The asterisk is for Tom Brady of course but Baker Mayfield is our best QB with a chance to be here for a while.
He’s also a QB who is rated in the back half of the league by many pundits out there, some of them on this board. And while it’s clear our franchise has been poverty at the position for most of its existence it’s pretty insane that our best QB ever is viewed as just some gunslinger with no mental capacity for the game. When I see someone like Jordan Love ranked in front of Baker, I realize whomever is writing this is either extremely biased or just doesn’t understand the totality of the position. Is he better than Mahomes, Jackson, or Allen? No but the rest are completely up for debate.
QB who is rated in the back half of the league by many pundits out there
Just outside the Top 10 in a survey of league FO types and coaches
In the other thread there is a comparison to Lawrence given that both have now played under Coen. This is from the ESPN article linked above and it is about the Lawrence, but I think it is really a better description of Mayfield:
"He plays better ball when the offensive infrastructure and personnel around him set him up for success instead of asking him to do everything on your own."
"He plays better ball when the offensive infrastructure and personnel around him set him up for success instead of asking him to do everything on your own."
Such great insight. This is like saying, “His defensive scheme is predicated on getting pressure on the QB”. Like EVERY damn QB succeeds more when they aren’t asked to do everything.
During the last half of the 2025 season. Baker may have been the worst QB that ever played for the bucs.
@badtimes You’re clearly new to Buc ball. See Jack Thompson…
During the last half of the 2025 season. Baker may have been the worst QB that ever played for the bucs.
This is such an insanely bad take.
I mean, so bad.
Mayfield has plenty of run way to solidify himself into the top 3. Passing Brady's run is tough to beat. Garcia and Johnson had their own runs respectively. But Mayfield has a shot of putting something together if he focuses. I just think this team is another year out from really making a deep run with another draft and free agent period. But if Mayfield can channel some magic for 2026 again then I would have to say he is ascending faster than anyone thought.
Mayfield has plenty of run way to solidify himself into the top 3. Passing Brady's run is tough to beat. Garcia and Johnson had their own runs respectively. But Mayfield has a shot of putting something together if he focuses. I just think this team is another year out from really making a deep run with another draft and free agent period. But if Mayfield can channel some magic for 2026 again then I would have to say he is ascending faster than anyone thought.
agree. good post.
I dont know that all of the Red Board back and forth about his contract will matter much because BOTH sides have an interest in getting a deal done and there is a pretty straightfoward middle ground
Jameis holds all the records so agree baker has a chance to beat all those
id probably rank it like this
1. Tom Brady
2. Brad Johnson
3. Baker Mayfield
4. Jamies Winston
5. Doug Williams
During the last half of the 2025 season. Baker may have been the worst QB that ever played for the bucs.
the last half was certainly the worst of Bakers career including Cleveland but we’ve had some bad QB play in Tampa so that’s a stretch in terms of worst in Bucs history lol
During the last half of the 2025 season. Baker may have been the worst QB that ever played for the bucs.
the last half was certainly the worst of Bakers career including Cleveland but we’ve had some bad QB play in Tampa so that’s a stretch in terms of worst in Bucs history lol
Through the QB special, we have learned that Baker did indeed play with a sprained MCL, and PCL since week 2. Not sure why he didn’t take a couple of weeks off to heal but, we have our answer as to why he fell off a bit last season. Even then, nowhere near the worst in Buc’s history.
During the last half of the 2025 season. Baker may have been the worst QB that ever played for the bucs.
the last half was certainly the worst of Bakers career including Cleveland but we’ve had some bad QB play in Tampa so that’s a stretch in terms of worst in Bucs history lol
Badabing, does the revelations about Mayfield injuries change your "11 games' take on him at all?
if you take it all at face value then it suggest that some of his poor play late was the result of his great play early and the injuries he sustained while winning behind a putrid line.
During the last half of the 2025 season. Baker may have been the worst QB that ever played for the bucs.
the last half was certainly the worst of Bakers career including Cleveland but we’ve had some bad QB play in Tampa so that’s a stretch in terms of worst in Bucs history lol
Badabing, does the revelations about Mayfield injuries change your "11 games' take on him at all?
if you take it all at face value then it suggest that some of his poor play late was the result of his great play early and the injuries he sustained while winning behind a putrid line.
I should concede one point to you. Its just as reasonable, I think, to interpret the injuries as the inevitable result of who he is, as compared to being just the result of putrid line play, bad offense. That might support your point.
In fact, I think he probably runs with the ball just as much in 2024 when he has a great offense around him and a stellar running game. I think he is also sacked more. So, maybe youre right to pin some of the related decline (if it was that) on him.
During the last half of the 2025 season. Baker may have been the worst QB that ever played for the bucs.
the last half was certainly the worst of Bakers career including Cleveland but we’ve had some bad QB play in Tampa so that’s a stretch in terms of worst in Bucs history lol
Badabing, does the revelations about Mayfield injuries change your "11 games' take on him at all?
if you take it all at face value then it suggest that some of his poor play late was the result of his great play early and the injuries he sustained while winning behind a putrid line.
i never disagreed with Baker being banged up
but apparently he was banged up in week friggen 2, playing at an MVP type level the first 6 weeks. The noticeable injury was when he was wearing a sling after the Rams game, he then went on to have more rushing yards per game then before the Rams game so not sure what to make of these injuries.
Him playing the worst football of his career in the last 8 weeks we hope can be explained by injuries to the offensive line and himself but i guess we will have the luxury of finding out with 2026 playing out with him still under contract
my debate was always not to prematurely extend him. there's a great chance he's our guy in 2027 but we shouldnt be silly about it by blowing our load with a premature extension. He had his worst year as a Buc, you dont reward that.
During the last half of the 2025 season. Baker may have been the worst QB that ever played for the bucs.
the last half was certainly the worst of Bakers career including Cleveland but we’ve had some bad QB play in Tampa so that’s a stretch in terms of worst in Bucs history lol
Through the QB special, we have learned that Baker did indeed play with a sprained MCL, and PCL since week 2. Not sure why he didn’t take a couple of weeks off to heal but, we have our answer as to why he fell off a bit last season. Even then, nowhere near the worst in Buc’s history.
I have said if Baker sat 2 games the Bucs might had made the playoffs last season. Maybe the Bucs are planning to do this time around but we will see.
