Keeping Baker Mayfield Upright By Keeping Offensive Line Healthy
February 5th, 2026
Offensive line ealth as important as Baker Mayfield’s health.
Joe thinks healthy Baker Mayfield is the best quarterback in the NFC South.
That’s the keyword: Healthy. How do the Bucs keep Mayfield healthy?
Mayfield’s game borders on reckless. He thrives on that. He gets off on throwing his body around. He motivates himself throwing outside the pocket, which he is quite good at.
But therein lies the problem. When Mayfield plays his game, his style, he’s prone to getting punished.
Bumps and bruises (or worse) caught up with Mayfield and he was not the best quarterback in the division after the bye. Maybe not even the third-best.
So the best way that Joe can see for the Bucs to keep Mayfield somewhat healthy is to hope the offensive line is healthy. And when they are, the Bucs have one of the best front-five in the game. So health will be a key issue for the Bucs in 2026. Not just Mayfield’s, but the offensive line as well.
If you can figure out how to prevent injuries in football, you could make a fortune.
February 5th, 2026 at 1:05 am
Pretty good company
February 5th, 2026 at 1:10 am
That pretty much ends the debate doesn’t it boys and girls.
February 5th, 2026 at 1:15 am
Next year Baker will be #1 in all but the passing yards leaders since 2023. That is pretty d*** impressive but we all know he is an average qb and could never take us to a superbowl, right bois. What jokes you 5 or 6 people are.
February 5th, 2026 at 1:23 am
IMO the backup guards Pearl Harbor’ed the offense.
February 5th, 2026 at 1:32 am
Bad o line drafting in killing us
February 5th, 2026 at 1:57 am
If styles is gone, get vega loane
February 5th, 2026 at 4:16 am
It wasn’t just the guards. Graham Barton has looked like Tarzan but played like Jane. That makes the whole interior of the OL suspect, and that’s what we saw in the second half of the season.
February 5th, 2026 at 5:30 am
Losing Bredeson was the straw that broke the camel’s back. We do have a great offensive line when we’re healthy, though. Tristan Wirfs is still one of the greatest tackles in the game. Maybe in the history of the game.
February 5th, 2026 at 5:43 am
Injuries will happen. Having competent backups mitigates the damage during the recovery time of said starter. This rests squarely on the shoulders of JL. His concept of backups placed BM in danger and forced him to make bad decisions. Seriously, if JL can’t staff the Oline with hungry backups that know how to block and carry on without missing a beat, then it’s time to consider finding a GM who can. It seems JL got lazy and did a half ass job. This is his prove it year, so we’ll see.
February 5th, 2026 at 6:19 am
Remember Grizzard talking about how he would be emphasizing keeping Baker healthy and not putting his body in harm’s way last offseason? That didn’t happen!
February 5th, 2026 at 7:51 am
Draft a true center
February 5th, 2026 at 8:09 am
Tyler Linderbaum is the best Center in NFL and is a FA.
If the Bucs extend Mayfield (likely), then signing the Pro Bowl Center and moving Barton to Guard would make the Bucs’ OLine one of the best if not THE BEST in the NFL.
Or they could watch him follow Harbaugh and sign with the Giants and “Hope” their knee damaged Guards muddle through future seasons.
February 5th, 2026 at 8:15 am
Our backup linemen CAN’T be training camp fodder poached from other team’s practice squads
February 5th, 2026 at 8:38 am
We need more good depth on the o line
February 5th, 2026 at 9:05 am
Depth please! I am not averse to drafting a stud G in the draft. Bredesen is a solid guy, but we could do better, and I’m not sold on Barton at C yet.
February 5th, 2026 at 9:16 am
Kenton Smith … ‘Losing Bredeson was the straw that broke the camel’s back.’
For sure. Myself & many others consider Ben to be the real leader of the Bucs’ OLine. And we actually did quite well (3-0) in our first 3 games last year when Ben moved to Center & Barton moved to LT while Wirfs was recovering. Bredeson missed 6 games last season, and we lost 5 of those 6 games (and came close to losing the 6th one).
February 5th, 2026 at 9:19 am
No doubt Baker is a top 10 or better Qb in the NFC . You are on the money about keeping our O-line healthy . So how? Is there a problem with our trainers, or the condition of the field, or just maybe it’s because our HC over protects his players. Soft practices make for a soft TEAM In a MANS league they respect you if you are more physical. Heck in the game of football ,from youth to the.NFL thats who gets respect.i wish I knew why we became so soft , I know you & several other people said Bowles held walk thrus instead of physical practices to prevent injuries. I personally don’t think playing soft keeps the opponents from physical play. Didnt work or maybe we were a healthy soft team that had problems holding a lead thru all 4 quarters8
February 5th, 2026 at 9:44 am
Draft an OG with our first pick!!!!
Sign Kadeem Telfort off of the dolphins practice squad…he can play Tackle and is better than Charlie Heck…
make bredenson our C and Barton LG…
starters-wirfs, barton, bredenson, 1st round OG, Luke
depth- Chews, Michael Jordan, Cody Mauch, Kadeem Telford
GO BUCS!!!!!
February 5th, 2026 at 10:21 am
I like FA for:
one ILB spot (draft an ILB in rd 2 or 3)
an edge ( also draft an edge in rd1)
backup G
Draft:
rnd 1: Edge in rd1
rnd2: ILB or DT3 (a DT who is a good pass rusher)
rnd3: ILB or DT3
February 5th, 2026 at 10:26 am
“If you can figure out how to prevent injuries in football, you could make a fortune.”
I’d settle for the Bucs medical and training staff earning their fortunes.
February 5th, 2026 at 11:06 am
The issue here is how do you stop Mayfield from being too aggressive and hurting himself. In the end it’s up to Mayfield. If he continues to play reckless his chances demenses dramatically.
If you tell him no he reacts recklessly. In the end does or doesn’t he. The only real safeguard is to bring on a veteran quarterback and hope you never have to use him.
February 5th, 2026 at 11:12 am
So, in regard to the Draft and the offensive line, I think the second pick should go on Offensive Guard.
My reasoning on this is that Jason Licht doesn’t have the best record in the second round, but he knows offensive lines better than any other unit. So increase the likelihood of success by drafting OL in the second.
We need the depth. The draft pick can compete to start, and we’ll be better covered in case of injuries.
Rounds 1, 3, and 4 should go to Defense. After that, BPA.
February 5th, 2026 at 11:16 am
Allen Lofton Says
“The issue here is how do you stop Mayfield from being too aggressive and hurting himself.”
By taking away the reason for him to be too aggressive.
Mayfield only goes aggressive when:
🏈 he feels like the team cannot win without it
🏈 he’s in a real grove and the right opportunity comes up
The second one isn’t a bad thing. The first one needs to be addressed by improving the defense.
Now that Bowles is able to get Jason Licht to draft more to defense, he’ll have the opportunity to show what he is capable of creating.
Will that be good or bad? I guess we’ll see.
#HopeForTheBest
February 5th, 2026 at 11:32 am
Jeff stotland is out there he’s leaving the eagles.
He would be a great hire and help the O line tremendously!!
February 5th, 2026 at 12:36 pm
Brederson had a serious knee injury to end the year.
He won’t be strong again until week 8.
Mauch will also be returning from à serious knee injury.
Klein couldn’t start over guys we brought in from the streets.
I think we need to sign 2 legit guards.
And please. Our franchise QB is only 6-1. Maybe 6-2.
Get guards who are 6-3. Not 6-5.
6-3. 330. That’s my ideal guard. Low center of gravity. And stout.
February 5th, 2026 at 1:54 pm
BUCS/Licht shouldn’t waste their time on drafting a 1st OR 2nd round defensive player lol….
Tryon flopped & logan hall flopped…morrison and CK94 still have question marks…
players like yaya, tykee smith, parrish, e.roberts are all impact players that contributed and showed they belong since day1…and they were drafted 3rd round or lower
BUCS/Licht have done better using our 1st & 2nd round picks on OL…
Wirfs, Barton, Mauch & Luke are very solid(when healthy)…
Trade our 1st round pick for either Jeffrey Simmons/Ed Oliver/Max Crosby/Myles Garrett or Trade down and select an OG with our first pick…
I have zero faith this staff will develop a 1st round defensive player
GO BUCS!!!!
February 5th, 2026 at 2:10 pm
Funny how the Munch Bunch has gotten very, very, very quiet.
February 5th, 2026 at 2:35 pm
Teacherman, I hope you’re wrong about Bredeson. I thought it was a bad hamstring. Need updates on how Mauch and Bredeson are doing.
February 5th, 2026 at 9:50 pm
We need help at guard. Looks lije Klein is not going to make it