The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered training camp with confidence in quarterback Baker Mayfield as a starting option for Week 1. After more than a week of practices, Mayfield’s odds of becoming the Buccaneers’ quarterback are shrinking.
One of the biggest reasons Tampa Bay signed Mayfield, bringing him in to challenge Kyle Trask for the starting job, was to provide stability at the position. As Buccaners’ general manager Jason Licht described, Mayfield provided poise, high football IQ and smart decision-making at quarterback for a team that just lost Tom Brady.
- Baker Mayfield stats (2022): 79 QB rating, 10-8 TD-INT, 60% completion rate
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Instead, thus far in practices, Tampa Bay has found a quarterback who has made a significant number of mistakes. In addition to the Buccaneers’ offense struggling this summer, turnovers have been a major issue when Mayfield is out there.
According to Greg Auman of FOX Sports, Mayfield has now thrown seven interceptions in nine practices so far in training camp. The seventh pick came off an underthrown ball by Mayfield, which cornerback Jamel Dean easily intercepted.
Mayfield’s career arc has dropped off considerably since his breakout season in 2020. As a third-year quarterback, he posted a 26-8 TD-INT ratio with a 62.8 percent completion rate and a 95.9 quarterback rating. In that season, Mayfield led the Cleveland Browns to an 11-5 record, emerging as one of the most promising, young quarterbacks in the league.
Everything spiraled downward after that for the former No. 1 overall pick. In the last two seasons, Mayfield has an 8-16 record as a starter with a 27-21 TD-INT ratio, an 81.3 quarterback rating and his completion rate fell to 60.3 percent.
Trask, the 64th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has protected the football better than Mayfield. Through nine practices, Trask has thrown just one interception. However, the former Florida Gators standout has lost in the move-the-chains period to Mayfield and the coaching staff still hasn’t seen enough to make a change at quarterback.
Mayfield and Trask will both play in the preseason, with the quarterback battle carrying over into exhibition games. No matter who wins the starting job, Tampa Bay’s offense projects to be one of the worst in the NFL this season.
