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Free agency rumors of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield persist, but offensive coordinator Dave Canales named the biggest reason to re-sign him.
“Continuity is huge, right? But we all know every team is going to be different,” Canales told reporters on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s Divisional Round game in Detroit. “Even the guys that come back are all going to be different.”
“There are contract things, there are family things, people are getting married, people are having kids, there are deaths in the family — it really changes each player, individually,” Canales continued. “It becomes really important for us to reconnect as we come back in after the season, whenever that happens.”
Tampa Bay could see its season end on Saturday against the Lions, but the Buccaneers could keep the Cinderella playoff run going, led by Mayfield. He signed as a free agent in March 2023 after bouncing around four teams in a year, and Mayfield looked more like the heralded 2018 No. 1 pick as he threw for a career high 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Mayfield staying with the Buccaneers might not be enough to build on 2023’s success. The Buccaneers also need to re-sign wide receiver Mike Evans, safety Antoine Winfield Jr., and linebackers Lavonte David and Devin White.
“Having some of those big, key pieces — very important, very important for us going forward,” Canales said.
Dave Canales: ‘It Starts With His Mentality’
Mayfield dealt with ankle and rib injuries down the final stretch of the regular season, and it didn’t stop him from putting together a franchise-best performance against the Philadelphia Eagles. He threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns for a 119.8 quarterback rating in a 32-9 Wild Card game win on Monday.
“It starts with his mentality. I think, for him, it was like, ‘Here’s our game — this is the only one we’ve got. There’s no saving myself for next week.’ There’s no thought that way — it’s this game is the most important. He woke up feeling good, he had all day to rest and recover and be ready,” Canales said.
Dave Canales: ‘For Me, it Starts With My Faith’
Canales also reflected with gratitude on the season thus far amid the turnaround and playoff win.
“For me, it starts with my faith,” Canales said. “It’s about this amazing story that the Lord is telling. It’s about the timing of being here at this right time. It’s Baker for this moment.”
“For me, that allows me to rise above the pressure of, ‘You’ve got to do this, you’ve got to do that.’ I know there’s high expectations every single week and nothing is promised for us,” Canales continued.
“If I can keep the big picture of just how amazing this moment is, then it just dissolves all that pressure and it allows me to stay focused, stay connected with the guys — especially during the games, when it gets heated. It’s like, ‘Let’s come off, let’s talk, let’s work through it together.’ [It’s about] maintaining that togetherness and gratitude of where we’re at,” Canales concluded.
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