Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield is coming off a 2023 season highlighted by a career resurgence of throwing for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns, a 64.3 completion percentage, which was the highest he’s ever had, and he only threw 10 interceptions, which was his lowest amount of turnovers when playing a full season.
So naturally, the next question is what can Baker Mayfield do for an encore?
Mayfield’s play did not go unappreciated, as he got paid by the Bucs this offseason with a three-year, $100 million deal, including $50 million in guaranteed money. Not too bad for a quarterback that needed to prove he can still be a starting-caliber player.
But with that big contract comes bigger expectations as well for Baker Mayfield and the Bucs.
Can he do it again?
There may not be a more important question than that in Tampa Bay this year.
If Mayfield can continue his high level of play the Bucs can avoid the pitfalls that other teams have gotten into when shoveling out piles of money to a player, only for the results to be less than what was expected.
Consistency has always been an issue for Baker Mayfield and that played out in Tampa Bay during his first season with the team. The Bucs began the year rolling with a 3-1 start.
However, the team went on to lose six of its next seven games as the season quickly spiraled, only for Tampa Bay to rally from a 4-7 hole and win five of its last six to capture a third straight division title. Winning 10 games, including a playoff victory at home against the Eagles, was fun, but more consistency from Mayfield can lead to more success for the Bucs in 2024.
Tampa Bay made it to the second round of the postseason. Improved play from Mayfield can take the team even further in his second year with the Bucs.
Todd Bowles Talks About Where Baker Mayfield Can Improve In 2024
At the NFL Annual Meeting in Orlando, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles discussed what the team needs to get from its starting quarterback this year.
“Always little things,” Bowles said. “There’s still the grasp of the offense. Obviously from Dave (Canales) to Liam (Coen) calling plays you have to get a better feel even though they’ve been together, they haven’t been together like this starting from scratch for a full year. Just take command of the offense and make the adjustments. He did that last year, but there’s still some nuances that we can get better at. He’ll be the first to tell you that.
“Some nuances he can get better at to make us more efficient. Would like him to slide a little bit more when he can [when scrambling]. Don’t want to take away none of his competitiveness, but just commanding the offense and putting us in great positions to put the ball where it needs to be and continue to do that.”
Baker Mayfield has been staying in Tampa this offseason in preparation for what’s ahead in the 2024 season, which includes he and his wife, Emily, expecting their first child in March. For the first time since the 2021 offseason, Mayfield has been in a spot where he has more familiarity than usual.
“Just knowing that we can settle in and truly make a difference,” Mayfield said two weeks ago. “Whether it’s with the organization and throughout the community, that we can truly be rooted and kind of have a ‘boots on the ground’ mentality to make a difference and see that through. It’s a special feeling.”
Bowles loves the fact that his quarterback will not only be under contract with the Bucs for three more seasons, but that’s he staying in Tampa year-round.
“That’s been great,” Bowles said of Mayfield. “He always wants to get better. Baker’s been fighting his whole life, most of us have, but he has as well. He’ll continue to do that, that’s not going to change one bit.”
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