As he competes for the Bucs starting quarterback job in 2023, Baker Mayfield is looking for the long-term stability that has eluded him at points of his life and football career in college and the NFL.

During this span, he has been placed in many tough situations where he could have failed to overcome the challenges before him. By officially becoming a Buccaneer, he will look to write the newest chapter of his story – one that has been publicized, scrutinized, and criticized. For him, this is nothing new, as he has looked to prove critics wrong at every stop along the way, going all the way back to high school.

Baker Mayfield Has Made The Most Of Tough Situations

In high school, Mayfield would go on to live in “probably eight different apartments” during his senior year; per the YNK podcast that he did in April 2022. He would become a three-star recruit who spent one year at Texas Tech in 2013 before transferring to Oklahoma, his favorite team growing up. The only issue was that he missed the 2014 season due to transfer issues and could not play until the 2015 season.

Former Browns QB Baker Mayfield and Browns CB Denzel Ward – Photo by: USA Today

When he was eligible to play, Mayfield went on to have a historic collegiate career capped by a Heisman-winning 2017 season. By most accounts, his entry into the NFL looked to be a way into finding a long-term home.

His first home was with the Cleveland Browns after being the first overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. He came in inheriting a Browns quarterback position preceded by Deshone Kizer and Kevin Hogan, who led a historically bad 0-16 roster that only put up 14.6 points per game while giving up 25.6.

It took a “Draft Day”-style roster makeover to bring the Browns a playoff victory three seasons later in 2020. The most significant variable of this turnaround was having a player like Mayfield to lead the charge.

To put into context how historic this was for the lowly franchise, this would be their first playoff victory since January 1st, 1995, when the team was coached by Bill Belichick and quarterbacked by former Bucs first overall pick Vinny Testaverde.

From 1999 to 2022, the team started 34 quarterbacks – 34! In that time frame, only two quarterbacks started all 16 games in one of those seasons: Tim Couch (1999) and Mayfield (2019 and 2020). So much for having stability.

Despite having a near .500 record in four seasons with the Browns (29-30), the team decided to move on after Mayfield struggled through a partially torn labrum in 2021 and had an inefficient year.

This led to the team making the bold move to trade for Deshaun Watson while Mayfield was still on the roster, a move that led him to feel “disrespected” by the organization. In that YNK podcast appearance, he had much to say about the situation.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

“I’m just looking for stabilization right now,” Mayfield said at the time. “I have no idea where I’m going, but I’m not nervous … I’m going to try to control what I can control. I’m going to try to impact as many people as I possibly can and work my ass off doing it.”

He would go on to add: “I’m ready for the next chapter, the next opportunity, because the only one I’m guaranteed with the next spot is one year.”

His decision to sign with the Bucs and the situation he finds himself in is quite similar to what it was then. After cameos in Carolina and Los Angeles, he is only guaranteed one year in this chapter with Tampa Bay. His first press conference with the local media echoed many of the same thoughts.

Baker Mayfield Has Grown On His Journey To Get Here

Speaking on Monday, Baker Mayfield addressed many of the topics surrounding his arrival. On why he choose to sign with the Bucs. How his personality fits in. What it means succeeding Tom Brady. This all circles back to the journey he has been on to get to this point.

“I’ve grown a lot,” Mayfield said Monday. “I appreciate all the things that have happened throughout my journey and it’s helped me get here today. I want to play this as long as I can, so I’ve learned a lot of lessons along the way.”

It has not been an easy path by any means to get here. There have been plenty of ups and downs already in his career. This includes bursting on the scene as a rookie to finish second in the offensive rookie of the year voting, and the 2020 season that was his most efficient year.

In between, there was the 2019 season when he struggled and threw 21 interceptions. In 2021, he labored through his final season with the Browns, battling injury and not looking like he did before. Last season’s stints with the Panthers and Rams were his rock bottom in terms of performance and perception.

Bucs QB Kyle Trask – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

This all sums up to be a journey that has tested Mayfield. He has experienced winning the starting job, losing it, to getting claimed off waivers and leading a game-winning drive days later.

If there is anyone that has the needed perspective and knowledge to compete with Kyle Trask, it’s him. Regardless if he wins the job or not, Mayfield comes in looking to lead while enjoying what lies ahead, competition and all.

“It’s been different [on his journey],” Mayfield said. “The thing I’ve realized most in the last year is, ‘How can I help with what I’m best at?’ That’s being a good leader, being infectious, energetic – and even when I’m not playing – helping guys out.”

He is sure to have rubbed people the wrong way in the past with his sometimes brash demeanor, but Mayfield sounded just as much a player looking for a fresh start as the Bucs are looking for fresh faces to improve on their 8-9 regular season record in 2022. If Mayfield has anything like the seasons he had in 2018 and 2020, the Bucs would happily take it. Anything that puts them in a position to compete against what should remain a tightly contested NFC South.

“I’ve played a lot of ball, and so I’ve seen a decent amount,” Mayfield said. “So I can help people out from being behind the scenes like I did last year quite a bit. Just enjoying the process; this is a dream I’m living. Why not enjoy it? Right now, I want to compete and I want to win.”

Does Signing With Bucs Give Baker Mayfield His Best Shot?

While the big question remains if he can win the starting job, do the Bucs give him the best shot of having success that he’s had? In a lot of ways, that answer is yes.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Matt Matera/PR

This is a Bucs roster with much of the Super Bowl-winning core intact on both sides of the ball. Sure, the team is without the key veteran players and depth at some of the skill positions, but much of the leadership and production remain.

In terms of building blocks around the roster, many of them are still in place. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Tristan Wirfs, Vita Vea, Lavonte David, Devin White, Carlton Davis III, Jamel Dean, and Antoine Winfield Jr. are the most prominent of that group.

This collection of talent is quite possibly the best that Mayfield has had on a team in his career, which should excite both him and fans alike. This is his chance to showcase his worth and to finally have the stability he has long been eluded by. Should this upcoming year prove to be a revival, Tampa Bay may finally be the place that Mayfield can call home with a long-term contract extension.

“I think anytime you look at some of the quarterbacks that have had a lot of success, you look at the stability they’ve had,” said Mayfield, who has already played for eight different head coaches in six NFL seasons. “Unfortunately, I haven’t had that, but that’s not all on everybody else. I haven’t played to the best I’m capable of — I’ve had flashes of that, I know that. I’m just eager to have this next opportunity to see what it could become.”