Baker Mayfield is officially expected back on the field this Sunday, set to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Carolina Panthers. This return comes after the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback dislocated his right thumb in Week 3 when his throwing hand slammed into Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman during a desperation pass that got picked off in a 23-16 loss. He’s been sidelined since, but now he’s gearing up with a special glove for the game.
From The Sidelines To The South’s Basement
Mayfield’s injury has been a slow, frustrating recovery, as he put it, “It’s been feeling slowly better and better. That’s the frustrating part with an injury like that.” He even tried to push for a return last week against Pittsburgh, but wasn’t ready. Good thing, because undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels, who stepped in for the past three games, went 1-2. The Bucs are absolutely reeling at 1-5, dead last in the NFC South, heading into this game against the 3-2 Panthers. That Pittsburgh game was a brutal reminder of how things are going, with the Bucs blowing a 16-3 fourth-quarter lead and losing 26-19 in overtime. Daniels threw two picks in that fourth quarter, and Pittsburgh just kicked a pair of field goals to steal it.
Mayfield was pretty open about the thumb, saying, “Anytime you dislocate something there’s gonna be ligament damage. It just didn’t happen to be ligaments and tendons that I needed surgery on.” He added, “So just give them time to heal, do as much as possible, come back stronger and work on that. And yeah, it’s football. If something like that happens, that’s the nature of the game, unfortunately. But we’ve got into a place where it’s strong enough to play.” The dude signed a massive $165 million, three-year contract extension before the season and hadn’t missed a start since joining the Buccaneers in 2023. He’s known for playing through injuries throughout his career, which kicked off when Cleveland drafted him No. 1 overall in 2018.
Can Mayfield Clean Up The Mess?
This Bucs squad is currently living through its worst start since 2014. Mayfield himself was 0-3 at the beginning of the season, struggling big time behind an offensive line that he called “woeful” back then. In those early games, he managed only two touchdown passes and two interceptions, lost three fumbles, and was sacked a whopping 13 times. Daniels didn’t exactly light the world on fire in his starts either, with three touchdowns, five picks, and a 63.4 rating, although he did lead an impressive win at Dallas on October 8.
Mayfield pointed to bigger issues, not just under center, saying, “We weren’t doing the little things right. Whether it’s guys overthinking. … I don’t think we have dumb guys on this football team. It’s guys overthinking, just not doing the Day 1 stuff the right way.” He emphasized the need for timing and rhythm in the system. But there’s a silver lining: “Our O-line is playing a lot better, and we need to take advantage of it. We need to be on the same page.”
So, Mayfield’s back, the O-line’s supposedly improved, and the team is desperate. This Sunday against Carolina isn’t just another game for Tampa Bay. It’s a chance to stop the bleeding, climb out of the NFC South basement, and maybe, just maybe, prove that that $165 million investment wasn’t a total bust. Can Mayfield be the spark this team needs, or is it too late for the Bucs to right the ship? We’ll find out when the final whistle blows.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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