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Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield will need a big preseason if he hopes to earn a starting spot with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Mayfield signed with the Buccaneers this offseason and was assumed to be the man who would take the reins from Tom Brady in Tampa Bay. However, Mayfield has struggled so far in camp and Kyle Trask is hot on his heels — so much so that the Bucs named the duo “co-starters,” according to Buccaneers.com.
Mayfield will get an opportunity to avoid another potential career setback by starting in the preseason on Friday, August 11, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Trask will get the nod against the New York Jets the following week.
Mayfield has a clear edge in experience. He has 69 starts to his name and has already seen a lot in his career. Trask has no resume to speak of at the NFL level. He appeared in just one game as a rookie last season, completing 3-of-9 passes for 23 yards.
Baker Mayfield’s Turnover Issues Proving Costly
The Bucs have been fairly mum on the quarterback battle, not clearly backing either candidate and being careful with what is said publicly.
“It’s been a healthy competition. They have a great relationship. Whoever wins the battle, I think the other one will back them up wholeheartedly,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said during an appearance on NFL Network.
Some in the national media, including former Browns general manager Michael Lombardi, have said Trask will be the pick, with Mayfield’s history with turnovers playing a factor in the decision.
“I don’t think it will be Mayfield. I think it will be Trask,” Lombardi said during an interview with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on SiriusXM Radio recently. “Mayfield turns the ball over. Mayfield didn’t play well at all last year. And if Kyle Trask does anything this summer, I think it will be Kyle Trask.
Browns fans are familiar with Mayfield’s propensity for turning the ball over. In his final season with the Browns, Mayfield tossed 13 interceptions. In all, he tossed 56 picks with the Browns over four seasons — including a 21-interception campaign in 2019.
Baker Mayfield Has Been on Downward Spiral Since Shoulder Injury
The Browns made Mayfield the top overall pick in 2018, and for a bit it looked like he could be the face of the franchise in Cleveland. He helped lead the team to the postseason and a playoff victory during the 2020 season. However, a shoulder injury in 2021 derailed his career in Cleveland, and the Browns decided to make a blockbuster move for Deshaun Watson the following offseason.
Mayfield moved on to the Carolina Panthers via trade and things quickly got ugly. He lost his starting spot and the Panthers later decided to release him. Mayfield had a solid stint with the Los Angeles Rams to close out last season and likely saved his career, or at least the opportunity to compete for a starting role.
Mayfield acknowledged after signing with the Buccaneers that his confidence took a hit with all the adversity, but he said he felt like he was in a good spot.
“There were times where, kind of searching in the mirror thinking, ‘All right. What’s next? What do I need to do?’ But you’ve got to relate it back to your success,” Mayfield said in March. “If I can review all the situations and experiences I’ve had and trust in those, and learn from them and not just harp on the negative stuff but take away just a little thing each time, that’s how you continue to grow. And I still believe that all the experiences I’ve gone through happened for a reason, and it’s going to help me in the long run.”
Mayfield is now in the spotlight and will have to put his best foot forward against the Steelers to prove he belongs atop the depth chart in Tampa Bay.
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