Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield shares worrisome update for Panthers game

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield sounded unsure while speaking with reporters on Wednesday if he'll be able to play through an injury to his ribs in this coming Sunday's must-win game at the 2-14 Carolina Panthers. 

"I'll do everything I can to be out there – that's for sure," Mayfield said, as shared by the Buccaneers' website. "Division on the line, playoff hopes on the line...Yeah, I'll do everything I can."

Mayfield suffered the setback late in this past Sunday's 23-13 home loss to the New Orleans Saints that prevented the Buccaneers from clinching the NFC South division title. 8-8 Tampa Bay would claim the division crown with a win in Carolina regardless of what happens elsewhere due to a tiebreaker advantage the Bucs hold over the 8-8 Saints. 

According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, it's unclear if Mayfield or 2021 second-round draft pick Kyle Trask will handle first-team duties during Thursday's practice. Trask thus far has attempted 10 career regular-season passes. 

"Obviously, I didn't exactly test it out today," Mayfield said about the Buccaneers holding a walkthrough rather than a standard practice on Wednesday. "Just more mental reps for everybody. I'm just going to see. Like I said, I haven't tested it out, so I've just got to get loose. I'm sure by the time we get closer to game time, adrenaline will be rolling, especially with where we are sitting at right now, situationally."

According to ESPN stats, Mayfield enters Week 18 ranked ninth in the NFL among qualified players with a 95.9 passer rating and tied for fourth with 28 touchdown passes on the season. He signed a one-year contract to join the Buccaneers this past offseason and, thus, doesn't know if he'll have another chance to play for the team beyond this Sunday. 

"We have a ton of confidence in ourselves, and that doesn't change with how we played (in Week 17)," Mayfield insisted. "It's just a matter of us doing our job right – keeping the focus extremely small [and] doing the little details right. Just knowing that this is our one opportunity to make the playoffs and let's go do it."

As of Wednesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Buccaneers as 4.5-point favorites against the Panthers.