Baker Mayfield Set To Start For Tampa Bay Buccaneers After Three-Game Absence

Baker Mayfield returns to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after missing three games with a thumb injury.© X/@jasrifootball

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were struggling after their tough start to the season, and the return of Baker Mayfield came at a good time. Mayfield could not afford to have any setbacks with the team after watching three straight games from the sidelines, with his last appearance being a thumb dislocation game against the Minnesota Vikings on September 27. The Buccaneers slipped to 1-5 in his absence, and things didn't get much better as they prepared for a matchup against a division rival.

Coach Todd Bowles provided the good news

Mayfield's participation in practice all week is good news. Bowles said the plan is for Mayfield to start on Sunday against Carolina. "It felt good for him, so it looks like he's ready to go," Bowles said.

"He had a normal week of practice," Bowles said.

Mayfield was officially listed as questionable for Sunday, but working out on Monday made his return a near certainty. He found a way to safely protect his injured thumb and keep his throwing ability intact.

"It's just like me wearing a glove," Mayfield said. "I can still feel everything. There's no restriction."

His return is important, as the Buccaneers' other quarterbacks on the roster, undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels and Kyle Trask, have combined to start the three games the Bucs lost without Mayfield. Daniels was expected to move back to the third string with Mayfield returning, and be the backup quarterback for Sunday's game.

Buccaneers need Baker Mayfield to fix their 1-5 start 

Mayfield's return was only one of the several things the Buccaneers had to address. As of Week 7, the Buccaneers were at the bottom of the NFC South, and the Carolina Panthers were leading the division at 3-2. Losing to Carolina would've made it even tougher for the Buccaneers to contend for the division.

Taking nothing away from Mayfield's performances before his injury, he definitely needed to improve, averaging 205 passing yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions over his first three starts.

With Mayfield set to return, the Buccaneers had an opportunity to improve their offense; he would, however, have to do it while getting used to the protective glove.

Dave Canales knew all about Mayfield from his time spent in Tampa Bay in 2023, having been Canales's offensive coordinator that season where Mayfield threw for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns.

"He's a great teammate. He's tough, so I expect to see him out there," said Canales.