For better or for worse, Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield has had various supporting casts throughout his NFL career. That has included a variety of head coaches and offensive coordinators, to various star players and offensive talent.

Heading into 2024, Mayfield is bullish on how the Tampa Bay offense looks primed and ready to go, and there is a newfound sense of stability that has eluded him in years past. As he looks to build off a career season, let’s dive deeper to compare his supporting cast this season to the ones he’s had since being drafted in 2018.

Diving Deeper Into What Baker Mayfield Has Worked With In The NFL

Since coming into the league as the first overall pick in 2018, Baker Mayfield has had a career filled with plenty of ups and downs.

It all started with a Browns organization that went 0-16 in 2017 before his arrival in 2018.

Former Browns QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

2018 with Browns: Head coach(s) Hue Jackson (fired) and Gregg Williams, offensive coordinator(s) Todd Haley (fired) and Freddie Kitchens, running back Nick Chubb, wide receivers Jarvis Landry, Antonio Callaway, and Rashard Higgins, tight end David Njoku

Starting record and stats: 6-7, 63.8% completion percentage, 3,725 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, 14 interceptions

For the first two games of the season, Baker Mayfield sat behind Tyrod Taylor as the Browns’ backup before coming in for Taylor in Week 3 against the Jets, where he willed the team to a comeback win.

He would then be the starting quarterback for the rest of the season, with mostly positive results. His 27 touchdown passes were the record for a rookie quarterback before Justin Herbert broke that record in 2020. He was able to overcome a midseason coaching change to lead the team to a 5-2 record to close out the year.

Mayfield had two primary weapons on offense in Chubb and Landry, with other players playing supporting roles. It was a decent cast of talent around him, but heading into 2019 the Browns attempted to make a splash to surround him with a star wide receiver.

2019 with Browns: Head coach Freddie Kitchens, offensive coordinator Todd Monken, running back Nick Chubb, wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr.

Starting record and stats: 6-10, 59.4% completion percentage, 3,827 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, 21 interceptions

Despite trading for Beckham in the hopes of giving Baker Mayfield an elite No. 1 wide receiver, his numbers and the team regressed in his second season under center. Although it was a year in which he had some stability with Kitchens taking the head coaching reins, he was plagued by inconsistency and the inability to develop a fruitful rapport with his new wide receiver. The offense was very top-heavy and outside of Beckham, Chubb, and Landry, there were few other weapons to rely on.

While the team struggled in 2019, things flipped under a new regime in 2020.

2020 with Browns: Head coach Kevin Stefanski, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, running backs Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb, wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr., tight ends Austin Hooper and David Njoku

Starting record and stats: 11-5, 62.8% completion percentage, 3,563 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 8 interceptions

With Stefanski being brought in after being the offensive coordinator of the Vikings, Baker Mayfield produced his best season up to this point of his career. With Hunt and Chubb providing a 1-2 punch at running back, it made things a lot easier in the passing game. He was able to efficiently distribute the ball around, with six players each recording 20 receptions or more. That included Austin Hooper, the big free agency signing made by the team after he came off consecutive Pro Bowl seasons with the Falcons.

Overall, he largely had a dynamic set of weapons, but there is also an element of “what if?” to this season. While it was largely a success and officially put the Browns on the map, Beckham was placed on injured reserve in Week 7 after tearing his ACL. If he had remained healthy, perhaps Mayfield would have had even better numbers and the team goes on a lengthier playoff run to secure his future.

Instead, it would be Mayfield who would have to tough out injuries during his final season in Cleveland.

2021 with Browns: Head coach Kevin Stefanski, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, running backs Nick Chubb and D’Ernest Johnson, wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Donovan Peoples-Jones, tight ends Austin Hooper and David Njoku

Starting record and stats: 6-8, 60.5% completion percentage, 3,010 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, 13 interceptions

After having a productive year in 2020, the good times were expected to continue heading into 2021 – but it was not meant to be.

Baker Mayfield suffered a partially torn labrum in Week 2 which affected him for the rest of the season, although he played through the pain in the hopes of leading the team to wins. This effort was admirable, especially as it was the year that he was in line for a big contract extension. With Beckham out of the picture, though, it was a struggle to do much on offense.

Landry was the team’s leading receiver, but he had just 52 receptions for 570 yards and two touchdowns. The rest of the supporting cast did little for Mayfield through the air, and outside of Chubb’s season on the ground, he did not have much to work with. That theme would continue as he started his rollercoaster 2022 season.

Former Panthers QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

2022 with Panthers: Head coaches Matt Rhule (fired) and Steve Wilks, offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, running backs Christian McCaffery (traded) and D’Onta Foreman, wide receiver D.J. Moore

Starting record and stats: 1-5, 57.8% completion percentage, 1,313 passing yards, six touchdowns, six interceptions

2022 with Rams: Head coach Sean McVay, offensive coordinator Liam Coen, running back Cam Akers, wide receivers Allen Robinson and Van Jefferson, tight end Tyler Higbee

Starting record and stats: 1-3,  63.6% completion percentage, 850 passing yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions

With the Browns deciding to trade for Deshaun Watson and giving him big money, it meant parting ways with Baker Mayfield. He was traded to the Panthers and won the starting job over Sam Darnold. It was a brief tenure for Mayfield, as the organization had an unstable coaching situation, firing Matt Rhule after a 1-4 start. That was also when Mayfield suffered an injury, and when he came back, Christian McCaffery was traded to the 49ers and he was regulated to backup duties.

After being released, Mayfield found himself receiving a brief starting opportunity with the Rams as they limped to the finish line. He again had a solid running back in Akers, but with Cooper Kupp out for the year, he had little to work with at wide receiver. This would all change when he signed a one-year, prove-it deal with the Bucs that proved quite prosperous.

2023 with Bucs: Head coach Todd Bowles, offensive coordinator Dave Canales, running back Rachaad White, wide receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Trey Palmer, tight end Cade Otton

Starting record and stats: 9-8, 64.3% completion percentage, 4,044 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, 10 interceptions

Bucs OC Dave Canales and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It was unexpected from the outside that Baker Mayfield would do much for a Tampa Bay team other than hold down the starting spot while the team looked for a young successor to Tom Brady. That is where most were proven wrong, as he had a career year operating in a quarterback-friendly offense.

It was friendly due in part to Canales’ scheme, but it also helped that the veteran signal-caller had Evans and Godwin to throw to. Those two served as the two best, most consistent wide receivers he’s had to this point in his career, and White even contributed heavily as the defacto third passing option. The run game was inconsistent, although it had some big moments down the stretch.

When looking at if the supporting cast last year was the best of his career, it’s a toss-up between 2020 and 2023. On paper, 2020 provided more support with two top running backs, but 2023 also allowed him to become a 4,000-yard passer thanks to a top duo at wide receiver. 2020 also gave him more stability along the coaching staff, as there was a point of uncertainty surrounding Bowles and Canales when the team went through a 1-6 stretch midseason.

While it can be debated on when he was surrounded by the most talent, 2024 looks better than either season and gives Mayfield the best chance at succeeding compared to any other point in his NFL career.

2024 Bucs’ Offense Provides Baker Mayfield “A Great Group To Be Surrounded By”

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Scott Reynolds/PR

Looking ahead to this season, Baker Mayfield finally secured a long-term contract, signing a three-year, $100 million deal with the Bucs. Giving Mayfield that kind of money surely factored into the team’s offensive coordinator search, which led to Tampa Bay bringing in Liam Coen, someone he is familiar with going back to their Rams days.

Not only will that help ease the transition at offensive coordinator, but there is a new influx of rookie weapons looking to work their way into an already talented group of skill players. Wide receiver Jalen McMillan has already started to shine while running back Bucky Irving can perhaps provide a legit 1-2 punch that Mayfield has not had behind him in the backfield for a couple of seasons.

When asked about how he views this group at mandatory mini-camp, he praised them while acknowledging that talent can only bring you so far along.

“Yeah, I mean, any time you get that much familiarity and chemistry with the same guys, you’re going to get better, too,” Mayfield said on if this year is his best offensive supporting cast. “But, it also helps when they’re that damn good as a skill group. For me, yeah, it’s up there. But, talent can only take you so far. That’s why we’re working our tails off right now to get this thing down and get on the same page. But, yeah, it’s definitely a great group to be surrounded by. The offensive line, too – having those same guys and some new additions. Right now, it’s a really good feel of how everybody works and works together.”

The outlook for the Bucs’ offense heading into 2024 is promising, and in the next part of this story, there will be a deeper dive into why each offensive position group is primed to be even better than in 2023.