Baker Mayfield Versus Jason Licht
June 16th, 2023
“It’s a high but attainable bar, Joel. Same for Devin White.”
One up-and-coming NFL analyst is a former quarterback with a lot of fresh insight and a fearlessness when it comes to his commentary.
Joe is referring to Matthew Simms, the youngest of the famous Simms clan. He was a bottom-of-the-roster quarterback for several NFL seasons before leaving the game after the 2019 season and landing gigs in New York media.
This week, Simms is getting a shot on SiriusXM NFL Radio, where he was asked about Buccaneers projected starting QB Baker Mayfield.
In Simms’ mind, Mayfield is in a form of battle with Bucs general manager Jason Licht.
The Bucs’ 2023 record won’t be the deciding factor on Mayfield’s future, Simms believes, because he thinks the Bucs are moving toward a rebuilding phase and shouldn’t have high expectations.
Per Simms, Mayfield simply needs to play well enough to show Licht he’s a better gamble than a rookie quarterback next season.
“So Baker absolutely needs to play fantastic football for them to fight the urge to maybe go after a high level of quarterback in the draft next year,” Simms said. “He really is a better football player than a lot of people like to give him credit for. He has definitely been in some situations that have been unfavorable for the quarterback position. I feel like anyone that’s ever actually played for the Browns knows and understands this.”
Simms thinks the Bucs are another subpar situation for Mayfield but he must find away to “recover,” something he said Mayfield struggled with at stops in Cleveland and Charlotte.
June 16th, 2023 at 12:43 pm
His bus stop at Ray Jay will be the latest Mayfield Snafu. He should hope they let him back up Trask and become the next long term back up. The new Gabbert.
June 16th, 2023 at 12:43 pm
Crapola logic!
Guaranteed mediocrity
Play just good enough to not draft or bring in a top FA
June 16th, 2023 at 12:49 pm
What a terrible take. Mayfield isn’t in a subpar situation here, HE is the subpar component and what will hold back the team – well that and Todd Bowles. If Mayfield isn’t awful, then the team will have a chance to make the playoffs. But, again, Mayfield has literally been the worst QB in the NFL over the last two years. Even if you want to say he hasn’t been in good situations, a good QB elevates talent around them. Has Mayfield ever done that? In his one good year, Mayfield had a great offensive line, the best running game in football, and a very good defense – and Mayfield was at his best because he wasn’t asked to do much and the team didn’t have to rely on him.
June 16th, 2023 at 12:59 pm
Interesting that everyone is treating Trask like he’s an afterthought or born out of wedlock.
June 16th, 2023 at 1:19 pm
Really tired of the ignorance towards the team as a whole. All Mayfield needs to do is not turn the ball over and be average at best and hopefully the defense will do the rest. This team has the talent on it to win at least 9 games. We don’t have the idiot calling plays anymore. To me, that was the biggest issue that we had last year, and I would think that we as Bucs fans know this. Take out that stupidity and you have a better record. Leftwich’s inability to adjust his scheme killed us. Any other coach after running into a brick wall would’ve adjusted their gameplay. He did not.
June 16th, 2023 at 1:56 pm
So many that comment here sound as if they expect Baker to play like total trash.
I sort of get it based on QBRs and such over the last 2 years – but context is a thing…….
Go watch Baker Mayfield highlights from the 2020 season. He made quite a few good plays and throws that year. The dude looked more than capable at running an offense and making some plays when needed.
And the Rams game last year when Mayfield had been in the building for literally 2 days – he goes out there – starts on a Monday night or whatever and made it look like he knew exactly what he was doing. He ran the offense competently…. made plays…. won the game…. generally looked good… and all this without any preparation whatsoever (other than what he could cram into his head with about 30 waking hours). I’m sure McVey was helping him a lot within that situation – but it was still impressive to me that Baker walked in the door and performed well on a National stage like that with so little prep time.
Scheming to his talents and surrounding Mayfield with an effective running game and some good targets is likely to yield good results IMO if the Bucs can play solid Defense this year and help the offense with field position.
He’s certainly not the GOAT and he’s unlikely to ever be considered a top 10 NFL QB – but the Bucs were lucky to land a QB as talented and experienced as Baker Mayfield for the $4M + incentives that even most good NFL backups would scoff at.
June 16th, 2023 at 2:00 pm
Rod munch I agree with you in baker had a really good team around him the one good year. Beast of a running game good oline n defense will make life real easy for any QB. Just ask brad Johnson. Just like baker he didn’t have to do much just be a game manager. A-train Pittman joe Keyshawn mcardel and that ferocious defense did all the work. Everyone is shattin on the Bucs. Our O-line will be improved our defense could easily be top 10 got studs in ME13 n CG14 of R.white breaks out man. We deff could take the division easily. Only time will tell tho. I am not like a lot of people including fans thinking this season is a wash. Yea we lost Brady but we improved in a lot of places. Let’s go Tampa
June 16th, 2023 at 2:03 pm
He (BL) would have changed his game plan but he had no experience in other systems to do so. He literally had nothing.
June 16th, 2023 at 2:22 pm
Not sure Licht has a favorite between Baker and Trask, but if he does I would think it would be Trask.
Baker was just a free agent signing, but Licht spent a second round pick on Trask.
I also agree with Rod Munch that in Mayfield’s one good year with Cleveland, he had it made in the shade with the best running game in the NFL, a good defense, and a great O Line.
Outside of that one decent year in Cleveland, and his brief time with the Rams, his numbers have been outright dismal.
June 16th, 2023 at 2:26 pm
Hopefully he gets back his gig with Progressive and does some commercials at Ray Jay. So far I would say those are the best parts of his career. By far
June 16th, 2023 at 2:36 pm
Either way we should have the first pick in the draft
So it will play Itself out
June 16th, 2023 at 2:50 pm
I agree with his Mayfield analysis… but what rebuild? This is a strong young team in nearly all positions. How do you rebuild a team with excellent younger players all over the roster? Other than Barrett and David… there are no valuable starters on the wrong side of 30… Evans is getting close but as a bigger WR,
the position and players of his size tend to have longer shelf lives than most.
June 16th, 2023 at 3:12 pm
Just to set the record straight, Baker has had a couple of really good seasons. In 2018, he broke Peyton Manning’s record for most touchdowns by a rookie. And he did it in 13 games! He also was second in Rookie of the Year honors. I’ve followed the Browns for years and their defense has rarely been good. And their offensive line- although great on paper- has been riddled with injuries through out Bakers career. Btw, he’s play Joe Burrow three times and has beaten him three times including throwing 5 touchdowns in one game. So stop bashing Baker so much. Go Bucs!
June 16th, 2023 at 3:22 pm
I agree with Pickgrin wholeheartedly, but I can also say some great things about Trask and his college career. I am willing to support either QB if the HC does not have the final evaluation.
June 16th, 2023 at 3:35 pm
Qb is not likely to be the team’s biggest liability this season. Traskerfield will be just fine. There is still talent. Only 10 top 10 quarterbacks in the league and we probably dont have one of those. Going to hear this all season long regardless of the record. Tis the season to play spoiler and set the other teams in the division back a few seasons. Coaching hot seats is a more appealing subject matter. LFG.
June 16th, 2023 at 3:51 pm
Insane…The ignorance has infected every aspect of football. No wonder Gruden snatched your spleen out. We know exactly what a rebuild looks like and how long it takes here in tampa.
Rooster was good before Brady got here and actually why he wanted to come and three years later we missed our window and are ready to retire?
It wouldn’t be just the team but the entire front office is gone in a rebuild. Licht is not interested in losing his job I’m pretty sure of that much
June 16th, 2023 at 4:04 pm
Wrong Simms.
June 16th, 2023 at 4:18 pm
If Baker is the Guy then Trask needs to make the best of his Reps with the Starters Preseason. If he turns the eye of some other teams he will be in a better position to be traded somewhere that he will be given the starts and Tampa can draft Jameis Winston V2 next off season.
June 16th, 2023 at 4:27 pm
Myth. Baker had a consistent GREAT running game. Myth: Baker had a consistent Great O L. Truth: Baker carried a medicre defense. At least there are 2 guys who might have watched Baker’s games: Dick LeBeau Jr. & Pickgrin.
June 16th, 2023 at 5:06 pm
Subpar situation in Tampa? He has one of the best pairs of WRs in the league. He’s got a lot of young talent at TE. A RB who could be a break out player, who we know can catch the ball. And a very talented young O-line, admittedly in transition, but should not be an issue after a little break in time. And an OC building an offense that should play to some of his strengths. This isn’t the Browns or the ’22 Panthers. This is opportunity knocking.
Continuing to protest the expected moderation bucket this message will go into for no reason…
June 16th, 2023 at 5:13 pm
It can’t be more simple for Licht or Mayfield……the more wins, the worse the drat position, the more losses, the better the position.
We still could draft a QB….but one would have to fall to us…..probably not one of the top 5 prospects.
June 16th, 2023 at 5:37 pm
Am I missing something? During Brady’s time here we did win one Super Bowl so it would be inaccurate to say that we missed the window. Failed to max it out, maybe , but it was far from a complete wash, which is what the phrase missed window implies.
June 16th, 2023 at 6:03 pm
Like any professions in life, few people are really memorable or competent. This is especially true of the sports media, most of whom have proven to be mediocre at best, with only a few actually being good at assessing talent and writing memorable columes.
Many of them preference their columns with “What If” and are too lazy to properly research the facts to arrive at believable assumptions.
A well-coached team rises to their expectations – so let’s give them a chance to play it out on the football field.
June 16th, 2023 at 6:22 pm
I would love to see Trask win the gig. My daughter will be back in Florida for the Atlanta game, and it would be cool for her to see her alma mater QB leading the team.
Overall, not that much of a Baker fan but if he is the best of the two here, then so be it, he is my favorite QB this next year.
Regarding Baker’s more recent failures, the one failure you have to put in context is the failure with Matt Rhule.
No quarterback looked good on his team in the 3 years he was an NFL coach. He was every bit as much overrated as was Brian Leftwich. Problem is that the Panther fans had to live with Rhule for 3 years. We only got stuck with Leftwich for the one year that BA was not using his red pen.
June 16th, 2023 at 8:37 pm
Go watch Baker Mayfield highlights from the 2020 season
Lol! We should just forget 18, 19, 21 and 23! lol!!! It’s so ridiculous!!!!
June 16th, 2023 at 9:40 pm
ATLBuc – again – context….
2018 – played well in rookie year was 2nd in voting for ROY – 27TD/14Ints
2019 – played OK – almost 4000 yards – but only 22 TDs & too many INTs (21)
2020 – Solid Year – Led the Browns almost to the AFC title game 26TDs/8Ints
2021 – Played 14 games with multiple injuries – 3000 yds 17TDs/14Ints
2022 – Played terrible for Carolina but that whole team was really bad 1st half of the season…. Wound up in LA and had that strong showing with no prep time on the national game – not so great results thereafter but the Rams were kind of a mess last year too.
The Bucs have talent at most starting positions. Probably the most talented team Mayfield has had an opportunity to work with unless you think the 2020 Browns were better than they actually were….
Yes – Mayfield’s career has been a “mixed bag” – but he’s a former #1 overall pick who is here on the ultra cheap with a chip on his shoulder wanting to show the world that he IS indeed a serviceable starting NFL QB.
If the Canales hire works out – there’s plenty of reason IMO to be optimistic about Mayfield’s chances of playing fairly well for the Buccaneers this year.
June 16th, 2023 at 11:39 pm
I am not one who thinks Maybefields “moxie” is gonna win games for the Bucs.
Winston had lots of “moxie”.
I’m more of a realist than a Rah Rah guy and the QBs I played with were confident but not so full of themselves as to seem arrogant. If they got the job done and the team won. All was good. I have played with arrogant players though, and I can tell you that an arrogant player who talks the talk and fails to walk the walk is a pretty disgusting thing.
Go Bucs!
June 17th, 2023 at 6:49 am
A QB that requires everything around him to be prestine in order to succeed is NOT a good QB end of story!
June 17th, 2023 at 8:35 am
I hate to admit this but I’m rooting for the number 1 pick! What a great year to bring the creamsickles back!!! Drake Maye in 2024!!!! Get our first true franchise qb!
June 17th, 2023 at 9:43 am
Buc it . The bucs have shown they can’t develop a quarterback!! They have never developed a quarterback in their franchise history! What makes you think they will develop Drake May?? By mid season in 2025 you will be saying Drake May suck and the next year will be a good quarterback class. This is why we lose so much. You rather throw away this season to get a quarterback which means next year will be another bad season because we will have a rookie quarterback. And you will have to hope that Mike Evans and Godwin will be willing to stay. And if one of them decide to leave or both of them than that means Drake May won’t have no one to throw the ball to wich means he’s going to struggle and the bucs will fail him just like the other quarterbacks they drafted. And the fan base on here will blame him for playing bad .
June 17th, 2023 at 1:09 pm
Faker Mayfield being on his 4th team in 2 seasons really tells you all you need to know.
June 17th, 2023 at 3:27 pm
The only “unfavorable “ aspect is questions on the o-line and running game.
Which are fair, but I have faith we’ll be better in run scheming, blocking and production this year.