Buccaneers' Todd Bowles confirms Baker Mayfield timeline after thumb injury

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost more than just a game when they fell to 0-3 on the season via a 23-16 defeat against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, as Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield went down with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand late in the contest. 

While Tampa Bay avoided a potential catastrophe related to that setback, the winless club will be without its QB1 for multiple games. 

How many games will Baker Mayfield miss while injured?

Per ESPN and the JoeBucsFan website, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles confirmed while speaking with reporters on Monday that Mayfield will "probably" be sidelined for "a minimum of three weeks" due to the thumb injury. Tampa Bay hosts the 1-2 Green Bay Packers on Oct. 4, and the Buccaneers will then play a "Thursday Night Football" game at the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 8. In Week 6, the Buccaneers will host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 18. 

A June report shared that some people within the Buccaneers were allegedly concerned that Mayfield could continue to "neglect" his health via his "UFC" playing style. Nevertheless, the Buccaneers signed him to a three-year contract extension reportedly worth $165M before the club's opening game of the ongoing campaign. 

Mayfield will now miss meaningful starts for the first time as a Tampa Bay signal-caller. 

What Baker Mayfield injury could mean for Buccaneers beyond Week 4

Jalon Daniels, an undrafted rookie, will start in Mayfield's place against the Packers. He is an unproven commodity as a pro, as the three passes he attempted against the Vikings were the first regular-season throws of his young career. 

It was suggested before the Buccaneers opened the campaign with three straight losses that team ownership could fire Bowles in January if he ultimately endures a second straight losing season. It now appears that Bowles will have to rely on Daniels to become somewhat of a revelation and right the ship for the Buccaneers, beginning with the Week 4 game against Green Bay at Raymond James Stadium.

Shortly after Bowles offered his update, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Buccaneers as 3.5-point home underdogs against the Packers.