Concerning cause he's not a big guy. We probably should let him heal and let the other two guys we have get the bulk until he's ready. Good news is those two guys are able to take the load. Id save bucky for the games we need him.
Yeah, my only concern with the Bucky selection was durability. It’s going to be an ongoing issue if you just keep relying on Bucky as 1,000 yd carrier. That shouldn’t be his role. Looks like that’s Licht’s assessment as well. We seem to have the right room for a rotational backfield of similar backs with slightly different traits.Concerning cause he's not a big guy. We probably should let him heal and let the other two guys we have get the bulk until he's ready. Good news is those two guys are able to take the load. Id save bucky for the games we need him.
At this point, it’s not a worry.
Tucker has the goal line strength more than Bucky and KG. 7 TDs last year by Tucker.
@pewter-pirate - I do not see Tucker as as goal line back. He had by far the most goal line carries last year, which adds up to more TDs. Remember the New Orleans goal line stance when we just handed Tucker the ball 4 straight times from the 1 yard line? That’s not all his fault, but the guy doesn’t hit a hole nearly as hard as Bucky or Gainwell.
@pewter-pirate - I do not see Tucker as as goal line back. He had by far the most goal line carries last year, which adds up to more TDs. Remember the New Orleans goal line stance when we just handed Tucker the ball 4 straight times from the 1 yard line? That’s not all his fault, but the guy doesn’t hit a hole nearly as hard as Bucky or Gainwell.
True Grizzard has to take some responsibility for the play calling for that situation last season, but what makes Tucker the ideal goal line back is that if he sees a hole he hits daylight before a defense can react and stack and shed off those blocks.
Irving and KG have better vision but they are more suited being used off draws or counters where you need more patience and can see multiple alley ways to shoot up which Tucker can't do. Goal line situations are straight forward and don't require a lot of thinking which is why Tucker is better off in that role plus he has the most power of the current RBs on the roster.
Right now, no. If he's missing training camp then start to worry.
Tucker had 24 touches inside the 20 yard line in 2025 and had 7 total TD’s, 2 of those were from outside the 20 yard line. Great contribution on limited opportunities, but that doesn’t sound like an ideal goal line back.@pewter-pirate - I do not see Tucker as as goal line back. He had by far the most goal line carries last year, which adds up to more TDs. Remember the New Orleans goal line stance when we just handed Tucker the ball 4 straight times from the 1 yard line? That’s not all his fault, but the guy doesn’t hit a hole nearly as hard as Bucky or Gainwell.
Seems like the o-line injuries and “the Grizz effect” impacted more than just the QB play…
Maybe 65% more.
Seems like the o-line injuries and “the Grizz effect” impacted more than just the QB play…
The problem with this is Mayfield’s best games last season came with Grizzard as the OC and the OL having injuries, including missing Wirfs and Goedeke separately and together.
There does not always have to be excuses for lesser or poor play. Sometimes players just don’t play well.
Seems like the o-line injuries and “the Grizz effect” impacted more than just the QB play…
The problem with this is Mayfield’s best games last season came with Grizzard as the OC and the OL having injuries, including missing Wirfs and Goedeke separately and together.
There does not always have to be excuses for lesser or poor play. Sometimes players just don’t play well.
this is what i'm not understanding about some of the posters here. We are not saying Baker isn't our best chance to win this year but to say he was a disappointment last year should not be a "hot take"
We had absolutely no expectations entering 2023. Guy was on a 1 year, 4 year deal; almost out of the league and we were expecting to go back to being the Yuccaneers without Brady. Well, Baker had his best year as a pro (at that time), won us a playoff game and energized a fan base that thought we were back to the dead era. Reference "Baker Mayfield appreciation" thread that i started that offseason
Then in 2024, the guy catapulted into stardom. The expectations were then naturally raised. Baker was a top 15 guy entering 2024 season and entered 2025 as a clear top 10 guy. Progress! Well now he's back to top 15 at best.
In 2025, it was looking good for a brief period of time, call it 35% of the season (;)) but he played mid is just about every game from there on out. To your point, his best performance came without his best lineman and weapons.
He then goes 1-4; 6 touchdowns, 4 INTs before his apparent season ending injury that he was able to play through.
He then after rams game, has 8 TDs to 6 INTs.
It's easy for the casual fan to blame injuries and Baker banged up or the shit defense as there's plenty of blame to go around; not to mention poor coaching; but Baker in my eyes has every bit of blame to go around there and he seems to get a free pass from this board
He was in the league 8 years, 1 year imitating Jason Pierre Paul in practice, and that performance last year was his 5th best season. Not exactly worth pounding the table for $50M a year in particularly before his contact is up.
Baker lost some of us fans trust, and he just needs to play with that chip on his shoulder. Really hard to give the guy the benefit of the doubt given his roller coaster of a career so far prior to Tampa as we saw the downward end of the "YO-YO" last year.
Grizzard called better plays spreading the ball around to multiple WRs like Greene and Tez Johnson in the early season too. Mayfield and Grizzard were in tune in last season despite OL injuries and missing top key targets at WR for that 6-2 run. Emeka Egbuka does not make the game winning post TD that Mayfield instantly recognized against Atlanta if Grizzard didn't set it up earlier in the game.
I just think Mayfield is at his best spreading the ball around and not feeding a particular WR. We saw this as well toward the end of the 2023 season when Canales was here and Mayfield was on fire.
So the Bucs having a WR group that is now built on a sum of their parts may work out better for Mayfield with Egbuka, Godwin, McMillan, Tez Johnson and Hurst.
He then after rams game, has 8 TDs to 6 INTs.
So, just using your example, on 2nd and 1 in the Saints game Mayfield throws an INT. The INT occurs because the play call is to Kameron Johnson over the middle and Johnson stops his route so Mayfield throws right into a LBer I think.
Is that on Mayfield?
Why is Kameron Johnson the go to over the middle receiver? He's a special teams guy mostly.
Why does Kameron Johnson stop running? Inexperience?
So, Mayfield has other picks I am sure that are 100% on him, but the point is that its a TEAM sport so when the team is reeling its reeling. This was the pivotal game, a must win at home against the Saints, but they are without Evans and McMillan so Kameron Johnson stops running. I think he also fumbles a ball in that game.
I just think Mayfield is at his best spreading the ball around and not feeding a particular WR.
The first 7 games of the 2024 says this is totally incorrect.
The latest buzz on Baker is that he’s at his best hitting the open receiver, whomever it is, I have seen him try feeding specific receivers (OBJ, M1K3, Mek). He doesn’t seem comfortable nor play as well when he does that.
Although, last season not having any of the starting offensive line starting together in the same game, makes any analysis of his play difficult. Also allows for the development of bad habits. Good to hear that he’s been working on his footwork.