Can Baker Mayfield Bounce Back?
July 25th, 2026
T-minus four days and counting. Exactly four days from the time this here story publishes, Bucs players and coaches matriculate onto the Bucs practice fields behind One Buc Palace to start warming up for the first training camp practice of 2026.
Joe will be sweating just watching them.
This team has all sorts of question marks, mostly all over the defense. One is on the offense. And it is a big one.
BSPN’s Jenna Laine explained.
Biggest storyline: Can Baker Mayfield bounce back? We’re just now discovering the extent of Mayfield’s injuries from last season — a sprained MCL and PCL since Week 2, a biceps contusion that turned the entire muscle purple and a left shoulder injury. How much did that hamper his performance; where is his true ceiling; and if a new deal doesn’t get done before the start of camp, how will it impact him in 2026? Mayfield said back in June: “The guys in that locker room, the staff know that I’m still going to be me. I’m still going to do everything I can to help this team win a Super Bowl. And to me, that’s the priority. Everything else will take care of itself.”
This isn’t really a question from what Joe has heard both on and off the record. There is no question. Mayfield will be your Bucs quarterback in 2027 and beyond, barring a catastrophe. He wants to play for the Bucs. Bucs shot-callers want Mayfield him here. The only issue is how many zeros are on his new contract.
Mayfield is a double-edged sword in so many ways. You love his heart but that heart also gets him in trouble physically.
If he gets a contract extension and he doesn’t bounce back from his poorest season in Tampa Bay? Then you’ve chained yourself to a 32-year old quarterback who gets beat up.
If that happens this year and the Bucs have another losing record, would a new head coach even want to tie his future to Mayfield or would top candidates pass on the Bucs because of Mayfield?
There’s a whole lot of moving parts to the Bucs right now. And yes, there is far more than one question mark that likely won’t be answered until January.
July 25th, 2026 at 6:53 am
I’d like to see Mayfield with a healthy offensive line. Not much to ask because even Brady & Manning needed their lines. Are last year’s starters even still with the team?
July 25th, 2026 at 7:24 am
Something I was picking up on last season Bucs would defer to the second if they won the coin toss. Often the opposing team scored first and Mayfield and company would have to play from behind. It’s something I believe affected Josh Grizzard’s play calling. I remember talking to WBS about it. I like the idea of deferring to the second if you can get a stop and score first. Feels like the Bucs play more loose and in control. Every team would take that scenario. Just had that playing catch up struggle vibe the whole game. As soon as Bucs closed the gap the other team would score again. It is the NFL and games are close.
July 25th, 2026 at 7:31 am
Joe, when Bake wins MVP this year, I’m fully expecting next July’s headline to read: “Can Baker Bounce Back From Winning MVP?” 😂
We’re acting like he suddenly forgot how to play quarterback when he spent most of the season held together with tape, ibuprofen and a bicep that looked like an eggplant.
Quarterbacks don’t magically become worse overnight. Injuries, protection, the running game, and complementary football all matter. We clean up those areas, and Bake will be just fine. The defense, on the other hand… that’s the storyline I’m waiting to see bounce back.
🔥 LFG!!
🏈 Blue Chew Bake for MVP!!
💍 ME!!!
July 25th, 2026 at 7:41 am
Of course Bake can bounce back, just like I could win the lottery.
There are fans blaming OL injuries, when other QBs in harder divisions got pressured and sacked more and still made it to the playoffs. Now we got fans blaming which team got the ball first as a reason for the inconsistent, non-explosive offense.
Everyone making a case for Bake describe these perfect scenarios that need to happen for him to have success. Healthy OL, good OC, better defense, etc. But he’s had all these things with the Bucs and Browns and did absolutely nothing with them.
Why are so many people expecting Mayfield make a deep playoff run when he’s not doing anything to improve his game, protect his body and master this new offense? How can you different results from a player that wants to stay the same?
July 25th, 2026 at 7:42 am
@Inwoodjeremy
I agree, and that is a very underrated point. Analytics favor playing with a lead because it keeps the entire playbook OPEN. Deferring only works if your defense earns it with a stop. Too many times last year the Bucs deferred, spotted the opponent 7 points, and spent the rest of the afternoon trying to recover. That’s not on Baker, that’s playing uphill before the offense even takes the field.
And let’s be honest, Grizzard’s sequencing and middle school playbook run, run, obvious passing down… punt was brutal at times.Defenses were practically calling out the next play from the other sideline.
July 25th, 2026 at 7:43 am
1 really good year surrounded by to not top 15 years, not bad years but not great, on top of 4 mediocre to bad years, so I get the hesitation to commit $150 million at least over 3 years, smells like a Tua, Kirk, Russell, Carr, Geno n Kyler type of gamble, over paying for an average, ain’t going to win anything type of QB
July 25th, 2026 at 7:52 am
@Bee
Please name the quarterbacks. It’s easy to say “other QBs had it worse,” but who? More importantly, did they win because they overcame everything themselves, or because they had better complementary football? Analytics have shown for years that EPA, success rate, and win probability all improve when your defense gets stops and your offense stays balanced. Great quarterbacks elevate teams yes, but no quarterback consistently wins by himself.
July 25th, 2026 at 7:53 am
Yeah but Guzzie if JL does his job right as far as the rest of the team you can also have a Darnold, Brad Johnson or Nick Foles.
Getting a qb is like buying a winning lottery scratcher. Win $100 (Darnold), that’s cool. Win $1,000,000 (Brady, Manning, Mahomes) that’s amazing! And a lot more rare
July 25th, 2026 at 8:04 am
@Bee
Now I’m pissed because you’re talking about my quarterback. Here is where your argument falls apart. What evidence do you have that Baker “isn’t improving his game” or “hasn’t mastered the offense?” Since arriving in Tampa, he’s improved his command at the line of scrimmage, cut down on unnecessary risks compared to earlier in his career, led both Cleveland and Tampa Bay to the playoffs during his career, and earned the trust of the coaching staff. Those aren’t opinions, they’re why he’s still the unquestioned starter.
As for “protecting his body,” that’s a fair criticism at times. Baker’s competitive nature can work against him. But saying he “wants to stay the same” is pure speculation. There’s a huge difference between playing fearless and refusing to improve.
So let me ask you this: Are you in the quarterback room? Are you sitting in on film sessions, offseason workouts, or coaches’ meetings? If not, then you have no idea what Baker is doing to improve. You’re presenting assumptions as facts, and those are two very different things.
July 25th, 2026 at 8:08 am
@Bee
Please name the quarterbacks. It’s easy to say “other QBs had it
±++++++++++++
She wont. Its just opinion prese ted as facts.
Move on – nothing to see here.
July 25th, 2026 at 8:16 am
1. We had the worst special teams I’ve ever seen in NFL history last year.
2. We had the worst offensive line in the NFL last year.
3. We had the worst defensive line I’ve seen in years. Zero pressure.
4. We didn’t swarm at all last year.
5. But we still almost won the NFC South.
So.
1. We now have one of the best special teams coaches in the NFL.
2. Our offensive line is healthy with better depth. Sua, Skule, Shrauth, Chukwuma
3. Our defensive line added 5 new players. Awesome!
I think Baker will play better with a better team around him.
Go Bucs!
July 25th, 2026 at 8:30 am
@jcscycles
@Teacherman
Amen 🙏!
🔥 LFG
🧌 ❌
July 25th, 2026 at 8:43 am
Allow me to summarize the next 67 posts:
“Baker sucks, 2-7 down the stretch”
“Throws picks in the 4th quarter”
“Has been fired from 3 other teams”
“1-3 in the playoffs”
“He’s short, can’t throw in the middle”
My work is done here