targets like Evans/Godwin will help him versus throwing to smaller ones like Landry/OBJ.

I don’t think Evans is going to have a good year. Deep ball accuracy just isn’t Mayfield’s strength.

Godwin might be peppered with passes.

All this is assuming he beats out Trask, which isn’t a guarantee.

Right. Evans' strengths are deep ball skills and size to overpower DBs.

It sounds like they're moving Godwin back outside.

Who will get the majority of snaps out of the slot, Gage? That could be an interesting WR pickup

 

[Grahamburn]

Anyway, I think we know pinpoint accuracy isn't necessarily his game. I wonder if throwing to bigger targets like Evans/Godwin will help him versus throwing to smaller ones like Landry/OBJ.

I don’t think Evans is going to have a good year. Deep ball accuracy just isn’t Mayfield’s strength.

Godwin might be peppered with passes.

All this is assuming he beats out Trask, which isn’t a guarantee.

Right. Evans' strengths are deep ball skills and size to overpower DBs.

It sounds like they're moving Godwin back outside.

Who will get the majority of snaps out of the slot, Gage? That could be an interesting WR pickup

I think Gage is the plan, but he's already hurt again. They also drafted Trey Palmer out of Nebraska.

Honestly though, with the changes to the offense, I think you'll see a lot more 12 personnel from the Bucs this year.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Even just in the clip I posted above with Baker running in for a score after a fake end around keeper. That's just something you'd never have seen in an Arians/Leftwich/Brady offense.

It’s also OTAs

I’d settle down a little on the excitement.

 

[jm192]

Baker is splitting 1st team reps with Trask. Anyone saying there's a non-zero chance Baker is a top 15 QB--there's a non-zero chance Trask wins the starting job. There's a non-zero chance Baker is eventually benched for Trask.

Baker is on his 4th team in 3 seasons. He has never thrown for 4,000 yards. He has broken 25 TD's twice in 5 seasons. Last season, he threw 10 touchdowns across 12 games.

I will bet against Baker being a fantasy asset.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

There's a non-zero chance Baker is eventually benched for Trask.

I believe the Bucs want to see what they have in their 2nd round QB who sat behind Brady. If I were a betting man, I would bet that Trask sees at least five starts this year.

 

[jm192]

Same can be said about Baker Mayfield. That’s my point. They’ll wait until the Browns are desperate to get rid of him, knowing the Browns won’t cut him & has no other legitimate suitors.

And FWIW, I’ve heard Carroll actually does like Lock. Maybe he thinks he can fix him, if the Browns aren’t willing to eat that much of his contract.

It’ll be interesting to see it play out.

Seahawks re-signed QB Geno Smith to a one-year contract worth 'around $4 million.'

If Smith hits all his incentives, it could be worth up to $7 million. The Seahawks have been rumored to be looking at the available quarterbacks, but if they don't draft one, they'd enter camp with a three-man battle between Drew Lock, Jacob Eason, and Smith. That's as Down Bad of a depth chart at the most important position in football as we can recall in recent memory. Smith hasn't started more than three games since 2014, but posted a career-best 68.4% completion rate and five touchdowns in said three starts with Seattle last year.

No path for Baker to have a Geno Smith level Comeback Player of the Year season with Dave Canales (former Seattle QB Coach) as the OC? Nobody can see that as a possibility?

You're asking CAN it happen in a game that relies on "is it likely to happen?"

Kurt Warner was bagging Groceries before winning an MVP and Super Bowl MVP. Can the NFL find another grocery bagger that has MVP capabilities? Maybe. Am I going to make Fantasy Football decisions based on Kurt Warner's "exception that proves the rule" status? Absolutely not.

Baker can't stick on a team. Cleveland moved on. Carolina and LA moved on. He's never even broken the 4,000 yard mark. He's never had 30 TD's.

Most guys in this situation don't have a Geno Smith season.

In addition to all of that--they're not claiming Baker is the starter. The Bucs are calling it a competition and having them split reps.

You're saying "There's a chance he becomes Geno Smith." I'm saying "There's a chance he doesn't even start."

And then if he does start and they falter early--there's a 2nd round guy that they're going to want to evaluate in live game situations.

 

[greenmountaingoat]

Odds of 2023 Baker being 2022 Gino are about 10% imho. Baker's been decent for stretches but he did caca last year with DJ Moore etc. I was buying the idea of this last year and was dead wrong. Lesson learned.

That whole Bridgwater supporting 3 fantasy relevant WRs and CMC thing-- looking back-- was an outlier. QBs that have a long history of not supporting high end fantasy assets are unlikely to just get better at it.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Odds of 2023 Baker being 2022 Gino are about 10% imho. Baker's been decent for stretches but he did caca last year with DJ Moore etc. I was buying the idea of this last year and was dead wrong. Lesson learned.

That whole Bridgwater supporting 3 fantasy relevant WRs and CMC thing-- looking back-- was an outlier. QBs that have a long history of not supporting high end fantasy assets are unlikely to just get better at it.

It’s why I’m so low on Godwin, Evans & everyone else in that offense.