How Baker Mayfield helped struggling Buccaneers rookie WR ahead of season

Back in the spring, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver and 2025 first-round draft pick Emeka Egbuka detailed how quarterback Baker Mayfield quickly emerged as a mentor and somebody to lean on during springtime workouts. 

For a piece published on Monday, ESPN's Jenna Laine expanded on Mayfield's growth as the undisputed leader of the Tampa Bay offense. 

Baker Mayfield put in extra time with Tez Johnson

Per Laine, Buccaneers rookie wideout and seventh-round draft choice Tez Johnson revealed that he felt like "bullets were flying" as he attempted to learn the offense during training camp. Mayfield offered to watch film with Johnson at 5 a.m. ahead of practices. 

"He was already here at 4:30," Johnson said about Mayfield. "He just gave me advice on how the league works and how I should think on certain routes, and that allowed me to know, 'All right, he believes in me, so I'm going to do my best of my ability to go out there and perform for him.'"

That extra work paid off in a big way when Tampa Bay's Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan were sidelined with injuries for the Week 6 game against the San Francisco 49ers before Egbuka went down with a hamstring issue. With under three minutes remaining in the third quarter of that contest, Mayfield connected with Johnson for a highlight-reel 45-yard touchdown pass: