Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield addresses Falcons hype, preseason predictions

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles have made it known they are well aware outsiders were naming the Atlanta Falcons NFC South favorites this season after Atlanta signed quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency.

Such comments were made before the Falcons also added big names such as pass-rusher Matthew Judon and safety Justin Simmons.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield spoke with reporters on Tuesday and indicated that the Buccaneers are focusing on themselves this summer rather than on what rivals such as the Falcons and New Orleans Saints could be by January 2025. 

"Atlanta has made some big splashes free agency-wise, and everybody is excited about it, but everybody was excited about the Saints doing the same thing last year, as well," Mayfield explained, as shared by Grant Gordon of the NFL's website. "For us -- Todd mentions it almost every day -- compete against yourself, try to get better each day, take care of the small things one step at a time and see where you're at in the end." 

One couldn't blame Mayfield, Bowles and others inside the Tampa Bay locker room for feeling at least a little disrespected as it pertains to preseason predictions. After all, the Buccaneers claimed their third consecutive NFC South title this past January, and Licht then did well during the offseason to largely keep the band together for another year.

Nevertheless, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Falcons as the betting favorites at -145 odds to win the division for the upcoming season as of Wednesday morning. That outlet had the Buccaneers at +350 odds and the Saints at +380. 

Mayfield knows staying afloat in the division race through January will be difficult, but he also suggested he hasn't yet reached his ceiling with Tampa Bay. He guided the 2023 Buccaneers to five wins across their final six regular-season games before they notched a wild-card playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. 

"We started to do the little things right and that's why we're harping on everybody doing their job and being extremely focused on the details even more so this year," Mayfield said about building upon what the Buccaneers achieved during the second half of last season. "That's why I think we've improved as the offseason and training camp goes on. That's why I feel like we can say we have an identity."

That identity includes Mayfield serving as the face of the franchise after he signed a new three-year contract to stay with the Bucs in March.