Another “Career Year” For Baker Mayfield?
May 12th, 2025
There is zero doubt Baker Mayfield had a career year last season with 41 touchdowns and 4,500 yards passing with a league-leading 16 interceptions mixed in to his stunning 71.4 percent completion rate.
Mayfield was fantastic, and he even rushed for 378 yards, more than double his previous season high.
Now one could argue 2023 also was a career year for Mayfield, though it was on par with what he notched in 2020 with the Browns. And those Browns played in what was the NFL’s best division.
Regardless, it’s hard for Joe to imagine Mayfield improving in 2025 — because he set the bar so darn high.
Heralded NFL writer Dan Pompei, of pay-per-view TheAthletic.com, sees it differently.
“It isn’t difficult to envision a career year for Baker Mayfield, seeing he should benefit from a healthy Chris Godwin and rookie Emeka Egbuka,” Pompei wrote today. “The unknown with the Bucs is how much, if at all, they will miss offensive coordinator Liam Coen. They need Josh Grizzard to push the right buttons as Coen’s replacement.”
Ok. Hey, why not? Bring on another career year, Baker!
It is conceivable that Mayfield can cut his picks total in half and throw a few more touchdowns, but damn, last year was impressive.
Pompei went on to say the Bucs have improved — because of their defense.
“If the 2025 Bucs played the 2024 Bucs, the 2025 Bucs would win, assuming talent decided the game, ” he wrote. “The new Bucs are better equipped to affect quarterbacks because they have more pass rush and better coverage, thanks to additions such as Haason Reddick, David Walker, Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish.”
May 12th, 2025 at 11:04 am
He’s my pick for mvp
May 12th, 2025 at 11:08 am
If he can cut down the picks to 10 or less he will be in the MVP conversation. The tds are going to be there with this arsenal.
May 12th, 2025 at 11:11 am
Yep. Two more wins and 50% less TDs and that is an MVP candidate. Does it happen? We shall see.
Also, the Bucs pass rush being better is a case of simple math:
Reddick > JTS. The only question is how much improvement.
May 12th, 2025 at 11:14 am
It’s way more complicated than Reddick > JTS.
May 12th, 2025 at 11:17 am
Do tell. Who have they lost, and who have they gained?
I said improved, not great.
May 12th, 2025 at 11:27 am
Baker Mayfield’s early career has shown both flashes of brilliance and struggles, but looking at the trajectory of Drew Brees (similar size and build, and arguably similar playing style) offers a promising outlook for his future.
Brees didn’t hit his stride until his fourth season, and it wasn’t until he joined the New Orleans Saints in 2006 that he became one of the NFL’s all-time greats. His early years were filled with inconsistency and growing pains, much like Mayfield’s first few seasons in Cleveland. Let’s be honest: that Panthers team was a dumpster fire, and he played his way into Tampa that first week in LA. However, just as Brees steadily improved year after year, so has Baker. By his fourth season, Brees was putting up elite numbers, ultimately leading the Saints to a Super Bowl victory. Baker was hurt playing through injury in Cleveland.
But Mayfield’s 2024 season, marked by a career-high 41 touchdowns and a passer rating of 106.8, signals his potential for a breakout year. If he continues on this path and improves his decision-making and consistency, there’s every reason to believe his best days are ahead, much like Brees’ peak years in New Orleans. With a strong 2025 season, Mayfield could be primed for a similar rise into elite status in the next few seasons.
Just as Brees’ best years came in his late 20s and early 30s, Mayfield’s prime might still be on the horizon—so long as he continues to grow from the lessons of his early career. We might only be scratching the surface of what he is capable of as a QB. 2025 looks to be a very exciting season for the Bucs, especially with the new offensive weapons and returning talent.
May 12th, 2025 at 11:27 am
Faker career year = Losing to a rookie QB in round 1.
Regular season stats are just fluff.
When it matters the most he finds a way to lose.
I don’t know much, but I know that he will crumble under the pressure.
He’s 1-2 in the postseason as a Buc. Not very impressive at all.
May 12th, 2025 at 11:36 am
Yep. Why not?!!!
May 12th, 2025 at 11:47 am
Joseph Goebbels has blocked my comments.
Only the state approved propaganda is allowed on JBF.
May 12th, 2025 at 11:52 am
Josh Says:
May 12th, 2025 at 11:27 am
Baker Mayfield’s early career has shown both flashes of brilliance and struggles, but looking at the trajectory of Drew Brees…..
One certain JBF commenter shouted from the rooftops when the announcement was made that Baker was headed to Tampa that the Bucs had found their version of Drew Brees. Only TWO other commenters agreed. Ira’s comment was ” I’m not going there yet”.
JOSH IS VERY LATE TO THE PARTY !!!
May 12th, 2025 at 11:53 am
Pompei fails to mention what really could make Baker have a career year. That would be our offensive line. They have a whole year under their belt together. Barton was a rookie first time NFL center. Wirfs was still getting use to LT, Mauch got stronger, and more experience at guard, and Bedeson was new to the line. If this O line makes a big leap like I think they should, there will be a lot of players having a career year.
May 12th, 2025 at 11:59 am
Cheering for Baker to have the best year of his career this season. So happy we got him. He was the perfect QB after Brady.
May 12th, 2025 at 12:15 pm
Do the Bucs need Baker to have a career year? Hopefully not!
If the D is better/healthy in general, and if the OL and WRs are better/healthy, hopefully there will be games where the Bucs are ahead early and big, and Sean Tucker is on the field running down the clock.
That will not help Baker have a career year for personal stats. But, hopefully it will help Baker have a career year in team stats like games won in a season and playoffs games won.
May 12th, 2025 at 12:30 pm
Heyjude- right on.
May 12th, 2025 at 12:33 pm
Is there a common denominator (or two) that Mayfields’ interceptions have in common that he could focus on fixing/avoiding to show a significant improvment?
I have not seen anything in this regards. Anyone?
May 12th, 2025 at 12:36 pm
if the defense improves baker may not need to put up the same numbers
May 12th, 2025 at 1:02 pm
Gotta love that scroll option on the mouse as you can just slide right by Dave Pear AKA Todd whatever troll comments.. also good for the occasional 1600 word essays from StPete fan.
My attention span crashes on those.
May 12th, 2025 at 1:04 pm
Oxycondomns, Baker WANTS to put up the same/better numbers-he just gets 2 enjoy the thrashings MORE if the Defense improves!!!
ToddBowles#1——-Baker Will RULE ALL OF LEAGUE this year-He is the REAL DEAL and SO R THE BUCS—-Y R U SOOOOO FULL OF HATING on Baker and the Bucs-Even Brady did NOT get us the division his first 2 years-granted-he pulled us in a SUPER BOWL VICTORY-but, SO WILL BAKER—guess u will be hiding then and Claiming you r being blocked from comments, lolololol SMILE DUDE SMILE
GO BUCS GO BAKER
May 12th, 2025 at 1:04 pm
I’m not late to the party I just wasn’t posting here lol…
May 12th, 2025 at 1:38 pm
It really depends on whether Grizzard will give the tuddies to Baker or to the running backs. He has to feed Chris Godwin and Mike Evans to make them happy, so I’m assuming Baker will have a lot of tuddies. Unlike where with the Browns they just fed the ball to Chubb or Hunt and they would run it in for them. There were even passing situations with 1 yard at the goal where Baker would pop it out to Mike or someone else. I mean he really made Baker happy with those tuddies. It helps a quarterbacks confidence when you let him score, and it makes Mike happy. Do an article on how many touchdowns were thrown from 10 yards or less and I bet it is a big chunk.
May 12th, 2025 at 1:41 pm
If Baker can cut out those 2 bad quarters of football where he threw 3 ints each then he’s in the conversation for mvp.
May 12th, 2025 at 1:54 pm
Bakers numbers would’ve been even more impressive if Mike and Chris weren’t sidelined… that’s not to mention what we would have looked like if Dean, Kancey and Goedeke had been healthy. Its probable that Parrish and Morrison solve our issues with Dean, and that Egbuka is plug and play. There’s no reason not to believe Baker has another stellar year.
May 12th, 2025 at 1:56 pm
Yes, all predicated on Grizzards transition and comfortability calling plays.
May 12th, 2025 at 2:03 pm
Aqualung – Thank you.
May 12th, 2025 at 2:08 pm
2020 Browns went 3-3 in the Division with 2 against the 4 win Bengals and 1 against the Steelers resting starters w/ Mason Rudolph behind center.
Carved up the Powerful NFC East where the Commanders won the Division with 7 wins and the others finished at 6, 6, and 4 wins.
Sprinkle in a 4 win Titans and a 1 win Jags.
To their credit they did beat a couple 11 win teams that were spotted 2 wins each by the 4 win Texans and 1 win Jags.
Besides the 3 losses in the division the Browns lost to the 1 win Jets ans put up 6 points against the 8 win Raiders.
Give a guy props for yards and TD’s but to say it was some spectacular feat is really stretching it.
With that schedule the Browns could have won 11 with Mac Jones.
May 12th, 2025 at 2:10 pm
Now that we have a RB and a defense, I’m guessing Baker doesn’t need to have the same type of year. Just be efficient.
May 12th, 2025 at 2:31 pm
I don’t really care too much about the INTs, but if he’s got a healthy Godwin all year, Evans continues to be Evans, McMillan continues to improve and you add e2, then perhaps he does improve a bit. However the big question mark is Coen and how much he’s going to be missed. It cannot be overstated how impressive the play calling was last year, and how Coen really kept defenses off balance, which opened up the run game and the passing game. Hopefully Grizz isn’t 2022 Bryan Leftwich, who thought he’d show everyone how smart he was by ruining Arians playbook with stupid, predictable calls, and awful adjustments. If Grizz is as smart as the label he’s been given, he’ll know to just keep doing what was working.
May 12th, 2025 at 2:49 pm
Toddbowles#1 said:
😠💩💩💩
May 12th, 2025 at 2:52 pm
Ummm…U CAN BET YOUR SW33T A$$ H£ WILL.
Baker has MORE WEAPONS THAN THE MILITARY and will be trigger happy on every team that gets in our way this year. start preparing the caskets now because Baker is gonna murder so many defense’s this year that he will be on AMERICA’S ‘MOST WANTED LIST” when he’s all said and done. 💥🪦☠️💪🏴☠️🌟
May 12th, 2025 at 2:59 pm
tgoodwin Says:
“ToddBowles#1——-Baker Will RULE ALL OF LEAGUE this year-He is the REAL DEAL and SO R THE BUCS—-Y R U SOOOOO FULL OF HATING on Baker and the Bucs-Even Brady did NOT get us the division his first 2 years-granted-he pulled us in a SUPER BOWL VICTORY-but, SO WILL BAKER”
By your logic Baker did a better job because he won the division. Brady only won the SB. Yeah, that checks out.
Get those meds refilled dawg. Baker will never make the SB. Too many turnovers in key moments with the game on the line.
“Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” – George Orwell
May 12th, 2025 at 3:06 pm
Nobody wants to hear your BUCS bashing comments
TODDBOWLES#1. we already know u think everyone sucks blah blah blah Baker could win MVP and throw for 50 TDs and 5 ints
TODBOWLES#1
while taking us to NFC championship and u would complain about the 5 ints and only the fact that he couldn’t get to the superbowl so he sucks and “can’t win the big game”. It will never be enough for u. A REAL fan is grateful for the team to be where they are now because they remember how bad it use to be and how little we had to cheer for as u wait all week only for the game to be over before halftime. And when your team is in the same tier as the Browns.
So BE GRATEFUL. And Be a {REAL•FAN} not a {REAL•HATER}
May 12th, 2025 at 3:17 pm
ToddBowles#1 Says:
May 12th, 2025 at 11:27 am
“I don’t know much, …”
Exactly, you admit it… now stop typing.
It’ll all come down to injuries. Hopefully the pendulum swings the other way and our low injury year is 2025 after a heavy injury here in 2024. Skies the limit for Baker if injuries are light to the wide receivers and nonexistent to the O-line.
May 12th, 2025 at 3:18 pm
… and the running game needs to stay consistent with a healthy Bucky.
May 12th, 2025 at 3:57 pm
Bakefield should be improved this year.
May 12th, 2025 at 3:58 pm
if baker has a career year…
we add another linebacker…kyzir white…
and stay fairly healthy throughout…….we are real time superbowl contenders…
who’s better than us right now on paper in the nfc…?
maybe detroit and philly…….
and will barkley have another season like last year…?…probably not
May 12th, 2025 at 4:02 pm
I don’t care if Baker throws for 6000 yards next year just don’t let it end in a season ending turnover like the last two seasons. At least let us build up a large enough lead that a playoff turnover will not matter.