Baker Mayfield is running out of time in the NFL

Now that Tom Brady is (supposedly) gone forever, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need a quarterback. It was reported by NFL Network that the Bucs are targeting former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield. The Bucs could be looking to Mayfield to compete with former second-round pick Kyle Trask for the start Job.

Mayfield has seen a sustained decline in recent years. It’s weird because his Supporters are so open whenever he has this one time spectacular game and then goes completely silent as soon as he returns to EArt. Despite all the hype surrounding Baker, he still hasn’t quite lived up to it.

In ClevelandIt was always the fault of others. Whether it was the front office for building the team or specific players like Odell beckham jr (until his father got Baker into high gear), the blame usually falls on shoulders other than Baker. That rah-rah, chip-on-shoulder attitude was enough to propel Mayfield through high school and college, but it barely kept him afloat in the NFL.

Slippery slope

Baker is on the Carson Wentz plan, since he is also running out of opportunities. If Mayfield does end up in Tampa Bay and can’t beat Trask, or for some reason it just doesn’t work out, not too many teams are going to bang his door down to put him back in the lead. Wentz spent a year in Washington and the same time in Indianapolis before his welcome was exhausted.

The former Oklahoma Sooner appears to be headed in the same general direction if he is unable to return to the track in 2023. He doesn’t necessarily have to suddenly be great, just above average, as he was during parts of his stay in Cleveland. Mayfield sometimes showed breakthrough flashes, but never cleared this hurdle cleanly. Now he is threatened with being out of the league sooner or later.

Teams may be asking for another year or two, but Mayfield doesn’t feel like a long-term backup. Much like Cam Newton, Mayfield doesn’t appear to be doing well just as a backup over the next five years. A good quality is that he always wants to compete. If Mayfield fails as QB1 with whatever team lands him this year, it could be for his prospects as an NFL starter. Then we’ll see if that ego of Baker can handle being just a backup with no real chance of touching the field all season long for multiple years. Don’t be shocked if you see Baker in the USFL, XFL or Arena Football League in the next few years.

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