Buccaneers Let 'Gunslinging' Baker Mayfield Loose In 'Best-Case' Scenario

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Adam Schultz | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 9:45 PM ET

One can say with some authority that the Baker Mayfield "experiment," if you will, for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been a resounding success.

Back-to-back division titles, a playoff win, and the best season of his career in 2024 (4,500 passing yards and 41 touchdowns) have marked a superb career resurgence for Baker.

However, the Buccaneers, despite their impressive work, have not achieved anything substantial in the postseason, with the 2023 Divisional Round loss to the Detroit Lions being the closest they've come.

Last year, Tampa was one-and-done after falling to Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders, but for CBS Sports, in a best-case scenario, the Buccaneers make it to the NFC Conference Championship in 2025.

"Todd Bowles finally settles in after quietly claiming three straight NFC South titles, letting both the gunslinging Baker Mayfield and a restocked pass rush loose, and the Bucs go all the way to the NFC title game," CBS Sports writes.

The offense, we think, is set, and it will likely come down to whether the defense, which added Haason Reddick, can see enough improvement to become a top unit in the conference.

Mayfield and the offense will put up points with an embarrassment of riches at the receiver position, plus Bucky Irving, but it is the defense and its ability to get off the field that will be a key watch, so too the secondary.

Many are sleeping on the Buccaneers in 2025, with only a handful of analysts seeing something positive to come from Todd Bowles' team, and if everything clicks at the right time, then this Tampa Bay team might be ready to ascend.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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