Buccaneers experiencing buyer's remorse with Baker Mayfield after 0-2 start

Per Sumer Sports data, Mayfield was ineffective when pressured, producing an ugly 21.4 percent success rate while going 6-of-11 for 48 yards and taking three sacks.

When Tampa needed him most, its franchise quarterback couldn't deliver, either. Facing a 4th-and-11 from Cleveland's 20-yard line with 22 seconds left in regulation, Mayfield sailed a pass up the seam, giving his receiver no chance of coming down with the ball.

During training camp, Mayfield, who was previously set to play in 2026 on an expiring contract, and the Bucs were at a stalemate in contract negotiations, with reports suggesting Tampa's initial offers came in well short of $50M annually, the going rate for a top-tier starter.

Before the season started, the front office blinked and handed him an extension, which at the time was viewed as a proactive measure to avoid renewed negotiations during the offseason. But after two weeks, it could position the Bucs as the next team to be bit by a catastrophic quarterback contract.

The Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins are limited this season because of bloated deals to former starting quarterbacks Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa, while the Browns are still suffering from Watson's fully guaranteed $230M contract. Having a slightly annoyed quarterback is much preferable to one paid considerably more than his production indicates he deserves, yet Tampa doesn't appear to have learned from others' failures.

With so much money tied to Mayfield going forward, Tampa needs him to be its best player, not among its biggest limitations. If he can't get on track, the Bucs will pay for it for years to come.