Need to make up for that coen screw up for bakers sake. Otherwise he's cooked in the league too.
We need to hire an offensive guy to see what guy baker is.
We did last year.
yeah but there’s no going back.
need to move forward
Licht and team rewarded players with loyalty to Bowles and they’ve in turn show their their appreciation this year 😂
My point being, we know what he's capable of when paired with a good OC.
Baker entered the year as top 10, then given the second half collapse - think he’s now in the 15-20 range
In no order:
top 5 - Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Stafford, Burrow
Top 10 - Herbert, darnold, Maye, Prescott, Goff
top 15 - Lawrence, Williams, Nix, Hurts, Purdy
top 20 - Love, Daniels, Mayfield, Rodgers, Stroud
What say you? Seems to be a drastic drop off after top 20.
spots 6 through 20 can clearly be fluid. Hurts and Mayfield were top 10 last year, fell off. Maye had mvp runner up type year where Darnold had ok year but gets superbowl bump.
Sounds about right.
I would put Nix a bit higher but other than that looks right.
Baker entered the year as top 10, then given the second half collapse - think he’s now in the 15-20 range
In no order:
top 5 - Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Stafford, Burrow
Top 10 - Herbert, darnold, Maye, Prescott, Goff
top 15 - Lawrence, Williams, Nix, Hurts, Purdy
top 20 - Love, Daniels, Mayfield, Rodgers, Stroud
What say you? Seems to be a drastic drop off after top 20.
spots 6 through 20 can clearly be fluid. Hurts and Mayfield were top 10 last year, fell off. Maye had mvp runner up type year where Darnold had ok year but gets superbowl bump.
Your ranking is weird because it's half based on skill and half based on results. No way Darnold is that high. Hurts is one of the most overrated QBs in the league. Rodgers top 20 but not Jones based off this year? Stroud doesn't belong either based on results.
So which is it? Talent (who is the best) or results (who did the most).
Imagine Herbert or Allen or Jackson with the Eagles
Top 6: Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Burrow, Herbert, and Stafford.
7-16
Maye, Prescott, Goff, Mayfield, Nix, Purdy, Williams, Lawrence, Hurts, Darnold (in that order)
17+ Love, Daniels (his career will be short), Jones, and then I guess Stroud but hasn't really done anything since his rookie year.
Baker entered the year as top 10, then given the second half collapse - think he’s now in the 15-20 range
In no order:
top 5 - Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Stafford, Burrow
Top 10 - Herbert, darnold, Maye, Prescott, Goff
top 15 - Lawrence, Williams, Nix, Hurts, Purdy
top 20 - Love, Daniels, Mayfield, Rodgers, Stroud
What say you? Seems to be a drastic drop off after top 20.
spots 6 through 20 can clearly be fluid. Hurts and Mayfield were top 10 last year, fell off. Maye had mvp runner up type year where Darnold had ok year but gets superbowl bump.
Your ranking is weird because it's half based on skill and half based on results. No way Darnold is that high. Hurts is one of the most overrated QBs in the league. Rodgers top 20 but not Jones based off this year? Stroud doesn't belong either based on results.
So which is it? Talent (who is the best) or results (who did the most).
Imagine Herbert or Allen or Jackson with the Eagles
Top 6: Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Burrow, Herbert, and Stafford.
7-16
Maye, Prescott, Goff, Mayfield, Nix, Purdy, Williams, Lawrence, Hurts, Darnold (in that order)
17+ Love, Daniels (his career will be short), Jones, and then I guess Stroud but hasn't really done anything since his rookie year.
i agree that Hurts and Darnold are pedestrian at best. Still, they are Super Bowl champions, of course led by better all around teams/defenses.
Interesting that you have Mayfield still in the top 10 after his atrocious second half of season.
Would think most non Bucs fans would have Nix (even though he had similar numbers to Bryce Young), Caleb, Lawrence (ridiculously good 2nd half of year), Hurts, and Darnold all ahead of Mayfield.
Yes - Darnold has now surpassed Mayfield as the poster child for "Career Rebound guy in new place".
Look on the bright side, at least it gives Baker something to strive for.
I personally look at 2024 currently as the anomaly as it comes to Baker. Given his downright awful second half of season, most non buc fans feel that way as well
I hope he proves me wrong this year and gets back in the top 10; because honestly, that's what this team needs if we want to win in the playoffs.
I personally look at 2024 currently as the anomaly as it comes to Baker. Given his downright awful second half of season, most non buc fans feel that way as well
where does the part in bold come from? Like a poll or article?
Yes - Darnold has now surpassed Mayfield as the poster child for "Career Rebound guy in new place".
Darnold led the league in turnovers. It's a cool story but he was a game manager in the playoffs with an elite defense and Walker came on strong in the running game.
Yes Baker struggled post-injury but he was also an MVP candidate prior to it so for me, it seems most of the media and fans are having a recency bias.
Numbers on the season: (keep in mind 3 of Mayfield's picks are based on Otton + a gimp pointless hail Mary attempt that caused him to miss the second half).
Baker has 3700 yards, 26 passing TDs and 11 picks. He rushed for almost 400 yards and had a TD.
Darnold has the edge in yards with 4000, he threw 25 TDs and had 14 picks plus he lost 6 of 11 fumbles.
Baker also had 11 fumbles but lost 3.
So it's pretty close but edge to Baker this year for sure... Helluva lot different when you have a great defense behind you and can mask your league leading 20 turnovers.
I attribute Baker's regression to 3 parts:
Mental - he just wasn't seeing the field well under pressure
Injury - his velocity fell and this hurt his confidence + the injuries to the line and play makers
Scheme - Grizz was over his head
Kubiak is a head coach now and Grizz is a QB coach so... That should tell you everything.
That's why specific to Darnold I put him lower
I personally look at 2024 currently as the anomaly as it comes to Baker
I think you're missing the point of Darnold winning the Super Bowl, which is that it is a TEAM sport.
Mayfield didnt play like some world beater in 2024 just like Darnold did not play like a world beater in 2025. They both excelled when there was a support system around them that kept them from having to be world beaters. Darnold in 2025 and Mayfield in 2024 had RUNNING GAMES and, at least in the case of Mayfield, a short, quick passing game, which plays to his strengths. (I think the same with Darnold, but dont know). Anyway, Mayfield actually just alluded to this in an interview:
"For me, I would love to stay healthier all year,” Mayfield said. “I had to make a lot of plays with my feet this year. When the time calls, you got to do what you have to do. But for me, just being able to continue to get the ball out quickly, find it and get it in the playmakers’ hands — because we do have an unbelievable group."
In 2025 he has no consistent running game and a leaky line and they are throwing the ball deeper, so less rhythm. Worked some, but not when all the pressure was on late. Mayfield had to be "world beater" and couldn't do it . . CONSISTENTLY. Few can . . Tom Brady 2020 v 2022. TEAM SPORT.
So, 2024 was not really an anomaly. Mayfield should produce at the 2024 levels with a 2024 offense around him so a running game and scoring early so the whole playbook is available.
*****
As an aside, most football fans given the choice take Stafford over Darnold because so much focus is on the QB. The Seahawks beat the Rams 2 of 3. The Patriots and the Seahawks showed that you can win with a GOOD QB if you have a run game and defense.
In between Brad Johnson and Tom Brady, I suffered years of watching really bad QB play. Jeff Garcia slightly may be the exception during that time. Baker is head and shoulders above all of the QBs between Brad Johnson and Tom Brady. I get holding off to extend, but my prediction is if that OL is mostly healthy and not down to third string guards, we will see the 2024 Baker who was better than Brad Johnson. The price tag is going to be high at that point. This team mostly lost games due to defense, Baker. Baker was the reason this team pulled victories when the defense crapped the bed. The problem is DC/HC not Baker.
I personally look at 2024 currently as the anomaly as it comes to Baker. Given his downright awful second half of season, most non buc fans feel that way as well
where does the part in bold come from? Like a poll or article?
more like my conglomerate of friends of different spots teams.
i also recommend you look at First Things First, Nick Wright, who is a major Baker fan, does his Mahomes Mountain QB tiers. it's an interesting watch. He had Baker at #1 when we were like 5-1; then he had him in the 15th to 20th range when he tripped over his dick
so sure, there is no factual evidenec to this but just the pulse i am seeing. What are you seeing?
Yes - Darnold has now surpassed Mayfield as the poster child for "Career Rebound guy in new place".
Darnold led the league in turnovers. It's a cool story but he was a game manager in the playoffs with an elite defense and Walker came on strong in the running game.
Yes Baker struggled post-injury but he was also an MVP candidate prior to it so for me, it seems most of the media and fans are having a recency bias.
Numbers on the season: (keep in mind 3 of Mayfield's picks are based on Otton + a gimp pointless hail Mary attempt that caused him to miss the second half).
Baker has 3700 yards, 26 passing TDs and 11 picks. He rushed for almost 400 yards and had a TD.
Darnold has the edge in yards with 4000, he threw 25 TDs and had 14 picks plus he lost 6 of 11 fumbles.
Baker also had 11 fumbles but lost 3.
So it's pretty close but edge to Baker this year for sure... Helluva lot different when you have a great defense behind you and can mask your league leading 20 turnovers.
I attribute Baker's regression to 3 parts:
Mental - he just wasn't seeing the field well under pressure
Injury - his velocity fell and this hurt his confidence + the injuries to the line and play makers
Scheme - Grizz was over his head
Kubiak is a head coach now and Grizz is a QB coach so... That should tell you everything.
That's why specific to Darnold I put him lower
no doubt i feel Baker is a better QB than Darnold but trying to be fair and throw my Bucs glasses out, had to put Darnold ahead of him; we've seen Baker in the playoffs; still cant get over that fumble that lost the Washington game.
Darnold actually was better last year than he was this year but he made the throws he needed to make for Seattle.
Would Baker have been able to make those throws? Maybe, as you said, injury and scheme play a factor but im not so confident until he proves me wrong
I personally look at 2024 currently as the anomaly as it comes to Baker
I think you're missing the point of Darnold winning the Super Bowl, which is that it is a TEAM sport.
So, 2024 was not really an anomaly. Mayfield should produce at the 2024 levels with a 2024 offense around him so a running game and scoring early so the whole playbook is available.
appreciate the team sport. I put guys like Darnold and Hurts more in the Flacco, Dilfer, Brad Johnson category then i would Brady, Mahomes, Stafford etc
that being said, hard to put Baker's 1 great year against their CVs and rank him higher. As a Buc fan, sure you would; as i wouldnt trade Baker for those 2; but just saying a non Bucs Fans would likely rank those guys higher than Baker now given the SB championships
You say 2024 was not the anomaly but i think you are making alot of assumptions there. The fact of the matter is that we have yet another new OC which could or could not work out. Baker has been in the league since 2018 and with the Bucs now for 3 of those seasons. 2023 and 2025 look comparable to his rookie season and 2020 season.
2024 was the outlier.
He had a 71% completion percentage. Before that, his next highest was 2023 at 64% which aligned with his rookie year.
He had 4500 yards, his next highest was in 2023; his 2025 yardage totals was actually lower than his rookie season and second season with less games.
He had 41 touchdowns which was amazing. 2023 and 2025 TD passing TD totals of 28 and 26 respectively very similar to 2018 and 2020 of 27 and 26 respectively.
Again, look back at 2023 and you will see i was one of the biggest Baker Bros. Just saying, expectations change. In 2024, he sent the new norm and we all think he can get back there but he needs to prove it
Here's hoping the front office is more like me here and doesnt give Baker his underserved contract extension at 50M + per year. He needs to prove that 2024 is not the anomaly.
