Getty Image / Cliff Welch
For the second consecutive offseason, Baker Mayfield finds himself fighting to prove that he should be the starting quarterback for a new team.
Last offseason, he was traded to the Carolina Panthers after the Cleveland Browns replaced him with Deshaun Watson.
Mayfield went head to head with Sam Darnold to win the starting job for a team that hadn’t had particularly good quarterback play in a while.
He won the starting job, but things still didn’t work out and he ended up being released in the middle of the year. He ended the season starting for the Rams after Matthew Stafford was injured and his performances ended up being enough for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to sign him this offseason.
While this is his second consecutive offseason in a QB competition with a new team, there are some big differences this time around.
The Bucs are coming off of 3 consecutive playoff appearances and will have higher expectations for their QB than the Panthers did after having Tom Brady under center.
They also have a young QB that they could potentially be hoping will be their future at the position.
That will give Mayfield a bit extra to overcome in this camp battle.
So far, it doesn’t sound like things are going well for him.
According to FOX Sports’ Greg Auman, Baker has thrown 7 interceptions in 9 practices.
Another pick today for Baker Mayfield, as corner Jamel Dean gets an interception on low throw in 7-on-7. That’s seven INTs in nine practices for Mayfield.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) August 5, 2023
That doesn’t sound too promising for Baker Mayfield as he tries to remain a starting QB in the NFL.
He has the best group of pass catchers in his NFL career with the Bucs. If he can’t protect the ball with the weapons around him and a solid defense, then the team might try and see what they have in Kyle Trask.
Mayfield still has plenty of time to prove he’s the one the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want under center, but it seems it isn’t going too well for him so far.