What To Expect From Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield In 2024

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has seen his career hit lows not many quarterbacks have rebounded from. However, Mayfield has managed to bounce back in spectacular fashion.

Thus far in his career, he has managed to help resurrect the Cleveland Browns as well as succeed Tom Brady in a way Bill Belichick failed to pull off. That said, every year is a new year in the NFL. Will Mayfield take off or crash and burn in his sophomore outing with the Buccaneers?

Here’s a look at what one can expect.

According to Spotrac, the Buccaneers themselves have decent expectations, but don’t believe they have found a Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson-esque solution. Rather, they believe they have found a decent quarterback who won’t embarrass the franchise, but has a relatively clear ceiling that’s lower than the Super Bowl.

As such, with Mayfield already reaching the playoffs in his first season, it may not get much better. In fact, the Buccaneers are open to the potential for a disappointing follow-up season.

The team has given Mayfield a deal that can run through 2026. That said, there is an out that is baked into the deal which can take place as soon as 2025. This means that the Buccaneers will be financially incentivized to move on after the season if Mayfield struggles this year.

Baker Mayfield will be required to pivot to a new set of tricks in 2024

With Mayfield, there are two big factors determining his success. First, the bright side is he will have Mike Evans and Chris Godwin back for another season. With a year of work to establish chemistry now done, the offense could be even more more lethal.

However, the biggest question is whether the quarterback’s game can become more complicated for opposing defenses. After an entire off-season of defenses watching him work with the Buccaneers, rivals will have a clearer plan of attack. If Mayfield can pivot to a new set of tricks seamlessly, he will be just fine. If he can’t, on the other hand, he’s heading for a potential brick wall.

Mayfield threw for the most touchdowns of his career last season, so the odds appear high that he will see a cool-down this season of sorts. That said, he has proven to have roughly a six-win floor on even the most difficult teams when given a stable situation.

So, a floor of about six wins and a ceiling of about nine or 10 wins are in the cards for Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers with a potential playoff game.

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