“I Know, You Know, He’s Doing The Right Thing In The Locker Room”
June 27th, 2023
Baker Mayfield.
Like most Bucs fans, Joe is 100 percent dialed in on the quarterback competition at One Buc Palace.
Joe wouldn’t wager on it being legit, but Joe also wouldn’t bet on it being a 100 percent sham.
Baker Mayfield, Joe believes, is the guy in Todd Bowles’ mind and heart since the day he was signed. After all, three months ago Bowles called Mayfield “a natural born leader” and said leadership will be a key component of winning the starting QB job. Kyle Trask is a nice local story and an intriguing long shot.
So what’s been coming out of One Buc Palace? Well, Joe has seen Mayfield look better than Trask and get more first-team snaps, though media types like Joe only got to see less than half of the spring practices.
As Joe noted, former Vikings GM Rick Spielman was out at a Bucs minicamp practice for CBS Sports and talked about Mayfield and “the aura that he had walking around the building and that leadership.” Spielman wanted it known that he had an inside look at Mayfield. “Around the building” is NFL code for inside team headquarters.
Joe’s not going to assume Spielman is spewing baloney, though some media types go there to make themselves look important.
That brings Joe to longtime Bucs beat scribe Rick Stroud of the subscription TampaBay.com site and its associated twice-weekly newspaper.
Stroud spoke of Mayfield on WDAE radio today as if he, like Spielman, got a peek inside One Buc Palace. “I know, you know, he’s doing the right thing in the locker room,” Stroud said of Mayfield.
So that’s two media types sharing takes of Mayfield inside One Buc Palace.
Maybe it’s all meaningless chatter, but for some reason, nobody not getting a paycheck from One Buc Palace is saying the same things about Trask.
June 27th, 2023 at 6:53 pm
The media are a pain in the _ _ _. They are always interfering or trying to steer the situation to fit their agenda. If all was actually truly fair there would be fair competition.
June 27th, 2023 at 7:04 pm
Not a sham but just on the verge of one…..
June 27th, 2023 at 7:07 pm
Well, it’s impossible for Kyle to sit around and talk about plays, situations, experiences in the league that would be common leader chat in the off-season
It’s been a one horse race for awhile now as Todd’s tenure is tenuous at best
He’s riding with the vet out of the gate and praying all goes well…
June 27th, 2023 at 7:15 pm
I don’t care if he’s doing the right things in the locker room, he needs to be doing the right things on the field. Media story time, and not good one at that. Bowles will likely get his way and Mayfield will start. Next year Bowles and Mayfield will be gone. Stroud will still be here spouting the same old garbage however. Lol.
June 27th, 2023 at 7:22 pm
It’s the coaches decision.
Right choice/wrong choice
Right reasons/wrong reasons
I am sure that Bowles wants to win… Needs to win to keep his job.
I have no clue which QB is the right choice.
Hopefully it’s not “the lesser of two evils” or “best of two wannabee’s” type of choice.
It would be nice, if when the choice is made, then all the griping, sniping, and name calling can stop…………. Who am I fooling!
June 27th, 2023 at 7:53 pm
I really hope it is more Canales’s decision. Player evaluation is not Bowles’s strong suit –especially for offensive players.
June 27th, 2023 at 8:06 pm
Even if Mayfield is the starter, Trask will get snaps, as Mayfield often gets hurt. Other thing, Trask’s growth has been stunted the last 2 seasons, he was practically red-shirted. NOW he’ll start developing
June 27th, 2023 at 8:33 pm
Com on Man!!!
Check your Sheet!!!
Can we get one article that compares the OBVIOUS!!!
JW > BM
And I wanted JW gone but would 100% welcome him back as a BACK UP to ANY unproven young 2nd round QB draft pick on our roster. NEVER MIND the fact that the 2nd round QB draft pick had equal or BETTER numbers than all of the recent HEISMEN winning. QBs
WTH is going on at OBP and in the Tampa MEDIA. Has Pride taken over everyone’s ability to think LOGICALLY?
June 27th, 2023 at 8:41 pm
I will say JW has never been in this type of offense so there is no telling how he would do. I don’t like his decision making skills so I doubt he would excel.
Baker can be the exact QB we need this year and beyond.
This is definitely his last chance, so let’s hope he pours every ounce of self belief into a magical season with our WRs
June 27th, 2023 at 8:44 pm
The media spin is crazy right now. And as soon as Baker pulls a Baker then they’ll backpedal. We’ll see how it turns out but Bakers stats are terrible but for some reason the media and coaches are trying to convince us that leadership and comraderie matter more. 🙄
June 27th, 2023 at 8:57 pm
Let’s hope Baker’s 4th time is the charm!
June 27th, 2023 at 9:01 pm
I am half convinced that Baker is going to be Bowles downfall. He’s going to pick Baker no matter what to save his job. Baker might blow it and Trask is the best choice for the franchise. That’s going to piss off ownership.
June 27th, 2023 at 9:09 pm
Everything is meaningless chatter until the Bucs name the week 1 starter. And even then expect either quarterback to have a short leash.
June 27th, 2023 at 9:15 pm
Cannales is the OC not Bowles. Cannales will select the starting quarterback and all other members of the offensive starting group. Bowles knows he’s not an offensive expert and will defer to Cannales. If he were to override Cannales and the result stinks, he would get the hook. I believe Bowles is smarter than that.
On the other hand, if Bowles let’s Cannales pick his own starters and the result stinks, then Bowles probably gets at least one more year to recover, especially if his defense plays well.
June 27th, 2023 at 9:23 pm
@Duane
I hear ya on that.
My only point is that BM is 100% a back up to ANY 2nd round draft pick at this point. I don’t care who makes the decision. THE HEAD COACH is responsible.
I’m all for letting Baker do his thing if Kyle blow hard the first half of the season. Baker can audition for a job next year at that point.
The other way around is clown world.
June 27th, 2023 at 9:27 pm
That is what the “MEDIA” and any SERIOUS NFL TALKING HEAD should be saying.
But they don’t, why? IDK, maybe they haven’t forgotten that the BUCS are the most awful major sports team in all of sports. DESPITE Brady having been here on vacation.
June 27th, 2023 at 9:35 pm
Ok, ok, I’m a Baker Mayfield fan. That said, he’s a MUCH better QB than he has shown over the past two years! In 2018, he broke Peyton Manning’s record for TDs by a rookie (and he did it in 13 games). In 2020, he was 11-5 and was rated in the Top 10 in QBR. Then, he suffers a severe injury during the second game of 2021, and instead of the Browns organization shutting him down for the rest of the season, they throw him to the wolves and he gets the hell beaten out of him. The next year, he plays with Carolina which was a terrible team offensively. So give this guy a break and quit trashing him. I think he’s ready for a real comeback. Go Bucs.
June 27th, 2023 at 9:43 pm
The story nobody is talking about is who will be the 2nd string Bucs QB? John Wolford is playing great according to Coach Canales. He could move past Trask.
June 27th, 2023 at 9:45 pm
People, such as myself, were getting too uppity citing stats about Mayfield’s ineffectiveness as a check down charlie.
I guess we needed a reality check.
June 27th, 2023 at 9:48 pm
Tampabaybucfan when Baker Mayfield throws for 180 YPG I wonder what kind of articles we’ll see?
June 27th, 2023 at 9:49 pm
CrackWise I don’t get it either. We’re being force fed a QB that provably doesn’t put up numbers.
June 27th, 2023 at 10:22 pm
LOL PFF put an article out titled “Captain Checkdown” on June 5th. It had Baker Mayfield’s picture prominently featured and leading all QBs in checkdowns in 2022.
Until further notice Baker Mayfield will be known as Captain Checkdown.
Good luck winning with that Canales.
June 27th, 2023 at 10:34 pm
Duane Says
“Cannales will select the starting quarterback..”
That’s a dream, right there. The Head Coach decides that. The OC makes do.
The only exception to that is if the owners tell the GM to make a change.
June 27th, 2023 at 10:37 pm
As to the ‘competition’…if it were real, Trask would be throwing to starting pass catcher as much as Mayfield is…but no, check the camp and ota notes.
Trask is throwing to no name players.
June 28th, 2023 at 1:42 am
Ok Joe we get it.
National Media types are right about this and wrong about everything else Bucs related. Despite it being obvious that hey have done virtualy no homework (Spielman)and know very little about the facts here in Tampa. Stroud has been around here for a bit and all he said is what Bowles has said.
Go Bucs
June 28th, 2023 at 2:32 am
Wouldn’t it be something if this whole Mayfield over Trask thing is a big Ole Fake out and the real plan is Trask all along…?
I know it seems doubtful but wouldn’t that be a shock and awe mouth dropper..?
Everybody’s so convinced Right. I’d at least respect Bowles a he!! Of a lot more! I’d be impressed. Suckered in Joe and all the like. I guess I’d just sit there and giggle. And probably start laughing my afse off with a huge smile ☺
But by God I’d be impressed!
GO BUCS!
June 28th, 2023 at 2:53 am
Mayfield will likely be the starter. BM will probably stay the starter unless he plays terrible or gets injured.
June 28th, 2023 at 3:19 am
Face it, Trask is one of those guys who’s so quiet you never know he’s there unless ya tbunoed into him once in a while
June 28th, 2023 at 4:10 am
Its all about butts in the seats if Baker starts. Thats a sign of poor ownership.
June 28th, 2023 at 6:21 am
An argument for Baker that doesn’t get discussed much, but it’s important to have some context…especially to all the Baker haters out there.
Baker grew up in the AFC North division on a cursed franchise. That should count for something when you think about adversity given the expectations of being the savior of a franchise from the day you’re drafted. His competition? I’m not sure if the Ravens or Steelers EVER had a losing season the entire time Baker was in Cleveland. Historically, the Ravens and Steelers easily for the past 20 years have been known for being well coached with solid defenses. As Dec comes, the weather is uncomfortably cold in these parts and everyone of those f-ing stadiums are outdoors. Also, how many offensive coordinators did Baker have in Cleveland? Oh yeah, his last season in Cleveland saw the rise of Burrow who made it to the Super Bowl that year. WTF.
NO ONE will be surprised that this kid wins the job. Trask doesn’t know pressure and adversity the way Baker knows it. God help me for saying this, but Jameis knows that level of pressure and adversity, and I would argue not even on the scale of what the fan base in Cleveland expected from Baker. I’m hoping Canales offensive isn’t a wait for year 2 in order for it to click-in, and that Baker and the offense has immediate success and he is able have a reboot of sorts. Be good for this coaching staff and for the fan base. It’s nice when we win.
June 28th, 2023 at 6:25 am
Canales, Bowles, and you’re all forgetting about Licht will all have a say in who starts. My guess is they’d go with Canales’s choice.
June 28th, 2023 at 6:27 am
“Joe has seen Mayfield look better than Trask”
A compilation of all your spring notes – yeah, yeah, we know they’re not comprehensive – does not show that at all.
June 28th, 2023 at 7:49 am
I don’t get why so many want Baker to be bad or below his potential. Unlike Jameis…both Baker and Kyle threw low numbers of interceptions in college. I do understand why people didn’t like the “rookie” Baker. I can understand you pulling for Trask, if you like Trask or love Trask…he plays for the Bucs too. I’m looking forward to the development of both QBs and want the best to win the competition. I hope the Bucs surprise and are a much better team than people think. If the Bucs are winning …I don’t care who is playing QB…just win. If your cheer for Trask great…but chill.
June 28th, 2023 at 8:10 am
Bowles will be doing Bowles type things which is lower tier coaching.
Therefore, we are doomed even if our QB manages a middle of the pack season, which is his ceiling.
complete rebuild for 2024 coming.
June 28th, 2023 at 8:24 am
@K2
“If your cheer for Trask great…but chill.”
Um, I think the point is the other way around. Everyone is pointing to Baker and for what? The guy has is no better than what we had in Winston. In fact, Winston was and is a better QB.
The Chill pill is needs to go to all the Baker Nut huggers. Those of us calling for Trask are the only ones who are asking for some fair press and competition.
Of course, we will be happy if Baker does well. Heck, we loved JW all the way up until he got the boot. Then we moved on. AND THATS THE POINT, why would we want JW 2.0 to start over a 2nd round pick that had better numbers then most of all the highly touted QBs that have come out recently.
June 28th, 2023 at 9:50 am
I think alot of teams were kind of starting to give up on Baker after he was getting injured in Cleveland. He was just drafted a couple of years ago.
June 28th, 2023 at 10:07 am
I know for a fact the NFL wants more black quarterbacks. And, just as the NFL imposed a blatantly racist hiring rule for head coaches, you can bet your ass the NFL is pressuring teams to over-draft black quarterbacks and play them over whites Trask.
June 28th, 2023 at 3:28 pm
A BOWLES REALITY CHECK
Everyone knew last year was TB12’s last in Tampa. Bowles had an opportunity to insert Trask as QB2 and groom him as the future starter. He didn’t.
Bowles doesn’t like Trask. Trask has 0% chance to be the starter at the beginning of the year.
June 28th, 2023 at 10:01 pm
Seems to be a lot professionals in here fully convinced Baker is going to fail. That’s not a fan that’s a pessimist that didn’t get their way. Here’s a thought, root for the best QB to win so they can help win games. It’s really that simple. I’m a plumber, if you paid me to come plumb your house and then told me how to do it, it wouldn’t make much sense because you have no idea what you’re talking about. These guys are pros…