Buccaneers' Todd Bowles shares massive Baker Mayfield news

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles spoke with reporters Friday and gave the update on quarterback Baker Mayfield that Tampa Bay fans wanted to hear ahead of Sunday's regular-season finale at the 2-14 Carolina Panthers. 

"He's full-go," Bowles said about Mayfield, as shared by the Buccaneers' website. "He'll be ready to go on Sunday. I expect him to be the same as he always was."

Mayfield suffered an injury to his ribs late in last Sunday's 23-13 loss to the New Orleans Saints, and the 28-year-old was then a limited participant in Thursday's practice. Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales revealed on Thursday that Mayfield "looked pretty good" and "ripped a couple of balls down the field" during the session, and Bowles insisted on Friday he's not concerned about the first pick of the 2018 NFL Draft being slowed by his latest setback at Carolina's Bank of America Stadium.

"We just can't let him get hit," Bowles added about his QB1. 

Had Mayfield been deemed unable to start or play against the Panthers, 2021 second-round draft pick Kyle Trask would've received the nod. Trask has never started a regular-season game and has attempted just 10 total official passes as a pro. 

8-8 Tampa Bay would claim the NFC South division title and a playoff berth with a victory over Carolina regardless of what happens elsewhere thanks to the tiebreaker advantage the Buccaneers hold over the 8-8 Saints. 

According to ESPN stats, Mayfield enters the weekend ranked ninth among qualified signal-callers with a 95.9 passer rating, tied for fourth with 28 touchdown passes and eighth with 3,907 yards through the air on the season. As of Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Mayfield third among the betting favorites at +1300 odds to win the Comeback Player of the Year Award for the campaign. Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin topped the list at -275 odds at that time.