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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is perhaps a great example of the quote "change is as good as a holiday," because Baker has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in football since moving to the NFC South franchise.
After bouncing around from the Carolina Panthers to the Los Angeles Rams after being moved on by the Cleveland Browns, Mayfield is now settled in Tampa, and it shows on the field.
Baker's career resurgence, which has included back-to-back playoff appearances, two division titles, and two Pro Bowl nods, is an interesting storyline heading into 2025.
Can he do it all again? And how does he rate?
Questions solved.
While there are skeptics, CBS Sports ranks Mayfield at No. 11 among all 32 starting quarterbacks.
"It wasn't just the 41 touchdown passes that confirmed him as dangerous in 2024," CBS Sports writes."It was the mettle he brought to a lineup often affected by injuries. His scrappiness is infectious in Tampa."
One could easily say that in his two seasons with the Buccaneers, Mayfield has been around the top 10 to 15 quarterbacks in football.
So his ranking here of 11 feels about right. But no doubt he wants to be higher.
The Buccaneers are again expected to win the NFC South, which will be for a fifth consecutive time, and playoffs are the bare minimum for expectations in 2025.
Both of those "should" be accomplished, and that would mean Mayfield plays at a reasonably high level for a third straight year.
The big question is whether it can be a deep playoff run, which, for most, is the one thing holding them back from being fully bought into what Mayfield is selling on the field.
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Patriots stars react to HC Mike Vrabel getting bloodied while breaking up camp fight
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel likely won the respect of his team Wednesday. However, he may have needed a few stitches afterward. The Patriots hosted a joint practice with the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. New England rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson took a Commanders pass-rusher to the ground in pass protection, resulting in a scuffle. Vrabel then jumped in to help stop the fight. His face was bloodied after both teams calmed down. Patriots second-year quarterback Drake Maye loved that his coach was willing to step in. In a news conference after practice, the 22-year-old passer said that's the mentality the team needs. "That's what we're trying to build," he said. "The intensity, bringing it every day, taking no cr-p when we're out on the field. But also, it comes a time where, with our guys offensively, and getting over there and getting some tussles and kind of having some penalties, and extra after the whistle, can get us in trouble. But for mentality, I like it. I mean, I almost got in there, but I think maybe another day, maybe." His new coach doesn't want the QB to get in any brawls. The Patriots are banking on the third overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft being the franchise's future. Plus, he doesn't need to worry about the Patriots' intensity with Vrabel in the building. New England wide receiver DeMario Douglas noted the former linebacker didn't seem rattled after breaking up the scrap. "I said, 'Coach, what's wrong with you?' And he said, 'You should have seen the other guy,'" Douglas told the media while smiling. "I just saw the scar on his face but didn't know what was happening." Vrabel likely sent two messages at Wednesday's practice. He won't tolerate an undisciplined team but also has his players' backs. That could go a long way for a Patriots squad aiming to improve after a 4-13 season.
Sophie Cunningham, Sparks HC react to third incident of object tossed onto court
Over the past couple of years, the WNBA has seen a major uptick in ratings and overall fan engagement. Unfortunately, that has also come with negative attention. It may have reached a new low, as there have now been three separate incidents in which a fan has thrown a sex toy on the court. This time, it nearly hit Indiana Fever veteran Sophie Cunningham during a matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday. Cunningham had already joked about it on social media, and given her outspoken nature and reputation as a bit of an instigator, she didn't shy away from it: She also laughed it up on her Instagram story: Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts, however, didn't think it was a laughing matter. Following the game, she put the fans on blast for their "stupid" behavior. "It's ridiculous. It's dumb. It's stupid," Roberts said, per Yahoo Sports. "It's also dangerous, and you know, player safety is No. 1, respecting the game, all those things. I think it's really stupid." There's no place for any of this in sports, much less in women's sports. The league needs to crack down on this and take the necessary measures to prevent it from happening ever again. The WNBA is finally thriving after years of surviving, and while the fans will eventually grow to respect the product, not all publicity is good publicity.
Green Bay Packers: Slo-Mo Video of Jordan Love’s Insane 55-Yard TD Bomb to Romeo Doubs Goes Viral
Jalen Milroe Surges Past Former NFL Starter on First Seattle Seahawks Depth Chart
Despite being viewed as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe ended up sliding into the third round. The 22-year-old who was the starter for Alabama for two seasons was selected with the No. 92 pick by the Seattle Seahawks. Although every player's dream is to go in the first round, Milroe likely couldn't have gone to a better situation. There is virtually no pressure on him as the Seahawks signed former Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Sam Darnold, to a three-year, $100.5 million contract this offseason, and also have Drew Lock, who has started 28 career games on the roster as well. However, based on ESPN's initial depth chart, Milroe may be climbing the depth chart sooner than most expected. Seattle Seahawks Depth Chart As reported by ESPN, the Seahawks depth chart goes as follows: QB1: Sam Darnold QB2 Jalen Milroe QB3 Drew Lock If this truly ends up being the case, Milroe has taken major strides following his final season at Alabama. During his final year in Tuscaloosa, Milroe was criticized heavily for forcing passes into windows that weren't there after being late on reads. In his final season at Alabama, Milroe threw a career-high 11 interceptions to just 16 touchdowns, an increase of five more interceptions than he threw in 2023. Although training camp is still ongoing and the preseason games have yet to be played, clearly, Milroe is finding some success in the pacific northwest.
Could Cowboys use nuclear option with Micah Parsons?
There seems to be a sense that the situation between Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys is much different than the negotiations that happened last year for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys announced their new deal with Prescott hours before they played their season opener against the Cleveland Browns. Lamb signed his contract extension on Aug. 27, after Dallas' preseason schedule. Per Michael Silver of The Athletic, there are "bruised" feelings between owner Jerry Jones, executive vice president Stephen Jones and Parsons. The Jones family believed they had a deal in place with Parsons, but the star pass rusher is unhappy that the front office won't work with his agent, David Mulugheta. Because Parsons showed up to training camp this summer, he lost leverage, and Dallas has several unsavory options to use if no agreement is reached by the beginning of the season. The Cowboys could shut the four-time Pro Bowler down for the season if he leaves camp or could eventually suspend him. "Now, if Parsons were to leave camp in protest, the Cowboys could send him a “five-day letter”— giving them the right to put him on the reserve/left squad list if he doesn’t return within five days.," Silver wrote. "Once placed on that list, a player is shut down for the season, without pay, and his contract tolls to the following year... "Time will tell, but if Jones is miscalculating and things get ugly, I wouldn’t rule out a trade, a suspension (and accompanying grievance), or other scenarios that might keep Cowboys fans up at night." Parsons would be receiving the same treatment the Miami Heat gave Jimmy Butler before they traded him to the Golden State Warriors, by suspending him from the team. That wouldn't be ideal for the Cowboys' hopes in the regular season, but nothing about the way Jones is handling talks this summer is setting up Dallas to compete with the Philadelphia Eagles. Jones should have finalized a deal with Parsons' agent before T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby signed their contract extensions. Handshake deals have an early expiration date. Dallas will be worse off this season without Parsons on the field. Jones needs to get over his hurt feelings and do what's best for the other 52 guys on the regular season roster and first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Pay Parsons the market rate, or find someone who will and make a trade.
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