Baker Mayfield Somewhat Slow To Bail The Pocket
June 19th, 2026
Calm amid the storm.
Joe believes if Baker Mayfield can get this number down a little, it will go a long way to helping Mayfield stay healthy down the stretch.
Last year Mayfield was bad down the stretch as the Bucs lost seven of nine games and blew a 6-2 start, missing the playoffs.
Mayfield was hurt, yet the Bucs thought a banged-up Mayfield was a better option than a healthy Teddy Bridgewater. The gamble blew up in their faces.
(Joe has typed the following many times and will type it many more: If you didn’t trust Bridgewater to give Mayfield a week off to heal, then why the hell was Bridgewater even on the roster?)
Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians often says, “You put a quarterback in harm’s way, harm will find him.” And that caught up with Mayfield. Still, Joe was surprised by the following number. Only 21 percent of the time when Mayfield went back to pass last season did he leave the pocket, per the Twitter stathead @fb_insights.
And in Joe’s mind, that was very low when you consider the Bucs’ offensive line was a trainwreck with a terrible rash of injuries.
So if Mayfield only left the pocket basically two times for every 10 dropbacks, with a healthy offensive line and maybe a better offensive coordinator, Mayfield might be able to cut that in half, certainly by five percent.
So Joe has to give Mayfield credit. As bad as the interior of his offensive line was, Mayfield didn’t panic.
June 19th, 2026 at 7:29 am
Now how often did he leave on THIRD downs?
June 19th, 2026 at 7:49 am
“Mayfield was hurt, yet the Bucs thought a banged-up Mayfield was a better option than a healthy Teddy Bridgewater. The gamble blew up in their faces.”
Definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
June 19th, 2026 at 7:51 am
If he wears high heels he might be able to see over the line…
Every DC in the NFL with a brain in their heads knows how to best disrupt Baker.
Pressure right up the middle. He doesn’t handle it very well.
June 19th, 2026 at 8:14 am
YESSSSS. It’s the single most thing that DRIVES ME absolutely CRAZY about his game (and thinking). It. Makes. NO. SENSE. I’ve mentioned it right here, I don’t know HOW MANY times. HE. CAN’T. SEE. And, he just STANDS THERE. With ALL that traffic literally all around him, and within barely a FOOT seemingly, right in front of HIS FACE. It’s fricking STUPID. And, then he gets all bent up like a FREAKING PRETZEL, or something else AWFUL happens. It’s just not his game. And, it’s why we CANNOT sustain drives in the first-half of ballgames. I don’t know if he just trying to PROVE that he can do it ALL from the pocket, or WHAT!? But, HE CAN’T. It’s terrible, and is WHY he struggles soooo many times, throwing for 100-yards, and putting any TD-drives together, in the FIRST-HALF. He just friggin STANDS THERE, holding the ball FOREVER. Drives me NUTS. It’s STUPID. And, pointless. It’s NOT his game. He HAS TO make much much ‘better and quicker’ decisions about knowing WHEN to leave the friggin pocket. AND, eliminate all the distractions, and just FOCUS on HIS OWN PLAY. Shut the hell up and just be PREPARED. Has to have MUCH BETTER instincts. I just don’t see HOW the Bucs can extend HIM. I really don’t. It doesn’t make any sense. There’s nothing to gain. It would be catastrophic, without SEEING this season FIRST. I mean, come in… You. Have. The. Freaking. TAG. It’s what it is FOR. 💯
June 19th, 2026 at 8:17 am
I wonder how many times he was waiting for a receiver to get open in man coverage?
June 19th, 2026 at 8:24 am
Well, it’s the single most thing, other than all the BS running around and leaning cockeyed ‘helmet to helmet’ up against and opposing team’s players, and head-bunting O-Linemen, & all that fake ‘childish’ (inorganic, forced, and created) NONSENSE. Just get your ass UP and back to the HUDDLE, and RUN THE NEXT GD PLAY. Enough. It’s Embarrassing FOR YOU.
June 19th, 2026 at 8:29 am
@ purplebeard – NO. Much more like, he’d already MISSED HIM when he was wide ass OPEN. Because, he missed the READ and was LATE. Always inventing the EXCUSES.
June 19th, 2026 at 8:31 am
Lol! What qb ” handles the pressure right up the middle”? That pressure also blows up the run game? Collapsing the pocket is the number 1 thing to accomplish in every defense in every team!
June 19th, 2026 at 8:33 am
He bailed out more quickly in the first half of the season and as the hits piled up he became more reluctant to run. The data is likely skewed and emphasizes the importance of maintaining a healthy o-line. This season will hinge on line play on both sides of the ball.
June 19th, 2026 at 8:34 am
Melvin junior
Thanks for reminding me why I rarely read these articles anymore.
June 19th, 2026 at 8:40 am
Mayfield is NOT going to beat you from inside the pocket like that. Definitely NOT consistently. He’s just NOT. He can’t read the Defense pre snap, and doesn’t make quick enough decisions. Nor is he accurate enough from strictly standing inside the pocket. He has to move to be able to find the throwing lanes. It’s got to be ‘quick’ passes while in RHYTHM. You don’t want HIM holding to to the ball, and having to THINK. It’s BAD NEWS when that happens. I mean, you’re just asking FOR IT. It will eventually catch up to him. Every. Time.
June 19th, 2026 at 8:41 am
@ purplebeard – Get your (adult) ‘feelings’ hurt over a professional athlete!? LoL
June 19th, 2026 at 8:43 am
@ steve
TB12 seemed to know how to handle it…
As do most successful QBs and OCs.
No doubt it’s why our GM spent a 1st round pick on a Center.
Let’s hope that investment finally pays off in 2026.
June 19th, 2026 at 8:44 am
One thing I have noticed: trolls never seem happy unless they can make others feel miserable.
June 19th, 2026 at 8:49 am
Just because you left the pocket, doesn’t mean you HAVE TO ‘run-it’ and take a HIT. The QB-position is VERY WELL protected nowadays! You can ALWAYS, get rid of the ball, OR run outta bounds. IF YOU’RE SMART, poised, calm, under control, and have good INSTINCTS. It doesn’t have to be all Helter Skelter, at ALL times. Especially, when you make QUICK decisions (on WHEN to abandon and leave the pocket and WHEN to friggin GET RID of IT).
June 19th, 2026 at 8:56 am
@ purplebeard – Wow. I am sorry that hearing TRUTHS about a ‘professional’ ATHLETE makes you “miserable.” But, that is a “YOU” problem (and sounds-like, it needs to be addressed). But, you are correct. IF you are going to take ‘opinions’ and again TRUTHS (from absolute total strangers) PERSONALLY… Then, YOU DON’T need to be here.
June 19th, 2026 at 8:56 am
I guess I’ll never figure out what motivates a troll. Of course, if those trolls feel some satisfaction in being the “spoon that stirs the pot”, then that is their reward. I won’t argue the point.
Go, Baker! Go bucs!
June 19th, 2026 at 9:01 am
Jalon Daniels will be the starting QB in 2027
June 19th, 2026 at 9:10 am
Steve V. Says: Says:
June 19th, 2026 at 8:31 am
Lol! What qb ” handles the pressure right up the middle”?
QBs that can escape the pocket lol….QBs like Herbert, Allen, Lamar, Nix, Daniels, etc lol….
Baker aint tall and he isnt as athletic as most make him out to be….
Pressure Baker up the middle and he isnt fast enough to escape around the edges…DCs round the NFL know this
GO BUCS!!!!
June 19th, 2026 at 9:14 am
I’m a Baker supporter. I think he’s a solid QB that can win games. BUT, he still gets happy feet WAY too often in a clean pocket. He gets over hyped to start big games.
I’m hoping with all his experience now and with an OC who can scheme up play action and improve the running game, that Baker will take that next step. The next step is relaxing in a clean pocket and consistently hitting the open WR, not being too jacked up in big games and taking off quickly when the opportunity presents itself.
This is why I think not handing Baker a huge contract until we see him consistently perform this season is the smart play.
I still believe in Baker, but I also think he needs to improve in those areas to take the step from middle of the road QB to a consistent winner.
June 19th, 2026 at 9:15 am
@ purplebeard – YOU call someone a “troll” because THEY don’t agree with YOU. Okay, gotcha! I would hate to be THAT insecure in my own beliefs, to be made to feel that way. That ALONE, should tell you that you are WRONG. You CAN’T argue the point made, so YOU attack the ‘messenger’ of the point given. Again, gotcha! So, how bout just DO BETTER, by NOT making ‘empty’ statements that you can’t back up. Cause, that’s not MY problem. I mean, YOU said it. NOT ME. I only ‘countered it’ and it was obviously TRUE. Otherwise you wouldn’t had gotten SO bent out of shape over it, and then been SO defensive. You had nothing.
June 19th, 2026 at 9:21 am
@ Fanofdabucs Says: “he still gets happy feet WAY too often in a clean pocket.”
SO TRUE. And, it makes me believe that MAYBE he’s panicking (or just looks like he’s panicking), while trying to find a throwing lane, and we just can’t ‘see-it’ from the tv screen’s angle!? Idk!? It’s the only thing I can think of.
June 19th, 2026 at 9:22 am
A few words from Ed Reed
June 19th, 2026 at 9:29 am
@ 813bucboi Says: “Baker aint tall and he isnt as athletic as most make him out to be….
Pressure Baker up the middle and he isnt fast enough to escape around the edges”
That has A LOT to do with it! He gets STUCK. That’s why he has to be prepared and have much better INSTINCTS, to make ‘quicker’ decisions. And, YES… He is soooo awkward when he runs. It is definitely NOT pretty. LoL.
June 19th, 2026 at 9:35 am
I have yet to hear a suitable reason for bringing in Bridgewater. Dude was a stiff and well past his prime.
June 19th, 2026 at 9:38 am
I don’t know why my post disappeared to about just getting his ass back to the huddle and running the next play, instead of jumping up in opponents faces and head-butting O-Linemen (after a 6yd gain LoL)!?
June 19th, 2026 at 9:49 am
@ NerdsAreCool Says: “Jalon Daniels will be the starting QB in 2027”
WHO!? LoL
June 19th, 2026 at 10:01 am
IMO, baker should really study Drew Brees…as much as i hate the guy lol, he was a great QB at his height and limited mobility…
his foot work was elite, he was decisive and got the ball out quick and was able to stay healthy until the end of his career….
but baker isnt humble or mature enough lol….he has too much grit and moxy lol
GO BUCS!!!!
June 19th, 2026 at 10:02 am
Purple I posted this the other day. My take on things:
3.28, we understand that to be a true troll you must not only constantly be contrarian, you must also be ceaselessly negative. So kudos. In the service of what, however? It’s the off-season. All indications are we had a pretty decent draft. We currently have as good a chance of making the playoffs as every other team. We’ve got a QB in the top half of 32. We have an o-line that should be top 10 or better when healthy. More weapons on the offense. We lost an icon, two of them actually, but both aging and clearly on the downside of their career. We’ve replaced them with young talent. No one’s in love with the coach, but he’s been to the playoffs a few times and won a super bowl as a coordinator of a suffocating defense. One that had the personnel to be suffocating. We may be entering that area again. And so again, it’s the off-season. Like most fans, we tend to try to look at it as glass half full. I guess I wonder why you choose to be nothing but negative. Seriously. You can hold all the same biases and still have some iota of optimism. It’s to the point where I can’t imagine you’re even a fan of the team. But yet here you are, day after day, basically copying and pasting the same crapola. You must be fun at parties.
June 19th, 2026 at 10:05 am
813, I agree with your Brees take. It’s fairly analogous. I’d love it if Baker were humble enough to do things like that. And who knows, perhaps he is now. Earlier? No way. But he clearly has top shelf arm talent. If he could marry that with the precision and decision making that made Brees what he was, he truly improve. He’s here for at least another season, so let’s see what happens.
June 19th, 2026 at 10:10 am
Melvin: you are NAILING IT. He can’t read a defense. Brees and prime Wilson height was not a issue, for Faker it is. Faker plays that wreckless, hero/panic ball because he HAS to employ that style. Ppl will forget about the WIDE OPEN receivers you miss if you truck somebody on a gutsy first down run. Every year he ranks amongst the worse QBs operating from a clean pocket. 6/8 years he was 25th or lower (usually lower) in completion %. The other 2 years he was 19th and the low impact,fluke season of 2024 when he was 3rd or 4th. He’s never had a bad line here- even with the injuries most sites have this line ranked middle of the pack. The year in Carolina the line was middle of the pack.ost if his time in Cleveland his line was elite and he was still ….Baker. I looked it up. 2020 Cleveland had 4 OL to make all pro or the pro bowl and #5 made the all rookie team lol. Everyone had their line ranked #1 and the next year it was right near the top. It’s actually staggering the amount of young pro bowlers Baker has got to play with on offense in his career. And I mean guys 24-28 years old. He’s just not that good. At his very,very,tippy top best he is a Temu Dak Prescott. Empty calories stats.
June 19th, 2026 at 10:17 am
Melvin, once again you have been surgical this morning. 813, I never want to hear Baker and Brees ever mentioned again. Id take Brees RIGHT NOW over Faker Will Fail. He’s closer to Gardner Minshew (who beat him head to head here in 2023) then Brees. Baker is a decade Ina after a heavy volume college career and still suffers from poor mechanics. Great,he has a strong arm..That same strong arm got passed around 4 times when he was just 27.
June 19th, 2026 at 10:29 am
We should spend a 2 on Soresby!
June 19th, 2026 at 10:39 am
Baker seldom throws the ball away. TB 12 knew when to do it and did it often. Opposing linemen know this about Baker too. He is often in a collapsing pocket surrounded by oncoming linemen, but refuses to bail out on the play. Zac needs to teach him throwing it away is not the worst that can happen. Holding the ball too long is worse. Some play-action and players in motion might help too. Baker did fine with Coen. Last year was an abortion.
Baker is not that far off. He has to eliminate the couple of terrible plays per game that he makes trying to be a hero and the sometimes inexplicable errors. Throw the damn ball away. Those few plays make all the difference between winning and losing. He has the physical skills. If he can get his mind right and the Bucs can provide a decent pocket, ’26 can be entirely the opposite of ’25. It won’t be easy.
Go Bucs!
June 19th, 2026 at 11:25 am
purplebeard Says:
June 19th, 2026 at 8:56 am
I guess I’ll never figure out what motivates a troll.
++++++++++++++++
Attention.
Trolls are sociopaths, and are narcissistic. They want everyone responding to them.
Especially angry responses.
The way to deal with them is – don’t deal with them. Do not respond. Ignore them, and do not even read their posts.
Just scroll on by their posts.
June 19th, 2026 at 11:45 am
jcscycles: “….The way to deal with them is — don’t deal with them…..” Thanks — this is proven wisdom.
purplebeard, Steven007, jc: Thank you for your support of logical and rational thought and debate!
June 19th, 2026 at 12:39 pm
J0E: “If you didn’t trust Bridgewater to give Mayfield a week off to heal, then why the hell was Bridgewater even on the roster?”
I have a theory on that. Bowles has
June 19th, 2026 at 12:39 pm
“If you don’t like being chase by bears, don’t get caught holding the ham”
-Coach Canales
June 19th, 2026 at 12:43 pm
J0E: “If you didn’t trust Bridgewater to give Mayfield a week off to heal, then why the hell was Bridgewater even on the roster?”
I have a theory on that. Bowles has voiced several times that he would love to have Teddy on his team.
Leading up to that, Baker had never missed a game with the Bucs…so my theory was that Jason threw him a bone and signed him. I think it was a gift to Bowles.
Of course, I don’t think Jason will ever make that mistake again, lol.
June 19th, 2026 at 1:05 pm
Bye Baker Bye Bowles Says:
June 19th, 2026 at 10:17 am
Melvin, once again you have been surgical this morning
No one reads Mr Caps – MelvinJunior – anymore except Melvin himself. So at least we know one more of his sock puppet accounts.
June 19th, 2026 at 1:26 pm
You guys making it personal and straying away from the logic and stats proves something I knew years ago. The truth hurts. You can call people names but offer no rebuttal for the arguments. Nobody need extra Baker accounts. He has PLENTY detractors. He definitely gets booed at times at the stadium. Jay Recher and a few others are pretty accurate. James @Bucsnation is reasonable. Scott Reynolds is a compete homer. The media is in a awkward position but no, most of those guys don’t view Baker as this HOF bound stud lol. And more importantly, the decision makers @OBP don’t seem to think so either. Lip service aside,no pen to pad. I been telling you guys since October he has ALOT of detractors @OBP. Some over there was pushing for a rebuild in 2026. I said that before the trade deadline last year. Well,so far so good. ” Lucky guess” I suppose.
June 19th, 2026 at 1:30 pm
Nah buddy,bake bake has PLENTY of detractors. Clearly you never go to a game lol. Do you not have access to media beyond JBF? Nobody needs a double acct to criticize Baker Mayfield..LOL. You guys making it personal just makes it common sense we touched a nerve. More importantly, the decision makers over at OBP have some doubts too.
June 19th, 2026 at 1:31 pm
Melvin and a few others on here have BDS – Baker Derangement Syndrome.
Melvin has it so bad, that he does multiple post proving the fool he is. Melvin take a pill and quit typing to yourself.
June 19th, 2026 at 1:38 pm
My favorite throw from last season was to Tez against the 9ers. It was from the pocket and he looked to at least two reads before he came back to tez. The ball was a bit long but tez made an incredible catch.
But objectively Melvin is making valid points. Bakers accuracy seems to be much better when he’s on the run and moving around with quick short passes rather than moving defenses with his eyes sitting in the pocket and delivering the ball on schedule. When Grizzard decided we needed more deep shots that was probably a bad call in retrospect. Coen seemed to play exactly to bakers strengths.
If BM can get a little better from the pocket and we can find a coach that knows how to move him around with short quick passes and get the ball out quickly he can have a really good back half of his career.
But taking too many shots and holding on to the ball isn’t going to do him any favors.
June 19th, 2026 at 2:27 pm
Bye Baker Bye Bowles Says: “Ppl will forget about the WIDE OPEN receivers you miss if you truck somebody on a gutsy first down run.”
💯 SO TRUE. They are the “certain TYPE of fan” that I have described here before, on numerous occasions. They friggin’ Eat. That. Sheet. UP. They’re easily FOOLED by it. It plays into that whole FANTASY inside of their own heads. Weird stuff. It’s all a buncha SMOKE. I just hope to God that our FO is able to see past it, before making a critical mistake for the franchise’s longterm future. There is zero reason to rush anything. It’s what the ‘franchise tag’ is there for.
June 19th, 2026 at 2:33 pm
I don’t read MR Caps either. Don’t read people that post 50 times just to see themselves in writing and think they are the brightest bulb in the pack. Baker will do what he wants with any offers the team makes. He’s not listening to posters here.
June 19th, 2026 at 2:37 pm
“I don’t read MR Caps either. Don’t read people that post 50 times just to see themselves in writing and think they are the brightest bulb in the pack. Baker will do what he wants with any offers the team makes. He’s not listening to posters here.”
You sit back and whine about what you don’t read or agree with, it’s kind of weird tbh because most of your opinions are about other posters opinions and nothing really having to do with the Bucs or football on a site dedicated to both.
June 19th, 2026 at 2:44 pm
Classic! pulling the Brady card marine but he had welker for a 3 second slant that no one could figure out how to cover.. The Ravens with Flacco and Lewis made him look human he won a few of the playoff games on Ravens mistakes and Bucboi your right I never saw mayfield scramble ,outrun people to move the chains you must be watching some other qb!!
June 19th, 2026 at 2:51 pm
@ Bye Baker Bye Bowles – That’s Great! All of those stats (especially about the pocket and his O-Line play), has just confirmed EVERYTHING I’d been trying to tell these Baker Bros, since FOREVER. It’s Unbelievable. It’s good to know that “MY EYES” have not been lying to me. These grown up ADULTS have just allowed themselves to be completely BLINDED. It’s really amazing. You’d THINK that they had SEEN enough FOOTBALL by now, not to be SO FOOLED. Most are just too immature and insecure inside, in order to admit it. They’ve tried inventing EVERY possible excuse. I don’t understand HOW you can allow ‘yourself’ to be sooo invested in ANY one player, where you can’t even accept it.
June 19th, 2026 at 2:55 pm
We’re all hoping that you Crow-chefs are currently honing your crafts as you’ll be dining on this delicacy frequently in the fall.
June 19th, 2026 at 2:57 pm
@ Badbucs Says: “If he can get his mind right and the Bucs can provide a decent pocket, ’26 can be entirely the opposite of ’25. It won’t be easy.”
I agree with that. I’ll buy-it! It’s going to take a ‘different’ kind of FOCUS and LEADERSHIP though, that Baker has yet to show.
June 19th, 2026 at 3:00 pm
@ steve
You are not wrong…
June 19th, 2026 at 3:01 pm
@Stephen007
Either you’re somewhat new around here or think you can succeed where many others have failed with 3.28.aqualung 🙄
Unfortunately trying to engage that guy in logic, reason, optimism, open-mindedness, objectively etc etc etc is a waste of time…… Nothing has interrupted his bigoted and ignorant and whiny dumping (many have tried) in every post every day for at least 2+ years except getting chewed by Joe (about once per year) when he pouts like a teenage girl for a few weeks and doubles down on sarcasm 💃🏼
@Purplebeard
Sensitive crowd around here. Hang in there bro…. It’s springtime and the trolls are in bloom. Like algae in the D.C. reflecting pool.
June 19th, 2026 at 3:04 pm
@ jcscycles – there is no anger whatsoever. Only constructive criticism AND TRUTH. I can’t help your own insecurities. I haven’t seen YOU or DBS dispute any of the FACTS. You are entitled to your opinion, but it doesn’t make YOU RIGHT. Hell, I haven’t seen where either one of you have even brought anything to the table yet, concerning this conversation.
June 19th, 2026 at 3:24 pm
Melvin they are mentally ill. They ignore that our defense was 19th last year and the offense was 21st. The Bears defense was 29th last year,the 49ers was 20th.The defense was 7th in points allowed in 2023. The Commanders went to the title game with a defense that gave up more points then ours. A rookie QB went 12-5 on a tougher division with a worse defense. That defense gave up over 35 PPG in the playoffs. Still made it to the title game. Since Baker got here- Jared Goff (29) got to a title game. That wasn’t the season he went 15-2. Purdy (24) got to a SB-after getting to a title game as a rookie. Daniels got to a title game as a rookie. Hurts (26) won a SB MVP. His 2nd SB. Darnold (28) won the SB. He turned 29 two weeks ago. Baker is 31 and has won 2 wild card card games in 8 years. Goff,Darnold,Purdy,Hurts are somehow lumped in with Baker (lol) in that tier, undeservedly. They all won more, have better stats/more accomplished (even Hurts who finished #2 MVP his 3rd year and Purdy#4 MVP his 2nd yr) and have superior post season winning. All of those guys were years younger then Baker when they reached those milestones. All except Goff (who is only 6 months older) are YEARS younger. Baker is a flat out loser with loser tendencies. Carolina he was 1-5. Average line, CMC and DJ Moore. They cut him and go 6-5. He makes tems worse. He makes receivers worse. Egbuka was fine. It’s Baker. Look at Beckham, Landry, DJ Moore, Austin Hooper, 2023 Chris Godwin. All were 25-27 when they got paired with bake bake. All their games suffered Immediately. Godwin needed 4 more starts and 2 more games to get ONE more yard in2023 then he had in 2022. Go back to 2023, there were ” what’s wrong with Godwin” articles. Don’t worry Melvin, the FO is aware.
June 19th, 2026 at 3:24 pm
I love all the trolls 👍🏼. Thanks Joe for letting them post freely while sending comments that support their targets to the trash 😬
June 19th, 2026 at 3:35 pm
Melvin: you will never get a answer from them. I’m still waiting for like 3 years. They still didn’t explain what I just posted. Or they say Goff was on loaded teams but the Lions were 3-14 his first year there. The Eagles were 4-12 Hurts rookie year. They explain Purdy success as system dependent but ignore how Trey Lance failed when the 49ers gave up 3#1 picks to take him the year before. Baker 17-19 in 3 years outside the NFC south. Like 11-21 vs pro bowl QBs in Tampa. 4-11 when he throw 35x or more. 1-10 when he throw 40x or more. Both well ekwo leauge average. 1-10 prime time games. BELOW leauge average when the defense gives up 21-27 points. Forget volume stats. The 2023 defense slowed the lowest PPG in over 10 years,yep including the Brady era. Jared Goff is the #1 QB in terms of yards and TD the last 3 years. 4 years. He’s much better then Baker but what does that mean? Geno was top6-8 QB on paper But Seattle still got rid of him didn’t they? The 2 worse offenses we have had in the last 22 years cane under Baker’s watch. He’s only had ONE top 10 offense his whole career.2024 when we were top 4. The rest were in the mid teens and 20s. Licht is weak and should have brought in competition. He was mandated to bring in a decent backup if they didn’t want to blow it up. All this stuff I listed you don’t think THEY know this and more?
June 19th, 2026 at 3:36 pm
MikeBuc, bakerfan, DBS, and the entire clan… You all are EMPTY. Just immature little children, who are casual football fans, that bring nothing to the table. There is no depth there. They are just ‘blind’ followers. So, I don’t know WHY they are even here and commenting at ALL, when they have zero analysis to offer. They’re just MAD that others do. And, that it doesn’t support THEIR OWN weak made-up ‘narratives’ located deep inside of their broken widdle hearts.
June 19th, 2026 at 3:52 pm
Crow-smacking fun — yum, yum!
June 19th, 2026 at 3:58 pm
@ Bye Baker Bye Bowles – I just hope that the FO has seen-it’ too, and NOT fallen for all the BS. I mean, surely to GOD. They have to know these stats! And, yeah… It’s not even close with Goff (or Purdy). They are soooo much more calm, poised, and under control. The FO has to know all of this despite the narratives, the 2023 and 2025 Offenses, were very hard to WATCH. Seriously, I don’t understand WHAT they ‘think’ they’re SEEING (and with THESE schedules we’ve had down the stretch for over the past THREE seasons). An extension at this point, makes ZERO freaking sense. Definitely NOT anywhere near the $50-MIL mark. Cause, WHAT are you gaining (other than the ability to manipulate the cap – and they can do that next year, and with other players)… Hell, that’s exactly what the “FRANCHISE TAG” IS. And, definitely NOT LONGTERM, and guaranteeing ‘multiple’ seasons. That’s absolutely NUTS without playing-out THIS season first, before completely going ‘all-in’ on, and committing to a beat up and banged up, aging QB who is a ‘finished’ product with NO real upside. They are fully protected by the tag! Take advantage of it! Because, YOU CAN.
June 19th, 2026 at 4:11 pm
It’s just exactly like your all’s ‘politics’ – Nothing but a bunch of EMPTY slogans and virtue-signaling, while ignoring FACTS and the REALITY. Just EMPTY slogans and BS narratives, with ZERO depth or substance to back it up. It’s why you get hysterical and triggered. 💯
June 19th, 2026 at 4:15 pm
Not only that Melvin but they border on pathetic..I don’t know how successful they are in real life because they make a TON of excuses. Here’s the thing. Todd seems to be a great guy. Players love him for a reason. Bumped into hi more then a few times and he exudes class. The results are just not there and it warrants change. If he had a better QB,he’d be a better coach. Look at Belichick before and after Brady. Andy Reid was a good coach before Mahomes,goat tier after. Personally,Baker seems cool. He’s active in the community,runs shoulders with the fans. He legit seems like a cool dude. I dislike his excuse making, unobjectionable,rabid fanbase who act like he can do no wrong. Supporting him because he the QB is fine. Rooting for him is fine. But this everyone and everything around him sucks and he’s perfect is garbage. A little Baker rubs me the wrong way beina little too Hollywood at times. I’m tired of all the chips on shoulders and grit and moxie talk. I’m tired of hearing about the ” you don’t want to piss him off”. Like come on. He’s not 1996 MJ who ” took it personal”. I frankly (and others) think he faked his injury. 2025 was his 4th or 5th BEST year of his 8 year career. He was pushing heavy weight right after the season ended. No surgery or procedure. He was off all year except the ( fluke) Seattle game. He nor the offense was humming pre bye. Baker is not a neophyte. He’s 31 with 120 regular season starts. He’s not Stafford guys. At 33 Stafford netted a 26 year old Goff,2#1 picks and more. Baker and #15 could not have got you into the top 8 this year ina trade up. Baker is a fake alpha,macho guy who relies and brand and marketing. He’s a media darling. Loud mediocrity trumps quiet precision. Because why else would Goff and Baker EVER be compared? Goff operated on another stratosphere. But he’s boring. Ppl will tell you with a straight face Baker is better then Dak because they both have 2 playoff wins despite the facts Dak career is 3x better. So they are saying missing the playoffs is somehow better then getting there and losing .A 33 year old o his original team 29 games over 500 and better stats is worse the a 31 year old on 4 teams that is 4 games under 500. And if the playoffs did matter wouldn’t that out Baker behind Goff,Purdy,Hurts, Darnold,Maye, and tie him with Daniels,Love,Nix? Stroud is 24 with 3 playoff wins. There is not ONE gm who would trade Baker for Stroud lol. But we can go back and forth- you guys would loose anyway. But this can be settled in the field. No grit. No moxies. No excuses. 12 minimum regular season wins -never did it, title game -never did it and top 8 MVP – never did it. Better to pay him. If he wins the SB(lol) pay him that 65M. Better to pay for results then pay him 50-55M to be the player he’s been 95% of his career. A pure ,overrated,heavily marketed hyped up BUM. To me,he is a backup. Like Fitzpatrick. Last year, take the starts of Winston,Wentz, Minshew,Brissett and printers their starts over 17 games. Their raw,volume stats would be crazy. I wouldn’t mind in 2-3 years bake bake coming back to join the broadcast booth.
June 19th, 2026 at 4:26 pm
Trust me they know. I got a buddy@OBP. Now watch they attack that and say it’s a lie. But not everyone there @OBP is a out of towner. Born and raised here my whole life. I told you guys in the fall that there would be no trades at the deadline-Licht confirmed this in March they never considered it..No Baker extension, Mike would be gone and the free agency period would passive. So far, so good. They will not commit to Baker because it will reduce the # of coaches for 2027, McDaneils chose to OC Herbert over Baker- even Ina tougher division and the #1 reason Mike left was because of Baker as a QB..Not the person. Has he said one word publicly about Baker since the season ended? He did praise the wr room tho. Bottom line: put up or shut up. He’s been here close to half a decade. Huge vuot I advantage of being in a stretch if a historically bad division. He’s not dominant, he’s just the last man standing. That’s dangerous game. One of these teams get a young QB, you will be looking up for a decade. Just think how disastrous it would have been if Atlanta got Drake Maye in 2024 instead of Penix. Big mistake counting on your direct competition to stay bad. And no plates of crow are being passed out in June. Out of season. Let me know in September then October for a FULL season. Not stretches.
June 19th, 2026 at 4:33 pm
No tag for 2027. That would make his cap# near 80M because of the 30M carryover. They should have got rid of him and ate that dead money for 2026..It’s cool tho. The Broncos traded for Wilson in 2022,kept him 2 years and drafted Nix in 2024. The first year they had a#1 since making that trade.New HC,QB, stadium looming. The dawn of a new era upon us. Much respect to TB12 but it’s over. Should have got rid of all the remnants and began the reboot in 2026. I’m looking forward to what the future holds..The new regime isn’t going to care about past regimes and being allergic to draft QBs. I see good times ahead. That new stadium gonna be rocking!!!
June 19th, 2026 at 4:48 pm
WTF! ITS A GAME! AFREEKING GAME! IM SORRY BUT THE SERIOUSNESS AND THE 10 MINUTE DISSERTATIONS ARE INCREDIBLE! OBVIOUSLY BY BAKER AND MELVIN NEED A HOBBY IF YOU DONT LIKE THE PRODUCT DONT BUY IT WATCH IT BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS IS YALLS LIFE. YOUR CRYBABIES PLAIN AND SIMPLE! LIVE TO FIGHT ANORHER DAY!
June 19th, 2026 at 4:50 pm
Melvin, the franchise tag is NOT a option. His cap # would be like 80M for 2027 due to the the 30M carryover PLUS whatever the franchise tag would be. The franchise tag for 2027 is not even feasible. He’d eat up about 38% of the cap at its current rate. Sure, it’s going to go up from the current 301M but man. Let’s say it goes up over 10% (it won’t) he’d still eat up AT LEAST 24% of the cap. But the thing is, the FO doesn’t want Baker to take a deal. They low Baker’s hi and he went crying to the media like a baby. The team doesn’t want a PR nightmare with these negotiations. The franchise tag won’t happen. Screenshot what I’m telling you. Like I said since last fall,Baker won’t be here in 2027 and it was some pushing to get rid of him. The football ppl and business ppl are at odds. 9-8 inTHIS division and a joke playoff game keeps you employed. The $ like blow this weak product up and rebuild. It’s not 2001. It doesn’t take 4-5 years to rebuild anymore
June 19th, 2026 at 4:54 pm
Don’t be mad you were outclassed. I go weeks without posting on here but you will NEVER bully me into not trashing the trash QB. More bad news,Baker will 100% not be franchised. He has a 30M carryover that would make his cap hit for 2027 at least 80M. Lol. You might as well get ready to go to the Cardinals page then the Jets and do the backup QB shuffle. I think Baker can be on 8-9 teams when it’s all said and done. If his unwarranted,Texas size ego allows it .
June 19th, 2026 at 5:15 pm
How the hell do any of you clowns know what he can see from the pocket?
June 19th, 2026 at 5:24 pm
Accuracy,rating from ” clean” pockets. Melvin,one thing tho. I don’t think the franchise tag would be a option for 2027. 1) I don’t think he’s going to play well enough to warrant a franchise tag. But 2) if lightning strikes twice and he has a miracle season (by his standards 2024-ho hum down year for Dak or Goff) and it is warranted: THEY WONT. He has a 30M cap rollover AND the frnachise tag. His cap # would be in the 80M range for 2027. 80M cap number for anyone,let alone Baker?!?!?! Franchise tag not a option.
June 19th, 2026 at 5:25 pm
Cost to franchise Baker in 2027: 80M cap hit. 30M rollover and whatever the franchise# is. WOW
June 19th, 2026 at 6:00 pm
Baker is in a prove it season. Love him or hate him, he has never taken it to the next level. His career is marred by wild inconsistency. He can make spectacular plays and have superb games. He also has a bad habit of horrible interceptions at just the most inopportune moments. This is put up or shut up time for Baker. He can either up his game or fade into obscurity. As it stands, he is more likely to fall into the Steve Deberg category of QBs who play “just good enough to get you beat” than become a playoff winning leader.
Bucs are definitely in a bind here. Tough choice has to be made by some questionable decision makers. Pay him now and they’re in for the duration at considerable cost. Wait until the season plays out and pay 80 mil in ’27 on the franchise tag and accelerated cap or trade him now. Who in our FO has the wisdom or guts to make the call? I’m guessing they cave and pay him as that takes the path of least resistance. They have no issue with retaining the epitome of meh as coach so the same could apply to QB for a couple more years. Maybe Baker has an epiphany under Zac and we win 11 games….One can dream.
June 19th, 2026 at 6:36 pm
We can disagree on the merits of bringing him back but THANK YOU for bringing up the cap# to franchise him for 2027. At least 80M because of the 30M rollover. I don’t think he will play well enough to get the tag anyway but for those holding out hope……I was wondering why everyone kept saying Franchise tag him.
June 19th, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Baker Mayfield creates his own pressure in the pocket. That’s why Liem Coen used pre snap motion and quick pass schemes. Mayfield didn’t have time to create his own pressure. He didn’t stutter step back and forth. He found the lane thru misdirection and threw quickly before he second guessed himself on 3rd and 7 and threw it 4 yards at Otton’s feet with Josh Grizzard.
June 19th, 2026 at 7:01 pm
Not that I think he will play well enough to earn it but the franchise tag for 2027 would make Baker cap hit 80M next year. That’s not a option.
June 19th, 2026 at 7:24 pm
Obviously he can see well enough to be a #1 pick and throw for 4500 and 41 TDs in a season.
I understand the physics… 5’10 guys behind a row of 6’3+ guys prolly can’t see all that well but there are holes everywhere, understanding physics in an athletic way allows you to read speed, separation before it happens and deliver when you know the routes.
Baker is hardly the first short QB. Multiple are in the HoF or will be.
June 19th, 2026 at 7:52 pm
Im sorry I didn’t know this was a classy blog forgive me! Keep up the good work! Your a legend in your own mind..Come week 1 itll be Baker and Bowles and guess what? You didn’t have to pay either of them.. Get your own team please ide love to see it all it takes is $$$,and the time you spend on here crying and wining im sure you have plenty of cash!
June 19th, 2026 at 8:10 pm
Happy June teenth to everyone!!!
June 19th, 2026 at 8:13 pm
You just talk. Do you really think I just guess tbus stuff and its spot on? Everything I said last fall is playing out 100%. Bet you bake bake doesn’t get 12 wins,title game and top 8 MVP finish. 3 things he has never done in his career..QBs like Goff,Purdy,Hurts and Darnold have done ALL 3 MULTIPLE times. Even Dak has won 12 or more twice and finished 2nd in MVP. 26 Y/O Lawrence won 13 last year and was top 5 in MVP. I’ll keep giving the belt on here as I wait for your rebuttal and ignore your personal attacks. If I came on here and said Baker was this great, infallible QB and his detractors are dumb,id be a welcome participant..Kenton Smith is beloved on here. That speaks to the credibility of this section. For the BUCS fans, we will have done new content this time next year. The winds of change are upon us. Get over it. #54
 were just the beginning.
June 20th, 2026 at 12:01 am
Your absolutely right ! Everyone’s trash! and we all cant wait to here you say it! Because we look up to you, your wisdom is Yoda like! The winds are changing, its called the draft it happens every year with every team, however you dont get to pick your not that special, thank God! mayfield, bowles and the Bucs are who im rooting for ! As far as personal attacks we let you do all the talking/crying …sad…As always Go Bucs!
June 20th, 2026 at 12:15 am
Bye Baker Bye Bowles… I see you’ve progressed far beyond novels…good lord.
June 20th, 2026 at 12:43 am
Baker is a complete bust. One playoff win and basically a .500 record.
You people act like he’s Joe Montana in his prime. He’s the complete opposite.
Keep fighting for your limitations and that’s all you’ll get.
June 20th, 2026 at 1:18 am
We’ll see, won’t we?
June 20th, 2026 at 1:12 pm
OC was part of it as well as two guards who should not have been out there. Pressure up the middle is a nightmare for any QB. Look at Brady’s last year when he had much the same situation. Only difference is that Brady either got the ball to a check down tossed it out of bounds or dirted it. Baker is not wired that way and it got him dinged up.
Wondering what happened to getting the ball out quickly under Canales? That seemed to work well. If Canales could have gotten the running game going? Who knows? If baker can get that down to 15% He will likely be alot better and healthier. Get the ball out Baker.
Go Bucs!