Peter Schrager Explains Why Baker Mayfield Is An MVP Candidate
October 9th, 2025
More praise.
Remember when folks truly believed Kyle Trask was the answer? Fun times!
That was two years ago and some fans actually conned themselves into thinking the Bucs had a good ol’ fashioned, if-you-have-two-you-have-none quarterback competition between the last draft pick in the second round of 2021, Trask, and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, Baker Mayfield.
Lots of fans had Todd Bowles on a hot seat. His immediate future, coming off a losing season, appeared dark with an uncertain quarterback situation. No way he was going to bank his future on a guy who also had a shaky future.
Even the Sage of Tampa Bay sports,Ira Kaufman, reported early in 2023 training camp that the organization had already settled on Mayfield as The Guy. The quarterback “competition” was nothing more than Christmas tree decorations.
Fast forward to the present and people are soberly, legitimately discussing Mayfield as the MVP of the league. Tthe Bucs are 4-1 and seem destined for their fifth-straight NFC South crown.
Among them is closet Bucs fan Peter Schrager of BSPN. Not only did Schrager make the case that the Bucs’ depth has saved the team, he said Mayfield’s veteran savvy has guided the offense through the choppy, shark-infested waters of injuries to a safe harbor.
“We hear the ‘next man up’ thing all the time — It’s real there,” Schrager said of the Bucs. “Rachaad White’s in because Bucky Irving, who might be their best offensive player, is out.
“Mike Evans is out. Who steps up? Emeka Egbuka, of course. Sterling Shepherd is there. The offensive line has just been a carousel of names. Tristan Wirfs missed games early, and Cody Mauch and of course Luke Goedeke, he’s been out as well.
“And Baker doesn’t waver. They don’t waver. It’s five weeks in. We could do this week to week and change it. [Mayfield is] MVP five weeks into the season.”
And as Schrager pointed out, the Bucs are maybe a tipped pass away from being undefeated.
Mayfield deserves all the credit for keeping the Bucs’ collective heads above water in the injury storms. It’s hard to argue against that.
"[Baker Mayfield] is my MVP five weeks into the season."@PSchrags and @minakimes talk about the Bucs' "masterclass" in scheming the Seahawks up 💪 pic.twitter.com/bGCi40s8Wh
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 6, 2025
October 9th, 2025 at 10:21 am
baker MVP
BOWLES Coach of the Year!!!
no other HC would have their team 4-1 while missing multiple olinemen, WRs, RBs, DTs
they would be 0-5 1-4 at best lol
4-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 9th, 2025 at 10:25 am
I don’t think any other player is more important to a team than what Baker is to the bucs straight up dawg.
October 9th, 2025 at 10:29 am
baker is tampa
October 9th, 2025 at 10:43 am
Go beat San Fran. Bucs 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
October 9th, 2025 at 10:48 am
No explanation necessary-just watch him play.
October 9th, 2025 at 10:54 am
Next man up? With the Bucs, it’s next 4 men up every week. Damn! What bad year for injuries.
October 9th, 2025 at 11:17 am
Let’s get through the next 2 games against one loss teams then the 3 game stretch versus Pats Bills Rams and see where we are at before we start talking about awards type crap, we beat one Sam Darnold led team and 3 scrub teams and too many of you keep talking about MVP and Super Bowl nonsense, I’m enjoying our season as much as the next fan but slow your roll
October 9th, 2025 at 11:19 am
Jinxing ourselves. In a month we’ll be arguing who are we gonna snag with our top ten draft pick
October 9th, 2025 at 11:29 am
I am confident Todd Bowles will win a Super Bowl while coaching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers !!
I am 100 % positive that Baker Mayfield was the right choice for our starting quarterback over Kyle Trask.
But, is Kyle Trask really that bad ? Why hasn’t he signed with an NFL team ?
I still believe Kyle can play somewhere in the NFL, especially with all the knowledge he gained while he was with the Bucs organization.
Go Bucs !!
October 9th, 2025 at 12:04 pm
Not that we needed any more evidence, but note how the Bungles traded draft position to get a just-benched QB, while choosing not to give up nothing in exchange for signing Trask. He made great money as a backup qb. Good, happy for him as he’s a nice guy. Just not a starter.
October 9th, 2025 at 12:16 pm
@813 without Baker we would be 0-5 regardless if Bowels was coach or someone else.
October 9th, 2025 at 12:37 pm
I’VE DISPISED BOWLES …
Ove the past two years we’ve seen tired defensive schemes, idiotic clock management, and inneffectual zone defense.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Every off season Bowles opennly evaluates his coaching, discusses areas of improvement, and improves. Clock mgmt and attaking offense were his two focuses. He’s delivered. Bowles is a solid coach and he’s going to get better.
With all the injuries, the Bucs should be 1-4 or 2-3 at best. Bowles has overachieved.
October 9th, 2025 at 12:41 pm
Beeej. We aren’t gonna jinx anything with our football team. They could go 4-13 or 16-1 or anywhere in between. It’s on their shoulders. No amount of “knockin on wood” by us fans will change a thing. Only when we as fans understand this can we truly enjoy the benefits of following a team that represents us!
October 9th, 2025 at 1:00 pm
Not My NFL Says:
October 9th, 2025 at 12:16 pm
@813 without Baker we would be 0-5 regardless if Bowels was coach or someone else.
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without bowles baker is 3rd string holding a clip board in TENN lol….
remember, it was bowles who wanted baker…bowles gave him another shot at being a starter!!!
4-1!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 9th, 2025 at 1:16 pm
As Schrager said at the end of the video, “I believe they’re a well coached team. “
Hats off to Grizz and Carberry.
This offense is fun to watch.
Let’s Go!!!!
October 9th, 2025 at 1:18 pm
Kenton Smith, right on man. Enjoy the season as it happens.
October 9th, 2025 at 1:27 pm
Also hats off to Bowles during the off season and training camp Bowles helped Grizz set a solid foundation on the offense. Playing against our defense helped Grizz to get his feet wet as a OC calling plays.
Well put Sly & 813 👏👏👏
Go Bucs!!!
October 9th, 2025 at 1:34 pm
Hats off to Grizz and Carberry.
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those 2 have been heaven sent lol!!!!!!
who knew carberry was a former dlinemen lol….
might need to have yaya work with him lol…JK LOL
4-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 9th, 2025 at 3:09 pm
I kind of miss (but not really) The Occult of Trask embarrassing themselves in the comments. Go back and read what they were saying under the article about Baker’s ONE interception, what a bunch of clowns.
October 9th, 2025 at 3:18 pm
Bucs are 0-5 without Baker. Fraud Bowels has no pass defense, no capability to fix what has been broken for his time as a two-coach. Now he’s a three-Coach due to refusal to fire Magoo. Kick return is the worst and more kick blocks are coming. The probability of losing going forward with no defense is high.
October 9th, 2025 at 4:36 pm
I too think we have a well coached team. Not only is Todd Bowles a good head coach but he has quality coaches working for him. I saw a well prepared team when we came up against Seattle. Our team is playing well in spite of the injuries. Our “scrubs” have stepped up. And, yes, it helps to have an exceptional QB in Baker Mayfield.
Go Bucs!!
October 9th, 2025 at 4:59 pm
Picking Trask in the second round was almost as big a waste as drafting Arroyo. The guy was never going to be an NFL QB, especially with his pedigree. Gator QB’s stink in the NFL. It angers me the way Licht wastes valuable No. 2 picks. Trade it away for an established NFL player and quit shooting yourself in the foot you big dummy.
October 9th, 2025 at 7:38 pm
Baker is the leading MVP as of right now this is the Baker Mayfield I need in the playoffs. Go bucs!!