Baker Mayfield is actually not the largest beginning quarterback within the NFL. Undersized at 6-foot-1, 215 kilos, there are at all times considerations that smaller quarterbacks like Mayfield are extra damage inclined and might’t stand up to the punishment doled out by 300-pound defensive linemen over a 17-game season.
That could be one of many considerations that the Bucs are coping with when making an attempt to evaluate Mayfield’s worth as he prepares to hit the free agent market.
However maybe it shouldn’t be, as Mayfield was fairly sturdy and battled by means of some accidents in his first season in Tampa Bay, beginning all 19 video games, together with two playoff appearances.
It’s believed that Mayfield’s wage ground begins at $30 million per 12 months, and there may be an argument that he may fetch as a lot as $40 million per 12 months, which is what New York Giants QB Daniel Jones makes. Mayfield is a significantly better quarterback than Jones is.
Nothing can derail a group from having success like an damage to the beginning quarterback.
And that’s one thing the Bucs might want to consider when deciding how a lot Mayfield is price.
However historical past exhibits that Mayfield has proven exceptional sturdiness throughout his enjoying days, courting again to Oklahoma the place he received the Heisman Trophy in 2017. Mayfield by no means missed a begin for the Sooners, enjoying in all 40 video games over his last three seasons at Oklahoma.
Baker Mayfield Has Confirmed To Be Sturdy All through His NFL Profession
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: USA Right this moment
Baker Mayfield has began 86 of the 89 video games he’s performed in throughout his six-year NFL profession. That makes him some of the dependable QBs regardless of being one the league’s smaller starters.
Actually, he didn’t miss a begin because of damage throughout his first three seasons within the league. Mayfield led Cleveland to a 10-6 report and a playoff win at Pittsburgh within the 2020 season, which was his third 12 months within the league, earlier than accidents interfered together with his efficiency and the Browns’ degree of success in 2021.
In 2021, Mayfield missed one recreation after testing optimistic for COVID-19 and two different video games because of a labrum damage in his left shoulder. Mayfield went 6-8 as a starter that 12 months, throwing 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions after posting a career-best 26 TDs and simply eight INTs the 12 months earlier than in 2020.
That statistical downturn led the Browns group to pursue a commerce for Houston’s Deshaun Watson and Cleveland traded the primary general choose within the 2018 draft to Carolina in the summertime of 2022.
In 2022 with Carolina, Mayfield missed three video games with an ankle sprain earlier than being benched and later waived later within the season at his request. He began six of the seven video games he performed in with the Panthers, going 1-5 as a starter. After being picked up on waivers by Los Angeles, Mayfield began 4 of 5 video games with the Rams and went 1-3 as a starter.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: USA Right this moment
In 2023, Mayfield handled knee, ankle, thumb and rib accidents however didn’t miss a single recreation in his first season in Tampa Bay. He began all 17 video games for the Bucs, and solely missed a few snaps at Indianapolis after injuring his knee on a QB sneak on the primary drive of the sport earlier than returning to motion.
Granted, Mayfield’s efficiency was effected by a few of his accidents in the course of the season. Most notably at Carolina the place he was coping with a rib damage after which reinjured his knee after being sacked. The Bucs failed to attain a landing in a 9-0 win, however Mayfield accomplished 20-of-32 passes for less than 137 yards and had three potential interceptions dropped by Panthers defenders.
Nonetheless, Mayfield’s grit and willpower received out because the Bucs defeated their division rival and received the group’s third straight NFC South championship in Week 18.
A part of the explanation for the Bucs being atop the NFC South for thus lengthy is the truth that Tampa Bay has had superior beginning quarterback expertise courting again to 2020, but in addition the truth that the Bucs’ beginning QB has not missed a single begin over that span.
QB Well being Has Been The Major Purpose Bucs Proceed To Win The NFC South
Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photograph by: Cliff Welch
It was fairly exceptional that Tom Brady continued to be extremely sturdy into his early 40s. Arriving in Tampa Bay in free company at age 42 in 2020, Brady helped the Bucs win Tremendous Bowl LV regardless of enjoying with a knee damage all the season. Brady performed by means of ache and discomfort and didn’t miss a single begin because the Bucs went 11-6 and received the second Tremendous Bowl in franchise historical past that season.
After having postseason surgical procedure on his knee in 2021, Brady led the Bucs to their first of three straight NFC South titles with a franchise-record 12 wins and by no means missed a begin. The following 12 months at age 45, Brady would play his final season within the NFL because the Bucs received back-to-back division championships.
Brady would finish his Tampa Bay profession beginning all 50 common season video games over his three years with the Bucs, ending with a 32-18 report. He additionally began all seven Bucs playoff video games from 2020-22, going 5-2 as a starter throughout that span.
Baker Mayfield continued that pattern with 19 begins out of 19 video games final 12 months in his first season in Tampa Bay, ending with a 10-9 report.
Bucs FS Antoine WInfield Jr. and Falcons QB Desmond Ridder – Photograph by: USA Right this moment
In the meantime, Carolina has received simply 19 video games during the last 4 years courting again to 2020. And the Panthers have began six completely different quarterbacks during the last 4 seasons – some because of damage and a few because of ineffectiveness.
New Orleans was the final group to win the NFC South again in 2020 throughout Drew Brees’ last NFL season. Over the past 4 years, the Saints have began seven completely different quarterbacks because of both damage or ineffectiveness, which is a giant motive why they haven’t made the playoffs over the previous three seasons.
Matt Ryan made the Falcons a harmful group in his prime with six playoff appearances, two division titles and a Tremendous Bowl look throughout his 14-year run as Atlanta’s starter. Ryan’s final 12 months in Atlanta was in 2022, and since 2020 the Falcons have began 4 completely different quarterbacks. That, and Ryan’s decline in the course of the 2020 and 2021 seasons, are the the explanation why Atlanta is at the moment in a six-year playoff drought.
If the Bucs do re-sign Baker Mayfield, who turns 29 in April and is predicted to have a number of suitors in free company, to a profitable extension this offseason they’ll cross their fingers and hope that he stays sturdy by means of the period of his contract. However judging by Mayfield’s historical past of battling by means of accidents, his sturdiness shouldn’t be an enormous concern whilst he edges nearer to age 30.
