The deciding year for Baker Mayfield

After Kyle Trask impressed in preseason, what will 2023 hold for the former number one overall pick Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay?

Selected number one overall in the 2018 draft, the Cleveland Browns saw Baker Mayfield as the one to turn around the franchise and take them to where they believed they should be. But little did we know at that point how turbulent of a ride the Baker Mayfield experience would be. 

The Heisman trophy winner was, to some, a surprise pick by the Browns in the draft. However, Mayfield and the Browns looked like a great match for each other, even taking them to their first playoff win in 26 years back in 2020. Sadly this was the high point where things took a turn in his career.

Looking back at his time in Cleveland, he certainly did not have it easy. 2021 was a season where he couldn’t stay healthy and was very much on the injury train. The head coaching role was a hop on, hop off bus with four changes during his time in Cleveland. Hard to expect a young QB to gain any positive momentum or consistency, when he continually sees change after change in the building. 

After the injury heavy season, things quickly fell apart and Mayfield requested a trade when the Browns went chasing Deshaun Watson. Mayfield got what he wanted and he was out the door and on his way to the Carolina Panthers. Now we don’t need to get into this much, because his time in Carolina was difficult to watch. You could see the wind had well and truly been taken out of his sails and he ended up being released during the season.

At this point I worried for him and what his plan was, however this might be where it all changed for the better. The Los Angeles Rams were in need of a QB and Mayfield wouldn’t miss the opportunity to team up with Sean McVay. He ended up appearing in 5 games including his game winning drive in his debut appearance, which to me just showcased everything you need to know about him – determination, self belief and an out and out winner.

His time in L.A is likely why he finds himself in Tampa with a chance to resurrect his career. I’m a big believer in QB’s needing to find the right environment to succeed and you could see under McVay that Mayfield was finding his groove, his confidence was returning and he was starting to show why he was selected number one in the draft. 

Now we get to the present and as we move through the preseason, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are yet to announce who their starting QB is, but in all reality we know it is Mayfield. He was brought in to be the starter and he is their best QB and their best chance at winning.

Mixed messages have come out of camp regarding how he is doing and how close the battle with Kyle Trask has been for the starting job, but I would take this all with a pinch of salt. He may not have the arm of many others, he may not have the athleticism of many others but do not discount the grit and will to win that he has.

This season will determine whether he has a real future in the league or not. He has found himself in what I consider a favourable position, the NFC South is up for grabs, the Bucs still have weapons on both sides of the ball and he has a real chance to go out and perform.

He is playing for his job this season and for the seasons to come, if he goes out and carries on where he left off from the Rams, then for me he is looking at being the Bucs starting QB for the next however many years.

Looking back at this time last year and all that has happened, this is it, it’s time to put up or shut up. It’s been one hell of a ride so far since he entered the league, the question now is how much longer that ride has left to go?

I have always thought quite highly of Mayfield and I can see him turning it all around and if he does it will be all the sweeter for the challenges he has faced and the hurdles he has overcome. I’m hopeful that he and the Bucs start the season off well and have a successful season. It is a storyline I’m excited to watch play out.