Jake Browning Will Back Up Baker Mayfield
March 11th, 2026
New quarterback in the house!
With Teddy Bridgewater unwanted in Tampa and signed by the Lions, Tampa Bay moved on veteran QB Jake Browning today, signing him to back up Baker Mayfield. It’s a one-year deal, per ESPN. Terms have yet to be revealed but it won’t be a big salary.
The longtime Bengals backup started seven games in 2023 and went 4-3 with a 70 percent completion rate. Browning lost his three starts in place of Joe Burrow last season; he had 6 TDs and 8 interceptions. Not good. That’s why he was benched for Joe Flacco.
Browning turns 30 in April. He’s a true NFL success story, finding a steady paycheck after the Vikings made him an undrafted free agent in 2019. Browning gives Ryan Griffin vibes to Joe, but a big difference is Browning has actually played meaningful snaps.
March 11th, 2026 at 7:34 pm
That’s an excellent signing
March 11th, 2026 at 7:34 pm
WTF ARE WE DOING?!?!
March 11th, 2026 at 7:36 pm
At least he’s taller than Mayfield.
March 11th, 2026 at 7:38 pm
One for Ira
March 11th, 2026 at 7:40 pm
I think Jason Licht will have another 2019 draft
When he drafted 5 impact players to step right in and play
Devin White
Sean Murphy -Bunting
Jamel Dean
Mike Edwards
Scotty Miller
We needed those guys for the Super Bowl run in 2020
March 11th, 2026 at 7:42 pm
He’ll never play. Baker will get injured like he has every season but he’ll start every game no matter what. This is a nothing burger.
March 11th, 2026 at 7:43 pm
Great signing, but not the impact we’re looking for.
March 11th, 2026 at 7:46 pm
meaningful snaps… but good ones? hmm.
March 11th, 2026 at 7:46 pm
Lakeland with the positive vibes, but I’m just not feeling it brother. I grown to have little confidence in Licht Bowles (someone here coined that earlier).
Need to see some big moves to show us they’re serious. So far, pffft.
March 11th, 2026 at 7:47 pm
Lakeland
Also Matt Gay. Stepped right in and then stepped right out.
We also drafted Anthony Nelson…didn’t start but became a very good pick
A great draft class
March 11th, 2026 at 7:48 pm
So if Baker goes down we are f@@@@@
March 11th, 2026 at 7:49 pm
I think the problem isn’t Licht picks….its the lack of development from coaches
March 11th, 2026 at 7:50 pm
Why didn’t they go for Cousins?
March 11th, 2026 at 7:50 pm
Joe Burrow hasn’t been in the playoffs for 4 years, so we know that Jake wasn’t the only player on that team that wasn’t enjoying much success. Let’s go get us one more arm to get through training camps, maybe Andy Dalton? I don’t believe we’ll want to spend much more on that position group. Kind of hoping for Flacco but Dalton can win games.
March 11th, 2026 at 7:51 pm
He’s better than Bridgewater, that’s for sure.
Hard to take a ton from him this year as the offensive line was so bad – but at the same time, Flacco came in and won with that same line and looked a billion times better.
I assume this is a vet min deal, can’t believe it’s more than that, so it wouldn’t rule out the Bucs from getting another veteran QB as well.
But if this is the only QB move, it adds to the narrative that Baker is very thin skinned, can’t handle having legit competition. To be sure, I don’t buy that narrative – even if he was to whine about having legit competition, I think it would only help him – but who knows, maybe Baker is that petty.
March 11th, 2026 at 7:52 pm
Should have tried for Wentz.
March 11th, 2026 at 7:55 pm
This guy stinks! 6 tds and 8 picks
March 11th, 2026 at 7:57 pm
Haha we suck!!!!
March 11th, 2026 at 8:04 pm
It’s a back up QB. Expecting Josh Allen or something?
It’s a new signing… Joe is reporting it per his job. Regardless of the insignificance of it.
Some of you need a Lithium prescription.
March 11th, 2026 at 8:05 pm
Browning is a huge upgrade over “noodle arm” Bridgewater
March 11th, 2026 at 8:10 pm
We should have picked up Kirk “The Bowles Slayer” Cousins! The guy is a genius to figure out the Defensive Guru’s defense. LOL
March 11th, 2026 at 8:11 pm
Sports Illustrated rated Browning as the #1 backup QB in the NFL. If you search, you’ll find it. (It’s an article from May of 2024.)
The Pro Football Network ranked him as the #5 backup.
ESPN ranked him as the #2 backup.
Do your own searches, and you’ll see for yourself.
March 11th, 2026 at 8:11 pm
3rd & 28!
March 11th, 2026 at 8:14 pm
I mean how many backup QBs lead their teams on extended runs of success. People need to stop complaining about everything.
March 11th, 2026 at 8:15 pm
His significant other will be popular with The Joes.
March 11th, 2026 at 8:20 pm
Relax guys, who’s better that’s available and won’t kill the pocket book.
March 11th, 2026 at 8:20 pm
We have a lot to complain about. This ain’t it.
March 11th, 2026 at 8:23 pm
I am jumping back on to say the same thing over and over and over again… can he rush the Quarterback?
March 11th, 2026 at 8:31 pm
Isn’t this the sane guy who sucked so bad during the time Burrow was injured last year that the Bengals traded for Flacco (and started him after a day or two of practice before a Thursday night game!?). Great move…they did the near impossible and found somebody as useless as Teddy was for a backup QB.
March 11th, 2026 at 8:31 pm
Better than trask or Bridgewater but man, Browning was once the best back up in the NFL but last year the Bengals actually trusted Joe Flacco more than Browning. What does that say about him?????
March 11th, 2026 at 8:33 pm
For those crying about a backup quarterback and his apparent lack of merit (Joe seems to recall he damn near pulled out a playoff win out of his arse a couple of years ago), wait till you see Jake Browning’s girlfriend.
You’ll will quickly get over the fact he’s not Dan Marino.
After watching a few games of Chris Braswell starting, trust Joe, you’ll be more interested in gawking at Browning’s WAG.
March 11th, 2026 at 8:34 pm
Why doesn’t Jason call the Raiders about Tyree Wilson? Vegas can trade him now that they might be stuck with Crosby. Yahoo has him going to seattle to fill their edge depth but if Jason wants to at leaast “attempt” to help the D, why not cut a deal with Spytek who has had as bad of a week as Jason after the Ravens left him and Crosby at the alter.
March 11th, 2026 at 8:36 pm
Id rather trade for Levis or A Richardson. If Baker goes down we are screwed anyways, might as well have a backup with the potential to be something. Browning is just boring…. mehhhh
March 11th, 2026 at 8:42 pm
This is a tank season
March 11th, 2026 at 8:47 pm
There you go baker fans! Lol
March 11th, 2026 at 8:54 pm
Absolutely confounding that people are wondering why the Bucs didn’t go after Cousins. Cousins isn’t going to go to any team where he is guaranteed to be the backup. Cleveland, Arizona, Minnesota or the Jets are the only teams that he might consider. Well … the Steelers, too, if Rodgers decides he’s not going to play anymore (and, in fact, would be his best landing spot if Rodgers is a no-show).
March 11th, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Bucs so-called fans on this site SUCK. Anything that happens you all complain, all the usual suspects never happy.
March 11th, 2026 at 9:02 pm
I don’t get the hate. Big upgrade to me. Very important position
March 11th, 2026 at 9:05 pm
Experienced back up at a budget price. Tough to argue with this one.
March 11th, 2026 at 9:06 pm
Guessing that this was a ZR pick.
March 11th, 2026 at 9:06 pm
Todd Bowles ain’t bringing in no quarterback that’s a threat to Baker Mayfield he’s afraid that if Baker goes down the other quarterback will come in and out play him just like Kyle Trask did in 2023 . That’s why Baker has to go once Todd Bowles is gone next year . Baker is a bridge quarterback at this point of his career just like the Baker fan boys say 3rd and 28. So I will say 1-9 in prime time games and that’s another reason why Mike Evans left but bucs meadi can’t say that because they’re Job is to promote Baker Mayfield to sale tickets tickets this year. The bucs ain’t winning nothing with Baker Mayfield as our quarterback and it doesn’t matter how good the defense play Baker has choked in every big game since he been here. He throws picks or fumble the ball and the defense gets blamed for it . That’s why John Harbour didn’t want to here and they did talk to him before they made the decision on Todd Bowles.
March 11th, 2026 at 9:08 pm
Baker fan. Get ready to go root for your Baker Mayfield after this year he will be on his 5th team. I’m sick of you Baker fan boys because you will never blame him for nothing!!
March 11th, 2026 at 9:13 pm
Good we have a backup when he gets beaten up and can’t play
March 11th, 2026 at 9:15 pm
Oneilbuc. Quite impressive post, not a misspelled word. You ChatGpt this one?
March 11th, 2026 at 9:36 pm
Who?
March 11th, 2026 at 9:40 pm
He’s fine for backup. Probably have more zip on his ints than Teddy B.
March 11th, 2026 at 9:43 pm
Jack Strand!!!!
March 11th, 2026 at 9:48 pm
every always hating on what the bucs do, but so far, this has been a decent free agency by the bucs, obviously no edge yet which is the biggest need, but look at what they have done, gainwell was a great signing, jake browning is a solid backup that we needed. alex anzalone was a good signing too. sure players are gone like dean and evans, but other than evans, its probably for the best. get some fresh players on the defense specifically. evans wasnt needed with this receiving core they have rn anyway, but wouldve been nice for him to retire as a buc. cant blame him for leaving though. bowles needs fired too, but at least zac robinson will be running the offense instead of grizzard. the offense will be nasty, possibly top 5. we probably go 8-9 to 10-7 again, unless the defense gets it together and we sign an actual #1 edge rusher.
March 11th, 2026 at 9:52 pm
Jake comes from quite the family tree of NFL players:
Jake Andrews
Jake Bailey
Jake Bates
Jake Bobo
Jake Brendel
Jake Browning
Jake Camarda
Jake Curhan
Jake Delhomme
Jake Elliott
Jake Ferguson
Jake Funk
Jake Gyllenhaal (Pre-season/Practice Squad)
Jake Haener
Jake Hansen
Jake Hummel
Jake Kernodle
Jake Knott
Jake Kumerow
Jake Locker
Jake Long
Jake Martin
Jake Matthews
Jake McQuaide
Jake Moody
Jake Mortell
Jake Murphy
Jake Plummer
Jake Schifino
Jake Scott
Jake Stoll
Jake Thieneman
Jake Tonges
Jake Verity
With a bloodline like that, he can’t miss.
Great signing!
March 11th, 2026 at 9:52 pm
“Super Draft Genius”, Licht will select 7 starters in April, and make all of those who have ever questioned him look like fools. It’s a given. He is always the smartest guy in the room. Going down the list of horrible choices he has made is like talking blasphemy to the brainwashed. PS. Is JTS available in free agency? That would be a very strategic signing.