Is Baker Mayfield close to finding a new home? NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday morning that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were looking to make a move on Mayfield when free agency officially begins next week. This would lead to a quarterback competition between Mayfield and second-year pro Kyle Trask to determine who will fill the void left by Tom Brady.
When free agency begins, the #Bucs are expected to target ex-#Rams QB Baker Mayfield as a potential starting QB option, per me and @MikeGarafolo. This could be competition for Kyle Trask, their former 2nd-round pick, who the team likes a lot. As TB plots life without Tom Brady… pic.twitter.com/9PmbTG0tYW
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2023
Baker Mayfield Comeback Player of the Year Odds
Per DraftKings Sportsbook, Baker Mayfield (+3000) is still a longshot to win the Comeback Player of the Year. Those odds put him behind 25 other players, including favorites Damar Hamlin (+150), Trey Lance (+650), Tua Tagovailoa (+700), Lamar Jackson (+800), Russell Wilson (+850) and Cooper Kupp (+900).
The 2022-23 season was a whirlwind for Mayfield. After starting the season as the Carolina Panthers starting quarterback, Mayfield was eventually benched and relegated to third string before being granted his release midseason. He was then signed by the Los Angeles Rams and was quickly thrust into duty for a Thursday Night Football game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Mayfield led the Rams to an improbable comeback win after trailing by two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter in what ended up being one of the most memorable games of the 2022-23 season.
Mayfield went 2-3 in the games played for the Rams at the end of the season and showed some improvements working with offensive-minded head coach Sean McVay. He completed 63.6% of his passes for the Rams, throwing for 850 yards and four touchdowns.
“He’s left a huge impression and I think all of his teammates would echo that same sentiment,” McVay said of Mayfield, per SI. “Been really impressed with him. I don’t think you can minimize how quickly he’s come in, endeared himself to his teammates, get familiar with some of the vernacular, the verbiage.
“Then you’re going out and playing NFL-caliber football games.”
With the Rams getting quarterback Matthew Stafford back from injury, they likely do not have a spot on the roster for Mayfield, leaving the quarterback to start another chapter in his eventful career. The Buccaneers are left with few options given their cap space situation, so a Mayfield gamble would make a lot of sense.
Still, the Baker Mayfield Comeback Player of the Year odds show that he isn’t getting much respect from betting markets, and it could be the start of a long rebuild in Tampa Bay.
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