Predicting what groups and gamers will do every season is a tough job. In an ideal world, each participant and workforce, on this case, the Bucs, would enhance on what they did the yr earlier than and flourish within the upcoming season. Whereas it hopefully will occur to many gamers, that’s not all the time the case for everyone. The chances are that somebody might underperform, however not to some extent the place it impacts the workforce an awesome deal.
In an article on Professional Soccer Community by Anthony DiBona, he listed one participant from every NFL workforce that might be most probably to regress this upcoming season. Sadly for Bucs followers, the participant named was quarterback Baker Mayfield. Right here’s what he needed to say about it.
“Just like (Geno) Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield loved a resurgence underneath (Dave) Canales’ watch. However now Canales has moved on to be head coach of the Carolina Panthers. Mayfield has praised his former offensive coordinator up to now, and it’ll be fascinating to see if he can proceed to succeed with out him shifting ahead.”
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Picture by: USA At this time
Clearly, a regression from Baker Mayfield could be disastrous for the Bucs, particularly after signing him to a model new costly contract. Mayfield has but to string collectively two good seasons in a row. After an 11-5 season with the Browns in 2020 during which Mayfield threw for 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns and simply eight interceptions, he performed injured the subsequent yr as his yards and touchdowns went down whereas his interceptions went as much as 13 in 14 video games performed.
A part of that was as a result of Mayfield was taking part in by means of a torn labrum, but it surely was sufficient for the Browns to resolve to maneuver on from him and commerce Mayfield to the Panthers. It didn’t get a lot better as threw eight interceptions between his time with the Panthers and Rams. Everyone knows what he did with the Bucs, although, as he had profession bests throwing for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns.
There’s a flaw within the reasoning for Mayfield’s hypothesized regression for 2024, nevertheless. Whereas he’s shedding Dave Canales, Mayfield does get to reunite with Liam Coen, who he labored with throughout his time on the Rams. It’s a coach he’s acquainted with, so the adjustment course of received’t be very arduous, plus he will get one other season with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, who are likely to elevate the video games of their quarterbacks.
Whereas the offense run by Canales is taken into account to be a quarterback-friendly offense, so is Coen’s. It ought to solely assist Mayfield attain new heights this upcoming season. If I had been betting on it, I’d say Mayfield has a greater probability of taking part in even higher than what the latter could be.
What Different Bucs Could Sluggish Down?
Bucs ILB Lavonte David and HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
If there was going to be a Bucs participant that doesn’t meet expectations this season, I wouldn’t tab Mayfield as considered one of them. Mayfield is 29 years previous and quarterbacks have extra longevity than gamers at different positions. Realistically I’d take a look at older gamers which are older that the Bucs ask to tackle quite a lot of duty.
Gamers comparable to inside linebacker Lavonte David or large receiver Mike Evans could be extra prone to drop off than Mayfield simply but. I’m not saying they’re going to, both, I’m simply mentioning that finally anticipating David and Evans to be one of the best at their place throughout the league is a excessive bar to achieve yr in and yr out.
One other participant that will fall into this class is cornerback Jamel Dean. This has extra to do with Dean’s harm historical past and inconsistency catching the soccer than it does along with his protection abilities. The Bucs want Dean to be out there and to take the ball away. Whether or not he’ll come by means of is anybody’s guess.
Hopefully, none of those ideas come to fruition. Tampa Bay will go so far as Mayfield goes they usually’ll want David, Evans and Dean too to be able to achieve success.
