Tampa Bay officially listed Baker Mayfield as a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, ostensibly putting him on track to return for their Week 7 matchup against the Panthers. This is a bit of a head-scratcher, though, because Bucs head coach Todd Bowles had just lightly implied Mayfield actually split reps with Jailon Daniels during that very session. Talk about mixed signals.
The Hand, The Glove, and Three Games Sidelined
Mayfield has been out of commission for the last three games, nursing a dislocated right thumb. It’s his throwing hand, too, which is obviously a pretty big deal for a quarterback. Coach Bowles confirmed Mayfield wore a glove on that throwing hand during Wednesday’s practice. You gotta wonder how that feels, how it impacts his grip, his accuracy. That’s a huge question mark heading into a game.
The Stats Don’t Lie and The Leader Is Back
This season hasn’t exactly been a highlight reel for Mayfield before the injury. He’s completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 615 yards, with just two touchdowns against two interceptions. Oh, and he’s coughed up three lost fumbles. He’s also been sacked 13 times, hitting the turf on a staggering 11.9 percent of his dropbacks. Ouch. But hey, at least he’s back in the huddle. Receiver Chris Godwin was clearly stoked to have him out there, calling him “the leader of our team.” Godwin added, “He’s Bake, so I’m sure as he gets going, he’ll feel better.” Let’s hope for the Bucs’ sake that “getting going” happens fast.
So, the stage is set for Week 7 against the Panthers. Will the glove be a distraction? Will his thumb hold up? More importantly, can he turn around those early season stats and rally the team? All eyes are going to be on that right hand.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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