Baker Mayfield is the only person holding him back heading into what should be his best season yet with the Bucs
Hallelujah, it's happening: Baker Mayfield will be in the same system in back-to-back years for the first time since the 2020-2021 seasons.Well, it's essentially the same system. Sure, there will be tweaks throughout, but new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard will carry over the vast majority of what Liam Coen installed in 2024. Either way, it's still […]
Hallelujah, it's happening: Baker Mayfield will be in the same system in back-to-back years for the first time since the 2020-2021 seasons.
Well, it's essentially the same system. Sure, there will be tweaks throughout, but new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard will carry over the vast majority of what Liam Coen installed in 2024.
Either way, it's still fair to use the word "continuity" heading into 2025. Especially since the Bucs offense returns all 11 starters from last year, on top of several depth pieces, as well.
In all, it puts Mayfield in an excellent spot to have the best year of his career. However, when listening to Bucs coaches, it may be something else that gets him to the top in 2025.
"He's always out to prove himself, but he's his own worst enemy, right?" Bucs quarterbacks coach Thaddeus Lewis told reporters. "I just have to get him out of harm's way. I like his competitive nature, but I don't like it to the expense where he keeps getting hit and he won't be available…
"… So you know, just to get him to start being smart, take less hits, you know, throw it away, maybe get down and only, you know, be competitive in situations called "gotta have it" situations. You know, first down, touchdown, end of the game, things like that. I love him to death. I wouldn't trade him for anything or his competitive nature."
Let's go ahead and get this out of the way: Lewis is absolutely correct in wanting to preserve Mayfield's health. If the veteran quarterback goes down for the entire season or an extended portion then this team is in trouble.
At the same time, however, Mayfield's play style can lead to great things for the Bucs offense. So, you don't want to remove that from his game. Fortunately, Lewis has the blueprint, which is the compartmentalization process he mentioned ealrier.
Mayfield needs to save those moments for when the Bucs absolutely need them and not just at any moment. Using his head to pick and choose those spots as opposed to a battering ram is exactly how he needs to proceed.
"I would want that guy to show up in the "gotta have it" moments," said Lewis. "Early in the game, if it's not, if it's not there, I would prefer him to throw it away or get down. Or, in instances, check it down, add to the punt, you know, let's play a little team ball. We got a good defense – let's flip the field. We don't have to get it all in one shot. In certain instances, he thought he had to put us on his back and make certain plays like that, which he did, and you know, there's a fine line to that.
"But now that's the thing that you fine tune. Okay, when and when not, and if we can get that under control and limit the turnovers, then I think we can be unstoppable as a team."
"He plays the game like a UFC fighter and [we're] trying to take a couple of the hits off of him, and not playing like that all the time," Josh Grizzard told reporters. "And we addressed that not only [with] him, but with the whole unit on the turnovers. [They] were unacceptable.. [and it's] something that needs to go down from what it was last year."
It all makes senses. Less is more for Mayfield in 2025 and beyond. The best part is he has a great infrastructure around him to help take the heat off, so to speak.
As mentioned earlier, the Bucs have an excellent rushing attack. They also have what should be a Top-10, at worst, offensive line heading into 2025. The quintet of Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredeson, Graham Barton, Cody Mauch, and Luke Goedeke is the exact same group from last year and they should take another step this year as both offensive line coaches Kevin Carberry and Brian Picucci are back in the fold, as well.
And, of course, there's the fact he finally has continuity in the form of the offensive system he operates within.
"That's the next step for him, you know, and it's gonna be moving forward," said Lewis. "Because the older you get, your ability and mobility go away sometimes. So you have to be smart and, you know, just to start getting him to play heady and understand situations and getting out of harm's way. That'll help us a lot, because that also will limit turnovers, because he's thinking in that manner.
"You don't have to be Superman."
It's a reflection of where the Bucs are as a whole, which is an elite offense. Everyone will have their turn to play their own version of the man in the red cape, it's a matter of when and not if.
Like Lewis says, if Mayfield can wait until it's his turn in the rotation instead of forcing it, then this team will be onto big things. Only Mayfield can make that happen when it's all said and done and it'll be very interesting to see if he pulls it off.
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have one of the NFL's best wide receiver duos in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Both players are well-respected, but when it comes to their status as the "best" WR duo, well, that's to be debated. However, it's hard to argue against the idea of the Bucs having the NFL's best […]
