If Baker Mayfield Walks, Would The Bucs Go Dumpster Diving For A Quarterback?
August 24th, 2026
What if…
Over the too-long offseason, everything Joe had heard both on and off the record, made it seem highly unlikely that, barring injury, someone other than Baker Mayfield is your starting Bucs quarterback for Week 1 in 2027.
But things can and have changed.
Because the Bucs couldn’t get a deal done with Mayfield before Mayfield’s self-imposed deadline of July 29, did that enrage Mayfield to the point he might give the Bucs the finger and walk away come March?
A number of people out there believe that. Joe does not, because Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has the franchise tag in his back pocket.
Many of the same people who think Mayfield would be perfect for Pittsburgh next season are bearish on the Bucs using the tag on Mayfield because that would tie up some $30 million of dead cap money.
Joe maintains if you really believe in Mayfield and you really think he is the guy, then what’s $30 million in dead cap space? (Remember, the salary cap, short of a global pandemic, always goes up.)
But what if Mayfield walks? Dan Graziano of ESPN looks at Licht’s options.
Long-shot outcome: After another down year, the Bucs and Mayfield agree to part ways. Tampa Bay finds itself once again in the market for a reasonably priced QB solution and looks to the draft or free agency. Maybe it takes a shot on someone such as Tyson Bagent or Tanner McKee. Maybe it tries someone such as Michael Penix Jr. if the Falcons are done with him. Maybe this is the team that takes Jalen Hurts off the Eagles’ hands or becomes Kyler Murray’s long-term landing spot.
Joe cannot imagine the Eagles washing their hands of Jalen Hurts. And Kyler Murray? If a quarterback guru like Kevin O’Connell gives up on him, why would Licht even want the guy?
At least Mayfield, before he started bouncing around the NFL, led the woeful Browns to the playoffs and won a game. Murray hasn’t even sniffed a playoff game.
Still, Joe has no realistic reason to believe Mayfield will not stay on the Bucs roster next year.
August 24th, 2026 at 7:03 am
Penix? what a nightmare that would be, the falcons are trash and he’s a big reason why
August 24th, 2026 at 7:03 am
No, Daniels will play.
August 24th, 2026 at 7:09 am
it is called the Franchise Tag. He is not going anywhere!
August 24th, 2026 at 7:15 am
Daniels is the new “diamond in the rough” Mike Evans, but was undrafted.
Jason Licht will one day cry over the fact he survived another decade to witness JD go into the Ring of Honor after a superhero career.
Let Baker Bake on a fair deal until Baker chooses to bake elsewhere. In the meantime, develop the future Hall of Fame QB with that million dollar smile.
Or something.
August 24th, 2026 at 7:16 am
“Dumpster diving”.
Why not?
We found Baker in the NFL dumpster…
Let’s just see how this season goes.
Maybe D. Watson will be available soon – LOL! (JK)
August 24th, 2026 at 7:26 am
Daniels will get a whole lot better after a year of seasoning at the NFL level. Daniels has speed to escape when he gets out of the pocket and can sling it on the run. Develop Daniels for sure to be your #2.
August 24th, 2026 at 7:29 am
If Baker & the Bucs (specifically the offense) have a good season he’ll be back. One of the main reason will be continuity, not just with the players but it will be the first time Baker will have the opportunity to play for consecutive season with the same OC.
If Baker has a good season and the Bucs make the playoffs and win a game or two that’ll be enough for the Glazers to sign off on a new multi year deal and Baker will accept it
August 24th, 2026 at 7:29 am
What do Aaron Rogers, Patrick Mahomes and Jayden Daniels have in common?
August 24th, 2026 at 7:30 am
Re-sign Baker, do it TODAY.
August 24th, 2026 at 7:32 am
All the hype on Daniel’s we need to remember this is preseason versus people who won’t be playing in the nfl. Go look at last years preseason box scores. Kyle trask and Connor were lighting it up also. I get it I saw with my own eyes the offense come alive when he is in the game. But it’s still preseason and 32 teams thought he was undraftable for a reason.
August 24th, 2026 at 7:44 am
Use this season to develop Jalon Daniels. Have him take reps in 3rd preseason game as a wildcat QB. Use him in regular season as a wildcat QB/RB to give other teams something to have to plan for… Getting him game experience would also test his durability at regular season NFL speed. He appears to be natural leader. Give the kid a chance to succeed.
August 24th, 2026 at 7:50 am
The speculation is ridiculous.
August 24th, 2026 at 7:53 am
Dumpster diving? Lol…
Why do yall think Baker is the only option? You think the draft is dumpster diving? There are way better options available than Baker this upcoming off-season. And just to remind the brain dead “get him signed” people, he decided NOT TO SIGN and turned down $50 mil a season because hes an egotistical loser. Baker is looking over his shoulder and seeing Daniels, someone younger with more energy and upside with a love for the game.
Baker is too expensive and regardless of what he does this season, he won’t be here in 2027. Moving forward very few teams will give QBs these large contracts because you’ll be unable to fill other holes in the roster. Enjoy his last year here!
August 24th, 2026 at 7:55 am
I want Baker back and I think he’ll be back.
But… if not Baker, then who? Maybe Kirk Cousins, Deshawn Watson, Spencer Rattler, Justin Fields,… Lots of options…
Or, the Bucs could go to the draft at around #15 and pick the 4th or 5th best rookie QB to save the Glazers money.
August 24th, 2026 at 8:11 am
Mac Jones
Jalon Daniels
**Rookie**
Short-term stability with Jones, who’s still a relatively young veteran QB who looked good playing for Purdy last year and was really efficient.
Jalon with a year under his belt, come back stronger and smarter.
Rookie QB, Jayden Maiava is one of my favorites. Big, strong, might need some work processing at the speed of the pro level, but he lost 2 of his top targets to the NFL and if he shines this yr he’ll be a legit, top tier option at QB.
Gonna keep an eye on guys like Mensah, Iamaeva, Lagway, Chambliss, and Sam Leavitt who’s now at LSU. Another guy I’ll keep an eye on is Aidan Chiles who’s a bit of a longer shot than the top QBs, but if he can show some improvement I wouldn’t mind double dipping at the position if the front office could make it make sense.
August 24th, 2026 at 8:14 am
What if he gets banged up being a hero again and is ineffective the second half of the season? There are quite a few QBs in the draft next year.
I love Baker but a new coach, a good OL and group of young receivers, a young and aggressive defense, and a rookie QB with a high ceiling sounds okay to me.
August 24th, 2026 at 8:21 am
baker is looking skinner…with those sucked in cheeks…
a good deep dumpster dive behind mickey dee’s could turn up a few big macs and egg mcmuffins…
bake might want to look into it, if the bucs have deactivated his card at the buc’s buffet room…
no contract and no food is a cold deal… 🙂
August 24th, 2026 at 8:22 am
@Marine,
I know you threw an LOL on the end of your Watson comment, but I always believed Brady coming out of retirement when he did (the weekend before the Watson sweepstakes started) kept us out of looking behind that door.
Don’t tell me BA wouldn’t have at least been curious. So even though Tom’s last year wasn’t great, it sure saved us from some potential long term heartache
August 24th, 2026 at 8:28 am
baker can’t go full ninja this season…
he knows he needs to stay healthy in order to command that big bageroonie…
a busted up or shelved baker can’t claim he’s worth a million bucks a quarter…
yep, top qb’s now think they are worth a million dollars for every 7-8 minutes they play of a quarter…how wild is that
August 24th, 2026 at 8:28 am
Top paid QBs who aren’t Patrick Mahomes in his prime don’t win Super Bowls. Neither does hero worship.
Licht knows who Baker is. He knows how much talent Baker needs around him to succeed, and how much it costs to put that talent around him.
Bad teams draft QBs high and prove over and over again that they can’t develop them. Reclamation attempts of these players by more functional teams have proven successful at a rate high enough to be considered a legitimate option for well-run organizations. The Bucs demonstrated this when they pulled Baker out of the dumpster 3 years ago.
Declaring your guy a franchise QB, then paying them the going rate is an act of desperation. The often floated notion that a QB can’t get the respect of the locker room unless they are taking a disproportionate share of the the collective pie is laughable. No player is beyond being overpriced and no amount of hero worship changes that.
August 24th, 2026 at 8:30 am
Baker isn’t going anywhere IF he has a good season. If he plays inconsistent ball and continues to struggle in big games, then the Bucs will most likely be cleaning house with the coaches and the new regime will decide.
The idea that Baker has a good season and then gives the Buvs the finger when they offer him a huge new contract if fairy tale level stuff.
Why some folks are hell bent on handing him that fat new contract today is just head scratching.
What is he plays like crap??
What if he sustains a serious injury??
If he at least have the opportunity to re-evaluate after the season.
There is ZERO downside to waiting and having him play the final year of the deal he agreed to.
August 24th, 2026 at 8:41 am
Baker should come to his senses, and take the deal the Bucs offered. He won’t get a better deal from any other team. Not this season, not next. No team is breaking the bank to sign Baker long term. He’s delusional.
August 24th, 2026 at 8:42 am
@ Drunk
Good morning bud.
I agree 100%.
TB12 could have saved our bacon for sure back in 2020…
Cleveland really stepped on the pile with Watson – yikes.
August 24th, 2026 at 8:45 am
If Baker walks then, Licht has to make a BOLD move…Trade your next 3 1st round picks to the Bengals for Burrow….he’s ready to move on much like Carson Palmer…that would definitely be an upgrade from baker
Mac Jones would be solid as well
GO BUCS!!!!
August 24th, 2026 at 8:47 am
You forgot to figure this scenario into the mix.
Fans don’t fill the stadium and sell their tickets every week. RayJay needs a Billion+ in renovations, if we ever hope to get another Super Bowl. Bowles and Licht have only put a 500 team on the field in the last 5 yrs. regardless of what we’ve spent. Player contracts, have become ridiculous; doesn’t matter the position. Not to mention we aren’t getting any younger and Seattle just sold for $9.6 billion and we’re sure we can get that.
What if at the end of year, the Glazers says, ‘Screw all this crap, let’s sell the team and let somebody else deal with it.’
August 24th, 2026 at 9:00 am
Fanofdabucs says, “There is Zero downside to waiting and having him play the final year of the deal he agreed to”. Hodad says, “No team is breaking the bank to sign Baker long term. He’s delusional”.
Well, fellas, glad you’ve got the future figured out for the rest of us dummies.
“It ain’t what we know that hurts us, but what we know that just ain’t so”. Believe attribution goes to Mark Twain for that pearl of wisdom. Mark Twain wisdom>Fanofdabucs and Hodad wisdom combined. By a mile.
August 24th, 2026 at 9:03 am
Fingers crossed for a franchise WIDE reset
NEW QB
NEW Head Coach
Maybe a NEW GM
CANNOT pay a qb what Baker wants when every year he loses 4 games in a row. Good QB’s tend to not lose 4 in a row. Even guys that are considered mediocre like Baker do not lose 4 in a row every year.
August 24th, 2026 at 9:04 am
Joe … ‘Still, Joe has no realistic reason to believe Mayfield will not be on the Bucs’ roster a year from now.’
Baker’s 3 years here have yielded 9-8, 10-7 and 8-9 season records (27-24) … an ‘average’ 9-8 season over 3 years. And yes, he’s been surrounded by some relatively good talent. Sorry, but that doesn’t scream ‘franchise QB’. In a typical division, Bucs wouldn’t have made the playoffs in any of those 3 years. That level of performance doesn’t warrant $50-$60 mil per year IMO.
I’m expecting however that the Bucs will do better than 9-8 this season; at least 10-7 and possibly better than that. I’m expecting that we’ll make the playoffs, and HOPEFULLY do some damage once we get there. I think this starting team is THAT good.
Our biggest frailty IMO: Baker Mayfield’s inconsistency. Baker can be great & win us games, but as we’ve also seen, Baker can stink up the joint & cost us games. I have no idea who we have in Daniels, or what other QBs might be available next season, or even if we might end up drafting a QB in 2027. But I have trouble believing that Baker is our long-term answer. And I’ve got a hunch that the Glazers & Licht feel about the same.
August 24th, 2026 at 9:09 am
@bee
“And just to remind the brain dead “get him signed” people, he decided NOT TO SIGN and turned down $50 mil a season because hes an egotistical loser.”
Bee showing why he is as usual the brain dead one. BDS (Baker Derangement syndrome) does that to you and he’s had it for years
No one knows what baker was offered because no one knows what the guaranteed money was
P.S. None making 30+ million a year is a loser Mr Clueless.
a fool with sleep is just a rested fool
August 24th, 2026 at 9:10 am
The criticism on Baker is he ran too much and got crunched. Now you want to turn the team over to an un drafted running QB? R u crazy? Lamar Jackson is a failed experiment of a fired coach. Running Quarter backs can’t stay healthy very long. Keep Baker,as,long as,he can be relevant then draft the best 6 year NIL QB you can get.
August 24th, 2026 at 9:17 am
With the exception of Brady when haven’t the Bucs gone Dumpster Diving? Even Baker was a shot in the dark. No one was confident what he was bringing to the table. And if they were confident now they’d have signed him to an extension.
August 24th, 2026 at 9:19 am
Goodness. So many people here are out of touch with reality.
I suspect that Joe MIGHT know this already, but Jalon Daniels is almost positively NOT the future starter of this (or any other) team.
Jalon Daniels isn’t even nearly ready to be a primary backup yet. All of you getting excited over him are truly jumping the gun. He’s only played late in Preseason games against 3rd and 4th stringers and camp meat.
You want to know why Baker Mayfield has not signed a new deal yet? The real reason?
He’s better on himself again. He’s made a habit of proving people wrong, and he knows if he can do it again, he can finally get the recognition he deserves. He’d get paid a lot more if he can at least reach a conference championship, and lots more if he can take us to the superbowl.
But… it’s really about proving the doubters wrong. He doesn’t want to leave. He just wants to monkey off his back, and the by-product of doing so would be more money.
And really, he never issued an ultimatum. He simply stated that when the time came to focus on football that was what he’d do, with no contract distraction. And that is what he’s doing.
The media is running with it, but he’s not. He is focused. He might say something off-handedly from time to time, and national media might read into it more than he intends, but he is focused on proving naysayers wrong.
So far asas ontract goes, what happens…happens. he’s probably not fretting over it.
August 24th, 2026 at 9:21 am
Bucs are likely a 6 win team with Todd and Baker in place. They are not winning the division or the Super Bowl, this next draft is RICH with QBs
Draft a QB on a rookie contract, hire an offensive coach so you are not consistently looking for a good offensive coach
Surround that rookie QB with talent on the OL, WR a reset is better than continuing to circle the drain of mediocrity with a coach who can’t grasp defending the modern passing game
August 24th, 2026 at 9:22 am
Mayfield not being here isn’t a lot different than expecting Mike Evans to not be here. No offense Jie’s, but players egos and desires are a wildcard that can’t be logic’d with. No one knows what’ll happen.
August 24th, 2026 at 9:23 am
I’ve got a great deal for the Bucs – trade Baker to Cleveland for Watson. Watson is obviously a clear upgrade! Promise! Why pay Baker? He’s immature! Trade for Watson, he’s a proven leader!
August 24th, 2026 at 9:25 am
Baker bet on himself with the Browns in 2021 and crashed out
He bet on himself with the Bucs in 2023 and was a success
Let’s see how it goes in 2026 but after a 2-7 finish and choking against some truly awful teams I am not confident in the combo of Baker and Bowles in 2026
August 24th, 2026 at 9:25 am
@Defense Rules
Baker’s 3 years here have yielded 9-8, 10-7 and 8-9 season records (27-24) … an ‘average’ 9-8 season over 3 years. And yes, he’s been surrounded by some relatively good talent. Sorry, but that doesn’t scream ‘franchise QB’.
Sorry but when you leave out the 3 and 28 defense you are not showing you understand how football works. I’ll teach you sloooowly
Theres an offense and then theres a defense
no… per team your defense never plays on the field with your offense
if you score 90% of the time but your defense gets scored on 100% of the time you still lose
when the offense plays the QB represents 1 person of eleven ( before the ball is snapped take a quick count)
so Base logic ( which I can’t teach in comments). No matter the silly media convention a won loss record is never the sole responsibility of any player even the QB
Thus ignoring a defense unable to end a 3rd and 28 is asinine. You can thank me later. second lessons are NOT free.
August 24th, 2026 at 9:31 am
Just because Daniels played well against Camp Meat doesn’t mean he wouldn’t against “better” competition that’s ridiculous.
We haven’t seen it I agree.
He doesn’t have the starting O Line or Top Shelf receivers either.
August 24th, 2026 at 9:38 am
Yes, you can blame the defense for 3rd and 28 and 4th and 14
Yes, you can blame Baker for the 4th Quarter INT in that same game that gave ATL a chance for the comeback
You can’t pay a guy $50 PLUS million when he loses 4 games in a row every season. Fair or not QB’s get the blame for wins/losses
August 24th, 2026 at 9:39 am
Hodad Says:
“Baker should come to his senses, and take the deal the Bucs offered. He won’t get a better deal from any other team. Not this season, not next. No team is breaking the bank to sign Baker long term. He’s delusional.”
You don’t actually know if a team would next year.
Baker loves proving people wrong, and he’s determined to prove his value this year. Winning records are a team effort, not just on a QB. A QB just has to make sure he isn’t the reason a team fails.
If the defense improves enough this year to help us win at least two additional games, and if the injuries remain manageable, this team will make the playoffs.
And, by the end of this season, that improved defense should beable to help us win in the playoffs.
People like toremind of the end result last year, but the simple truth is that there were a lot of reasons, and the biggest one was injuries. Makes no sense to deny that reality. But before those injuries, this team was starting to look like a potential team of destiny, and Baker was looking like a league MVP.
Naysayers tend to ignore that. It is entirely possible that by the end of this season, the big story will be that people should have seen a Superbowl trip coming for the Bucs.
But, even if we only win two playoff games, there will be demand for Baker.
August 24th, 2026 at 9:47 am
Last time Justin Herbert lost 4 games in a row, his first year as a starter
Purdy has never lost 4 in a row, neither has Jalen Hurts or Dak…
I see Baker compared to these other QB’s and while he has put up good stats here overall, when it comes to crunch time, he’s just not that guy.
NEWSFLASH to fans, EVERYONE plays hurt, no one is healthy by the end. Some guys can play through it and still be productive. Baker can’t. Unless the situation around baker is great (HEALTHY O-Line, Receivers healthy and a good running game) you can’t consistently win with him.
Franchise QB’s should STOP losing streaks not contrinute to them
August 24th, 2026 at 9:52 am
people are absolutely getting crazy with optomism as we comfortably sit at 0-0……..and tied with everyone else in the league at 0-0…
this is crazy man
August 24th, 2026 at 9:53 am
The ten years before Brady the Bucs averaged 6 wins. The Steelers average 10 wins. How many average wins would Baker have as a Steelers vs being with Cleveland, Carolina, and Tampa? Historically the Steelers are a top tier organization. Years ago I was flying back from the West Coast through Pittsburgh. I ended up sitting next to Calvin Sweeny. He was a good wide receiver for the Steelers during the Swan, Stallworth era. I asked why he was heading east. He said” Mr. Rooney called and asked me to come to Pittsburgh to help with a charity benefit.” I said wow that’s cool. He said ” Once a Steeler always a Steeler” That loyalty speaks volumes about the Steelers. Looking at things from Bakers position the Steelers are probably a better long term decision.
August 24th, 2026 at 9:53 am
You mean like how they went dumpster diving and found Mayfield?
August 24th, 2026 at 9:57 am
I like how so many of you blame BM6 your this team’s mediocre record over the past 3 seasons (27 Ws- 24Ls)!!!!! Although he has played his part at key moments during certain games, so has the D, so has STs so has the OL, so has the rest of the O, so has the HC, so has the OC, and then throw in the Refs who seem to make obvious wrong or no calls at key moments during some games!!!!
My point… IT’S A TEAM SPORT!!!!! There’s plenty of blame to go around!!!! It requires almost all the cylinders firing properly to succeed most of the time, especially when playing the better NFL teams!!! IMO.
August 24th, 2026 at 9:58 am
Stop please stop..
August 24th, 2026 at 10:02 am
“if you score 90% of the time but your defense gets scored on 100% of the time you still lose”
Instead of making up imaginary numbers to get some snark off, just use the real ones.
Offensively, we had 180 offensive drives in ’25 and scored on 39.4% of them.
-We turned the ball over on 8.9% of our possessions
-We punted on 35% on of those 180 possessions.
-17% of our drives ended in 3 & Outs.
-Scored TDs on 22.7% of our offensive drives.
-16.7% of our total drives ended in FG attempts.
Defensively, we had 179 series on defense allowing scores on 39.1% of them
-We finished forcing turnovers on 12.5% of those drives
-We finished forcing punts on 36.9% of drives
-20.7% of our defensive drives ended in 3 & Outs.
-TDs allowed on 25.7% of our defensive drives
-13.4% of defensive drives ended in FG attempts
More numbers that matter:
-71 scoring drives on offense vs. 70 scoring drives allowed on defense.
-Offense scored 66 of 380 total points scored off takeaways
-Defense allowed 37 of it’s 411 total allowed off giveaways.
I’m just presenting this information. Alot of you are going to draw your own conclusions off of this, but the emptied headed narrative some of you latch on to by mentioning the defense at every critique of the offense is just deflection to protect your misconception. It’s clear as day, and comical
“iS BaKeR SuPPoSed TO tACkle GuYS aND cOvER!?” like a petulant teenager, that’s how this reads.
August 24th, 2026 at 10:04 am
“Still, Joe has no realistic reason to believe Mayfield will not be on the Bucs’ roster a year from now.”
I believe he’ll be on the roster too, but there is one very realistic reason for thinking otherwise: That Licht will continue to refuse to overpay for Mayfield, and that a desperate, poorly run organization will be willing to.
August 24th, 2026 at 10:12 am
Luv the,sarcasm about Watson. Granted the,Browns owner us the,worst ever. Ethics,count. Browns,traded the farm.for a,selfish sexual predator. They got a selfish player who is always injured somehow. Karma punished the Browns,for rewarding a an ethical dumpster fire.
August 24th, 2026 at 10:12 am
The Bucs are a team well known for wasting many years trying to give a bum all the time to prove he is in fact a bum at his position.. HCs and QBs thoughout Bucs history ..
No to all those failed QBs he mentioned…
Just draft the best QB and develop him….
August 24th, 2026 at 10:17 am
After reading all the comments I don’t know where to start. Let me begin with Joe. You keep saying what is $30M. It is not $30M if they tag Baker, it is $80M. The $30M in dead money plus the approx $50M contract.
Then look at the previous article on the young defensive players reenergizing the D. That is because they were putrid in the second half. Not saying Baker played well, he did not, but there were a lot of things wrong with this team that lead to 2-7.
Mentioning Dak & Herbert as examples of better QBs, really? In two mor years in the league, Dak has exactly the same # of playoff wins as Baker – 2. He has never won 2 playoff games in the same season. Isn’t that one of the criticisms of Baker? And Herbert has one of the worst playoff records statistically in the history of the league. In three playoff games, 2 TDs – 4 INTs. In 2024 Herbert’s QBR in his playoff loss was 11.4. Yep, sign me up for that.
Then there is mention of ‘just’ getting a young QB partnered with an Offensive minded HC, younger receivers etc. If we want to compare apples to apples, get a young QB and see what Bowles does with him, with this roster. Or, keep rotating OCs. Baker has played for 11 OCs in 8 years and NEVER had the same OC two years in a row.
Let me state yet again, I think they should have traded Baker already. If you know that your QB is not the guy you want, and he is on an expiring contract, trade him and get something. Next year if the Bucs don’t sign him, he walks for nothing.
August 24th, 2026 at 10:24 am
MikeBuc … ‘Sorry but when you leave out the 3 and 28 defense you are not showing you understand how football works. I’ll teach you sloooowly’.
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your patience with me. Sorry for being such a slow learner, but I’ll try to hang in there while you teach me how football works.
Apparently my first lesson is to focus on just ONE PLAY to define a defense’s performance for the year. Now that I understand that, I’ll totally disregard those 2 wins in the 2nd half of the season. You know, the 20-17 win over Arizona and the 16-14 win over Carolina.
August 24th, 2026 at 10:31 am
Baker is 27-24? I’m remembering his loss to the Texans in 2023. He drove us down the field to take a 4 point lead with 40 seconds to play, 34-30. Stroud threw 4 passes to go 80 yards to beat us 37-34. I’m remembering the Falcons game and the 2 TD lead in the fourth quarter last year. Defense so inept we had to throw it. Easily Baker should be 30-21. First year (when DR says we had a great defense) Detroit hung more than 200 yards in the fourth quarter after Baker tied the game with his third TD pass. Playoffs against the Commanders the next year our defense couldn’t force a punt, and let them cram it down our throats so hard that they had 30 more plays than we did and they needed every one of them.
The Glazers have a 231-253 record since buying the team in 1995. Jason Licht has an 85-95 record since taking over the Bucs GM job. You really, really, really, don’t want to know the Glazers and Licht’s records are when you don’t include Brady and Mayfields winning records.
I’m pretty sure we’re not the same team without Baker Mayfield. Pretty sure? Change that. Damn sure.
August 24th, 2026 at 10:36 am
Warren Brooks Lynch Says:
More numbers that matter:
-71 scoring drives on offense vs. 70 scoring drives allowed on defense.
-Offense scored 66 of 380 total points scored off takeaways
-Defense allowed 37 of it’s 411 total allowed off giveaways.
******************
Here’s some context to what their record with scoring and turnovers:
Defense:
6-1 when giving up 20 points or less
6-2 when forcing 2 or more turnovers
4-4 giving up less than 300 yards (some stats don’t matter)
Offense:
2-8 when they committed 1 turnover or more (!!!!)
6-1 without any turnovers
5-4 when scoring 23+ points
1-4 when Baker threw for 250+ yards
All the Bucs numbers from last year say they had to play mistake free to win, and that Baker as a gunslinger didn’t work out well.
Blend all of the stats and context with it together and the nicest thing that can be said about the 2025 Bucs is they were the most positively average/ordinary team in the NFL.
August 24th, 2026 at 10:41 am
They already offered him a contract extension that’s essentially two franchise tags put together, which would keep him here thru the 2028 season. Until he negotiates a Kirk Cousins style contract the team has all the leverage whether Baker likes it or not.
August 24th, 2026 at 10:48 am
“After reading all the comments I don’t know where to start. Let me begin with Joe. You keep saying what is $30M. It is not $30M if they tag Baker, it is $80M. The $30M in dead money plus the approx $50M contract.”
That $30M isn’t a concrete figure. It’s $12M that’s going to hit no matter what we do with Baker and remaining $18 is IF his contract voids in February. You factor in the money freed up with Veas’ extension plus what should be another bump in the salary cap you can say the team is prepared whether they have to pay Baker or move on from him.
“Mentioning Dak & Herbert as examples of better QBs, really? In two mor years in the league, Dak has exactly the same # of playoff wins as Baker – 2. He has never won 2 playoff games in the same season”
Playoff wins/performance is a terrible way to compare individual players, especially QBs when there are so much more reasonable data points over much more games to get a much clearer depiction on the performance comaprisons.
Playoffs is talking Daks’ 7 career games versus Bakers’ 5, when both respectively have >100 NFL starts under their belts. Since ’18 the only season Baker has ever outproduced Dak, is 2024 when Daks hamstring came off the bone.
Mayfield has played 123 games and Herbert has played in 95 games. Herbert has thrown for 3,705 less yards than Mayfield, 34 less TDs, & 41 less INTs in 28 less games.
Herbert vs. Mayfield since 2020(Herbert rookie year)
95 games vs 93 games
Pass pct:
-66.5% vs 64.2%
Pass Yards:
-24,820 vs 20,973
Pass TDs:
-163 vs. 148
INTs thrown:
-58 vs 66
Yards per game avg:
-261 vs 225
So yea, take the small sample size out of the equation and use the starting point of Herberts rookie year to now in comparison, and you’ll at least have the info to figure out why somebody would at least infer that Herbert is as if not more productive than Baker Mayfield. Maybe there’s some west coast bias that has to do with the underselling of that comparsion.
August 24th, 2026 at 10:49 am
90 plus td’s in a few seasons,pretty good find
August 24th, 2026 at 10:56 am
Rob Says: “the team has all the leverage whether Baker likes it or not.”
I respectfully disagree. There are only two possible outcomes here, the Bucs want to keep him, or they don’t.
Outcome 1, the Bucs do NOT want to keep Baker – He moves on to another team and the Bucs get nothing for him. Not sure how that is good for the team or what leverage that gives them. If they think this is a genuine/likely possibility, then trade him now.
Outcome 2, the Bucs want to keep him. Baker can hold out for a contract he wants or force the team to franchise tag him. If they do that, the $30M dead money hits the books in 2027, even if they do come to an agreement later. If they don’t ultimately come to an agreement, the cap hit for 2027 is $80M. Help me understand how that is good for the Bucs? Plus, the minute the tag is applied, the money for that year is fully guaranteed. If they franchise him in 2027, that will cost the team $60M fully guaranteed.
So yes, the two year tag is about $55M/year. No idea how that stacks up to what they offered him, but the cap cost is $70M/year with the extra $30 all front loaded.
As a finance guy, this is not great leverage to me.
August 24th, 2026 at 10:57 am
3 years in Tampa. 95 TD passes. 2nd in the NFL. Over 12000 passing yards. 3rd in the NFL. 37 interceptions- not bad at all. Jameis could do that in one season. 3 playoff games 8 TD passes and 2 interceptions. Remember, the best playoff passer rating in league history.
The contract offer the Bucs made to Baker offered him less guaranteed money than any QB in the league who’s not on a rookie contract. Talk about a kick in the gut.
August 24th, 2026 at 11:03 am
WBL. Tell us about Herbert’s experience in the playoffs. And Dak’s? Dak did have a good playoff game once- against a terrible team at Tampa that Brady couldn’t revive. Oh yeah, the team that Baker took over.
August 24th, 2026 at 11:05 am
“Blend all of the stats and context with it together and the nicest thing that can be said about the 2025 Bucs is they were the most positively average/ordinary team in the NFL.”
EH, you’re kinder than I, but even during our “hot” start to the season 5 of those first 8 games were decided by 1 score. We went 4-1 in those games.
“2-8 when they committed 1 turnover or more (!!!!)”
Turning the ball over 5 times in 8 games, good.
Turning the ball over 11 times in 9 games, muy malo.
10 of 18 games with at least 1 turnover
12 Takeaways in the first 8 games, good.
11 takeaways in the last 9 games, also good.
11 of 18 games with at least 1 turnover.
People really gloss over our offense doubling it’s rate of giving the ball away coming out of the bye week too. Always in effort to put the onus for that streak totally on the shoulders of the defense, whenever the offensive performance is called into question so they can maintain the same irrational talking points.
August 24th, 2026 at 11:06 am
Critmark, spot on.
The public relations game the FO is playing with Baker is disgusting. They have no intention of signing Baker unless the team has some outlier fantastic season under Bowles. The FT is just not an option, though many keep saying they have it as leverage. 80 mil cap hit kills roster decisions that are already under stress from previous mismanagement. Way too many FA to resign to take on that kind of cap hit. It is possible they are able to sign him to a new contract and push the dollars into the future on voidable years, assuming the good year and their desire to keep Baker which has clearly been shown to be lacking.
They don’t want to pay out the big money and they don’t want to commit to an aging Baker with consistency issues. Why they haven’t traded him is a mystery. Why they play games with the press and Baker’s head with franchise QB talk is also a mystery. It really doesn’t make them look better in the public eye. Getting zero return for Baker when he walks will be a public relations disaster. Receiving nothing for a quality asset just lowers the overall talent of the team. Mismanagement by this FO is becoming a trademark of the team.
August 24th, 2026 at 11:06 am
‘WBL. Tell us about Herbert’s experience in the playoffs. And Dak’s? Dak did have a good playoff game once- against a terrible team at Tampa that Brady couldn’t revive. Oh yeah, the team that Baker took over.”
How’s about putting your reading glasses Kenton
“Playoff wins/performance is a terrible way to compare individual players, especially QBs when there are so much more reasonable data points over much more games to get a much clearer depiction on the performance comparisons.”
“Playoffs is talking Daks’ 7 career games versus Bakers’ 5, when both respectively have >100 NFL starts under their belts.”
August 24th, 2026 at 11:11 am
Warren Brooks Lynch Says: “Playoff wins/performance is a terrible way to compare individual players, especially QBs when there are so much more reasonable data points over much more games to get a much clearer depiction on the performance comparisons’.”
I AGREE. I mentioned it because I have read a hundred times on this site that exact stat as reason Baker sucks. Moreover, you make my case for me when you say that only in 2024 did Baker outperform Dak. That infers that regular season success is a valuable stat. And again, Baker’s critics say otherwise, hammering his playoff record and failure to even reach the NFC championship game. Now either the playoff record is an overriding metric for BOTH Dak & Baker, in which case Dak is no better and arguably worse, or it isn’t. I don’t care which one anyone here wants to pick, but at least apply it equally.
As for Herbert, same issue. If you want to look at regular season, pick your poison. If you want to look at playoffs, take Baker 100 out of 100 times. If you want to look at playoffs over the same # of years to start a career, again take Baker. And Herbert has had the advantage of a decent HC at least for the past two years.
August 24th, 2026 at 11:18 am
IMO…stats are almost useless because they don’t take in account things like *starting field position, ” is the team playing with a small lead/large lead”, “is the team losing by a small amount/or large amount”. ” Is the team playing with key player injuries”. “Did the coaches make bad timely decisions”. ” Did the Refs make bad obvious calls”. And there’s probably another dozen other things that effect the %s too!
August 24th, 2026 at 11:22 am
One more. Comes to mind..”the quality of the players”!
August 24th, 2026 at 11:24 am
infomeplease Says: “IMO…stats are almost useless because they don’t take in account things like *starting field position, ” is the team playing with a small lead/large lead”, “is the team losing by a small amount/or large amount”. ” Is the team playing with key player injuries”. “Did the coaches make bad timely decisions”. ” Did the Refs make bad obvious calls”. And there’s probably another dozen other things that effect the %s too!”
Could not have said it better. One individuals stats on a team game with 21 other players playing the game, and coaches, and and and. That one players stats are like the tip of the iceberg. That’s a small fraction of the total iceberg and what you fail to see can be fatal.
August 24th, 2026 at 11:25 am
Sir, If over the course of more games Herbert and Dak perform at a higher productivity rate there’s no case for Mayfield to be made in comparison.
Including playoff success just shuffles the order around amongst the 3 if included to regular season production and in no instance is Baker 1st amongst those 3.
Dak has passed for >4,000 yards five different occasions compared to Baker doing it once. Justin Herbert has done that 3 times.
Dak has passes for at least 30 TDs on 4 different occasions and Herbert has done that twice in comparison to Baker doing it once.
If you have to narrow the scope of comparison down to Daks’ 7 postseason games, Bakers’ 5 postseason games, & Herbert 3 postseason games you’re clearly choosing that scope to get a desired point of comparison to even make a case for 1 of these 3 players. There’s nothing honest about that and if this were presented as QB A-B-C with no names attached people would go for the guys with better numbers.
August 24th, 2026 at 11:32 am
“IMO…stats are almost useless because they don’t take in account things like *starting field position, ” is the team playing with a small lead/large lead”, “is the team losing by a small amount/or large amount”.”
Wanting them to be useless is one thing, the reality is it’s the paint & brush strokes the gives the canvas an image.
Also, HC to HC comparison has no bearing on a QB to QB comparison in terms of taking one players’ performance and comparing it to another QBs performance based off who the HC is. It’s a weird pivot that gets made on here alot, as if Harbaugh is still running bootlegs or Bowles is the one throwing the meatball subs.
August 24th, 2026 at 11:40 am
They have already gone dumpster diving and grossly overpaid for it.
When they got Mayfield off the scrap heap. No one else wanted him.
And the $100 million he’s earned has yielded one playoff win and two losses.
Not to mention losing the division when zero teams had a winning record.
Baker is mid tier at best. And more than likely bottom third. #Facts
August 24th, 2026 at 11:40 am
DR
careful lol
you’ll be labeled a “hater” lol
your take on Bake r is what i’ve been saying since DEC…
he’s inconsistent, won a playoff game 3years ago and very average with decent talent around him…that aint worth 50+ mil
and they say im a hater lol
GO BUCS!!!!!
August 24th, 2026 at 11:45 am
Kenton Smith
stop cherry picking stats!!!!!
add in since 2023, he’s tied with Geno Smith for the most turnovers in the NFL…
his “best” season 2024, he led the NFL in INTs and Fumbles
has 1 playoff win 3years ago…
the contract Bucs offered was more than generous for his performance
GO BUCS!!!!
August 24th, 2026 at 11:50 am
Warren Brooks Lynch:
You missed my entire point. What I was responding to were the literal 100s of times people on this site have used Baker’s playoff record EXCLUSIVELY as proof that he is a bad QB. Of course there is more to it. I have never posited otherwise. And as infomeplease stated above, there are way to many variable to consider so everyone cherry picks those that make their case.
To me, the bottom line is do the Bucs see Baker as a long-term answer at QB or not. The metrics THEY chose to make that decision are equally theirs. What anyone thinks here may make for spirited repartee but beyond that, means nothing.
IMO they have already made that decision. But they want to have their cake and eat it too. Maybe they have assembled a real winning roster (although the ‘experts’ disagree) in which case the want Baker for this year, or they will do a total rebuild next year. New QB, new HC and staff, new GM. Given their actions, I believe they think the most likely outcome is the latter. In which case they should have traded both Baker and VV, taken the assets and better draft position next year and moved on.
August 24th, 2026 at 11:53 am
SummerofGeorge and 813bucboi. I’ve seen lots of fans in my lifetime who don’t really know much about the game of football. You guys fit nicely into that category. And I ain’t whistling Dixie.
August 24th, 2026 at 11:56 am
@Kenton Smith
We could know absolute zero about football and our eyes and brain would tell us that Bowles is a terrible HC and has no business being employed.
Now go whistle on something.
August 24th, 2026 at 11:57 am
I said extend him a year ago for 45 per,, by next year it will be 55 per,,, the alternative I guess is let the Tyson Bagent era begin
August 24th, 2026 at 12:09 pm
813bucboi … ‘careful lol. you’ll be labeled a “hater” lol’.
All these guys are professional athletes getting paid mega-millions to do a job. I try hard to keep an open mind about each player’s performance, but it’s still important to be objective. Stats are stats, and it’s how we compare players in any particular position group.
I’ve never been big on excuses, but I do believe that there are reasons why any given player’s performance varies (might be due to injuries, lack of support in terms of pass protection, etc). I personally like Baker, but IMO he’s not a franchise QB, at least not at this point. Could he lead us to the Super Bowl? Of course (hey Trent Dilfer did it, why not Baker?). It’s all about the TEAM that surrounds him.
Speaking of Dilfer, he only played for the Ravens that ONE year when they won the Super Bowl (2000). They built a defense that any QB could’ve won with (I’d contend that it’s the best of all time). They only gave up 165 pts in 16 regular season games, had a 12-4 record … and came in SECOND in their division. Proceeded to win 4 playoff games with that defense, giving up a TOTAL of only 23 points in those 4 games. Oh and to help Dilfer & the offense, that defense generated 49 takeaways. THAT’S the type of performance I’d love to see out of our Bucs’ defense. Any QB should be able to win with a defense like that.
August 24th, 2026 at 12:13 pm
Most QB turnovers since 2023,including playoffs. 1. Mayfield 48 2. Allen 47. 3. Lawrence 46. 4. Geno Smith, Tua, Purdy and Goff tied with 45. 8. Mahomes 44. 9. Young 43. 10. Hurts and Stroud tied with 41. 12. Darnold 40.
Cousins had alot more turnovers than games played, same thing with Dak and Herbert- they’re on the bench banged up all the time. Not even fair comparisons when these china dolls have a boo-boo.
813bucboi- you cherry pick stats. I don’t have to. Twit.
August 24th, 2026 at 12:13 pm
@Warren Brooks Lynch
““iS BaKeR SuPPoSed TO tACkle GuYS aND cOvER!?” like a petulant teenager, that’s how this reads.”
everything you try to read comes out that way in your head because its yours. Theres nothing new there probably even at birth
the point was that no matter how your offense does or doesn’t scores it doesn’t matter if the defense is porous.It was never to say Baker scored 90%
But nooooo Like a tool you showed it went over your head.
thanks for giving the adults more evidence you are not.
August 24th, 2026 at 12:15 pm
Kenton Smith
doesnt seem like you know football at all….only bakers balls
GO BUCS!!!!
August 24th, 2026 at 12:18 pm
Kenton Smith Says:
August 24th, 2026 at 12:13 pm
Most QB turnovers since 2023,including playoffs. 1. Mayfield 48
combine that with:Baker’s 3 years here have yielded 9-8, 10-7 and 8-9 season records (27-24)
CASE CLOSED!!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
August 24th, 2026 at 12:22 pm
DR SAYS: I personally like Baker, but IMO he’s not a franchise QB, at least not at this point. Could he lead us to the Super Bowl? Of course
TOTALLY AGREE!!!!
Ive been saying the same thing regarding baker…but it is what it is…
the rubber is about the meet the road soon….imo, bucs should win 11-12 games…we’ll see
GO BUCS!!!!
August 24th, 2026 at 12:22 pm
If Baker walks, it means he had another middling season where he collapsed under pressure yet again.
Otherwise the Bucs will sign him to a new deal.
August 24th, 2026 at 12:25 pm
“I’m just presenting this information. Alot of you are going to draw your own conclusions off of this, but the emptied headed narrative some of you latch on to by mentioning the defense at every critique of the offense is just deflection to protect your misconception. It’s clear as day, and comical”
turn up the volume and you’d hear the laugh track is directed at YOU
You are the empty headed one for your known fallacious reasoning of STRAWMAN (google it). We don’t mention the defense at every critique of the offense just the kiddies like yourself with BDS
When he throws a pick thats on Him , when he’s trying to run over people when he should slide the adults aren’t happy either.
The point which I could write in Crayon and you still wouldn’t get it because it still requires reading English is that the win loss record overall cannot be just ponied up to one guy like you morons with BDS do.
August 24th, 2026 at 12:31 pm
Baker’s 2-11 record in prime-time and playoff games is pretty much already dumpster diving.
Put Winston in THIS NFC South, and the Bucs are winning the division every year as well. But Winston played the toughest schedule in football from 2015-2019, in a division where he was facing 3 HOF QBs, all while having the worst defense and worst kicking game from 2015-2019. Put Baker at the head of that team, and I doubt he does even as well as Winston.
August 24th, 2026 at 12:32 pm
Predictable response @MikeBuc
Thanks for sharing absolutely nothing, but a poor attempt at being condescending and witty, maybe it’s time to get in the gym. Sharpen your “skill” lol
August 24th, 2026 at 12:38 pm
@Rod Munsck
“Put Winston”
LOL…. What a gift. Everytime the kiddies are stuck they go back too their backing of Winston and/or Trask. like they don’t realize it closes the case on their mental capacity. toooooo funny
August 24th, 2026 at 12:41 pm
@warren brooks Lynch
“Thanks for sharing absolutely nothing, but a poor attempt at being condescending and witty”
The very fact you thought that was an attempt at witty only shows how far they’ve been bending the curve for you and still can’t get a passing grade.
August 24th, 2026 at 12:44 pm
@warren brooks Lynch
“Thanks for sharing absolutely nothing, but a poor attempt at being condescending and witty”
That you thought that was an attempt at being witty only worsens you cause
August 24th, 2026 at 12:49 pm
“THAT’S the type of performance I’d love to see out of our Bucs’ defense. Any QB should be able to win with a defense like that.”
DR, it’d be simpler to improve one position, than putting a historical outlier of a defense on the field year after year.
That 2000 legit had pre-Prime Ray Lewis, Peter Boulware, Jamie Sharper, Chris McAllister, Rod Woodson, Sam Adams, Siragusa, Mike McCrary, and Duane Stark on that team.
Also, they only allowed 1 TD in their entire playoff run and Dilfer only saw action in 9 regular season games. Didn’t even win the starting job over Tony Banks in 2000
August 24th, 2026 at 12:53 pm
@MikeBuc
Slow down on that “submit comment” button, buttercup. You’re too eager to disagree and not realizing you’re the petulant teenager in this instance.
August 24th, 2026 at 1:16 pm
WHY GO DUMPSTER DIVING WHEN WE HAVE A POTENTIAL SUPERSTAR QB ALREADY ON OUR ROSTER IN JALON DANIELS.
August 24th, 2026 at 1:18 pm
Wonder if this clown has the winning lottery numbers
August 24th, 2026 at 1:23 pm
Erik with Clean Athletics™ Says:
August 24th, 2026 at 1:16 pm
WHY GO DUMPSTER DIVING WHEN WE HAVE A POTENTIAL SUPERSTAR QB ALREADY ON OUR ROSTER IN JALON DANIELS.
———
Yeah, exactly.
And I’m certain Daniels wouldn’t do any worse than Baker did during that 4-game stretch with the playoffs on the line, and Baker managed to lose all 4 games, with amazing efforts like throwing for 122 yards and 145 yards with crucial 4th quarter turnovers with the season on the line.
Also Daniels would be about $54M cheaper, which is money you can invest elsewhere.
Sounds like Daniels is the future, not Baker, which is clearly why the team stopped negotiating with Baker once training camp started and they saw who the best QB on the field was.
August 24th, 2026 at 1:30 pm
I can’t tell if Erik is messing with us or serious. I’m guessing he is joking but it is hard to tell with some on here .
Just to bite I’ll say sure ,, we have a UDFA QB rookie potential superstar,, ATL also has an UDFA QB rookie potential superstar and Baltimore has an UDFA QB rookie potential superstar(look out Lamar), The odds of this are like 45 million to one but I guess the stars aligned this year for UDFA QB rookie potential superstars,, it never happened before and it will never happen again, this year was the perfect storm
August 24th, 2026 at 1:33 pm
Rod Munchesonstuffheshouldntbemunchingon. Comparing Mayfield and Jameis as NFL QBs? One (Jameis is a thief, a pervert, and a quitter) and the other (Mayfield, way better stats of any measure just hitting his 5 years of QB age) are two players who have careers that have gone opposite ways.
To suggest Jameis does better with this team than Baker? You’ve gone bunkers, man!
Matt Ryan? Cam Newton? Drew Brees? Mayfield a first pick Heismann winner that his first 8 years in the league he’s blown away all 3 of them in every stat that counts. When his career is over, 6 or 8 years from now, those 3 won’t be mentioned in the same breath as Baker. Why? Because Baker is a better QB than any of those 3 guys ever were.
August 24th, 2026 at 1:41 pm
We’re really going to compare 30 picks a season to 15? Winston had 20 pick sixes while playing for our team and baker has had one. Winston was scoring half of our opponents points for them. Braindead behavior bro. At least Kenton can perform critical thinking
August 24th, 2026 at 1:43 pm
Now Munch on the other hand is completely messing w us,,, could Baker have played better during that stretch, sure ,, but to say anyone could have played at least that good in an important game we only need to go back to the Bills and Texans last playoff game, Josh may have had the worst game of his life at the worst time,, And CJ ,,,
Ohhhhhhh CJ,,, CJ what did you dooooo,, maybe the worst playoff performance of all time with one of the greatest defenses of all time! No would I prefer Josh Allen to be our QB, Yes 100%,, but CJ can stay away from my Bucs
August 24th, 2026 at 1:43 pm
Winston threw 11 not 20 btw. Don’t know how I got that number
August 24th, 2026 at 1:45 pm
Kenton Smith Says:
August 24th, 2026 at 1:33 pm
Rod Munchesonstuffheshouldntbemunchingon. Comparing Mayfield and Jameis as NFL QBs?
———-
Winston, in this weak NFC South, would be winning the division every single year.
Baker, in that Winston-era NFC South, where he’d be facing MVP Cam Newton, MVP Matt Ryan, 1st Ballot HOF’er Drew Brees – while having literally the worst defense and kicking game over that 4-year spread – Baker, in that scenario, is already out of the NFL.
Basically Baker is like a college QB who has been facing high school opponents, while Winston was literally in the toughest division of football, and still ended up having a higher QBR than Baker ever has had in Tampa. In fact, Winston has had 3 seasons with a higher QBR than Baker has ever had.
Baker has just lucked into a situation where he was handed a completely loaded offense with a great offensive line and a solid defense, while playing in a historically awful division – and even with all of that, he’s still just 2-11 in primetime and playoff games.
August 24th, 2026 at 1:45 pm
Oops. Matt Ryan had 202 td passes compared to Bakers 197 td passes their first 8 years in the NFL. Of course, since Matt Ryan had 595 more passing attempts those first 8 years, I’d say Baker is still flat kicking his a$$. Wouldn’t you?
August 24th, 2026 at 1:49 pm
Baker has spent 7 of his 8 years in the league with the 2 worst teams in the history of the league, Munchesbythebunches. He’s really lucked into that situation!!
August 24th, 2026 at 1:50 pm
Our defense is totally “Solid”
August 24th, 2026 at 1:53 pm
BucsfanBrennan. Winston threw 11 pick sixes. And Baker 1? Bakers 1 pick six was Otten being stripped of the ball after his knee was down. The number should be 0.
August 24th, 2026 at 1:59 pm
It would also be nice to have the same OC for a few years,, this will be Bakers 9th season and 9th OC,, nothing like continuity lol,, I mean I’m all for learning new playbooks but this is rediculous!
August 24th, 2026 at 1:59 pm
How about a little history lesson on undrafted QB. Three come to mind immediately.
1. Tony Romo – descent career, no SB wins or even a SB appearance.
2. Warren Moon – good career, better than Romo IMHO, no SB wins or even a SB appearance.
3. Kurt Warner – by far the best career, SB winner (1-2 in SB appearances), 2 MVPs. But, he didn’t just sign as an UDFA and ascend to a SB. He played 3 seasons in the Arena Football league and one year in NFL Europe where he led the league in yards and touchdowns. You may laugh at that experience but it was another 4 seasons of throwing the football and improving skills in games.
As good as Daniels may have looked in his limited time in two preseason games against whatever talent that was out there, I didn’t see anything that was even close to those three QBs in arm talent. Can he get there, maybe. Is he a better runner, absolutely, but that is a double edged sword.
RGIII leg injuries, Kaepernick had three surgeries after the 2015 season, Culpepper multi-ligament knee tear (ACL, PCL, meniscus) in 2005 & Newton had both foot and shoulder issue. And that doesn’t include Lamar who has far better skills than Daniels who has never appeared in a SB.
But I guess there always has to be a first time.
August 24th, 2026 at 2:08 pm
Daniels has as much arm talent as almost any NFL QB in the league.
Are you guys blind? He has a cannon. And he’s very accurate at this point now after getting with NFL Coaches for a few months and correcting his bad college habits.
He’s a potential Superstar in this league.
If he had an NFL-style system in college and NFL-caliber coaches to fix his fundamentals etc, and he would’ve have had so many injuries, he definitely has the talent level to have been drafted very early in the draft.
August 24th, 2026 at 2:10 pm
*wouldn’t have had so many injuries
August 24th, 2026 at 2:13 pm
Munchesonthingstieddownornottieddown. Baker is 5-1 on Thursday night football. He’s 2-3 on Sunday night football. He’s 1-5 on MNF. Cousins threw for almost 600 yards after Mayfield jumped us out to a 20 point lead a couple years ago on MNF. Another MNF game the Chiefs beat us in OT with Shepherd being our number one receiver at KC in the rain anotherMNF andKC was undefeated. Our defense has sucked (emphasis on suck) lately, Rod. But we’re getting there.
August 24th, 2026 at 2:14 pm
Lightningvinny1 Says: “It would also be nice to have the same OC for a few years,, this will be Bakers 9th season and 9th OC,, nothing like continuity lol,, I mean I’m all for learning new playbooks but this is ridiculous!”
Actually he has had 11 OCs due to his HC changed mid-season and moving teams.
Kenton Smith Says: “Baker has spent 7 of his 8 years in the league with the 2 worst teams in the history of the league, Munchesbythebunches. He’s really lucked into that situation!!”
Here is a little know or perhaps better described, never talked about fact, about Baker’s start in Cleveland. Among HCs with at least 50 games coached, Hue Jackson has the second worst winning % in NFL history. If you subtract the Games Baker played in for Hue, both wins and losses, he has the WORST WINNING % IN NFL HISTORY! If that is luck, please count me out.
August 24th, 2026 at 2:25 pm
BucsfanBrennan Says:
August 24th, 2026 at 1:50 pm
Our defense is totally “Solid”
———-
Points against ranking:
TB 2023: 7th
TB 2024: 16th
TB 2025: 20th
Yeah, that’s pretty dang solid – a completely average defense over that span.
August 24th, 2026 at 2:28 pm
Lightningvinny1 Says:
August 24th, 2026 at 1:59 pm
It would also be nice to have the same OC for a few years
———
Well if Baker would have won just one of those 4 games in a row he lost, with the playoffs on the line, then Grizz doesn’t get fired, and is back this year.
August 24th, 2026 at 2:46 pm
Kenton Smith, the double MM reminds me of the wizard in the Wizard of Oz! When the famous words were uttered “pay no attention to that man”! Besides living in a highly subjective world, he does little to hide his dislike of Baker ( notice I did not use the H word)! Crickmat, fails to understand the need of structure and discipline which the short stent with the Rams was the only time Baker had such a head coach and not having the same competent OC for two or more consecutive seasons but Baker back to square one each time! Brady had two head coaches and Mahomes has had one. Baker lights it up this season, it will his gain and the Bucs loss!
August 24th, 2026 at 3:02 pm
Okiejim Says: “Crickmat, fails to understand the need of structure and discipline which the short stent with the Rams was the only time Baker had such a head coach and not having the same competent OC for two or more consecutive seasons but Baker back to square one each time!”
How did you interpret my comments as not understanding the underlying point? I merely pointed out the he had 11 OCs and not 9 in his career.
Let me be clear. never having the same OC for two consecutive years is a problem. Having incompetent coaches (Hue Jackson, Greg Williams, Freddy Kitchens) and not good NFL head coaches (Matt Ruhle, Steve Wilks) and an incredibly average HC and poor offensive mind in Bowles, is a problem. Please don’t get me wrong, I am not saying his issues are all on his HCs. But he didn’t get much help there either.
August 24th, 2026 at 3:29 pm
Trade up
Cj Carr
August 24th, 2026 at 5:03 pm
There are other places where you can insult Joe and misrepresent Joe. –Joe
It is not $30M. The $30M are the Contract Void money they already paid Baker but don’t get counted against the team Cap until 2027. The franchise tag will cost the Bucs an ADDITIONAL $47M. The cap hit on Baker with a tag will be $30M + $40M = $77M. The team HQ has to come up $77M in CapSpace by 4:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 11, 2027. You do not franchise a player and not have the cap space in reserve. If they are not Cap Compliant by that time, the Franchise Tag won’t be approved by the league.
What will it take to be Cap Comliant. A lot. Restructuring massive number of void dollars into 2028, 2029 and 2030 from other big player contracts and cutting core veterans. Just to afford a peed off Baker for 1 more year who is being told he is not worth a 3-year commitment. Baker is not going to give Licht a break. He will call Licht’s bluff because he earned it and knows this offensive is poop with the revolving OCs and without Baker’s ability to adapt.
The Bucs are my team. But comeon, pay the man for 3 more years or let him walk to to another team who will invest in him. All this fuss by the team to try to game Baker. A guy who has already given us 4 team friendly contract years and top 12 QB play. We don’t beat SF, Houston, Seattle, the freaking Jets, etc. without Baker last year. Quit blaming him for 8-9. It’s not just him.
August 24th, 2026 at 8:35 pm
16th and 20th are not Solid Munch😭 would you like to mention our pass defense or total yards given up? Because our bottom 10 pass defense allows our opponents to control the clock and when the game ends every single week
August 25th, 2026 at 12:11 am
BucsfanBrennan Says:
August 24th, 2026 at 8:35 pm
16th and 20th are not Solid Munch😭 would you like to mention our pass defense or total yards given up?
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Kiddo, there’s 32 teams.
7th is well above above
16th is literally the definition of average
20th is slightly below average
3-year average is 14th, meaning above average, which means they’re a solid defense since Baker got here.
August 25th, 2026 at 1:25 am
The average doesn’t matter “kiddo.” You said our defense IS solid
And it isn’t. It’s 20th. Baker had a solid defense for his first year only, and do you remember how that year ended? Because I recall our defense giving up 31 points to the Lions🤔 and of course we haven’t had an above average defense since then. Let’s stop pretending like Baker’s been playing with the legion of boom, and a Bill Belichick special teams squad, and then losing. It’s ridiculous. Our O-line has been great tho. I’ll definitely give you that