CBS Sports: Bucs Are Going To “Surprise Some People”

“There’s no question about – he’s very confident, not arrogant, but he also understands that – you can see it, the way he expresses it is that he’s really out to prove to people that he is the Baker Mayfield that was the first overall pick a few years back,” Spielman said. “When you watch him on the field and watch the new offense that Tampa Bay is running, even though you are just watching them throw the ball, but they were running 11 on 11, it was mini camp. They were having pretty much a normal type of practice while we were down there. He has a really good feel for the offense.”

Having the feel for the offense is one thing. Being able to lead the other ten guys in the huddle is another. That is a strength of Mayfield’s, and he is already influencing the offense while building trust and rapport with the rest of his teammates.

“There’s no question that he is in command down there,” Spielman said. “You can tell about his leadership by the way he walked around the field, the aura about him, and the players believing in him. The one thing that I noticed was when he was throwing to the receivers, Mike Evans was kind of always in his line when he was throwing. Mike caught a couple from the other [quarterbacks] as well, but you can tell that even though they say it’s an open competition, the feeling that I got when I was sitting there watching is that there’s no question Baker will be the starting quarterback barring any injury.”

Can Baker Mayfield Be Geno Smith 2.0 for Bucs?

Regardless of Dave Canales not naming a quarterback until August, all early indications have Baker Mayfield ahead of Kyle Trask on the depth chart, and for a good reason. Yes, there was Mayfield’s 2021 season, where he played through a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. While he should be credited for toughing out an injury most would have sat through – especially with a big contract on the horizon – it ultimately hurt his status with the team and led to him being shipped to Carolina.

With the Panthers, he lost his starting spot after suffering a high-ankle sprain and returning from it only to backup P.J. Walker. After his time battling injuries, he closed the season on a high note with the Rams and now appears to be 100%.

“He threw the ball very well, looked completely healthy,” Rick Spielman said. “Now it’s different once you got real football going around and making decisions and things like that. But I was very impressed with the command he had of that offense and just the aura that he had walking around the building and in that leadership. I think that that’s that he is definitely going to be the guy in Tampa after seeing that live.”

Not only does Spielman think Baker Mayfield will be the starter for who he is as a player and leader, but it is also because of what Kyle Trask is not. That is an experienced starting quarterback who has handled an offense. It worked out pretty well for Pete Carroll, Shane Waldron, and Canales when handing over the keys to Geno Smith in Seattle last year.

“I wasn’t a huge Kyle Trask fan when he came out,” Spielman added. “He’s a tall pocket passer. He has a strong arm, but when you get an opportunity to see these guys live and how they operate in the huddle and how they’re operating in this new offense and Dave Canales – the new offensive coordinator that came from Seattle who was the quarterback coach there for a long time – is getting his first opportunity to call plays on the sideline. What he did with Geno Smith last year resurrected Geno Smith’s career. The vision is – a lot of it is, can they replicate that in Tampa with Baker Mayfield?”

In his eyes, Trask is not ready for the task of igniting what was a dull offense. After many people counted out the Seahawks after parting with Russell Wilson, Smith flourished under what will be a similar system in Tampa Bay.

The Bucs will have plenty of areas to iron out across the offense. For all of the wrinkles added by a lack of continuity and success on that side of the ball, new additions and philosophical changes could help make for a smooth style of football.

“The issue is that they have to be able to run the ball,” Spielman said. “Last year they were one of the worst in the league at running the football. But you also had Tom Brady, who threw the ball 40 times a game at 45 years old, which made no sense to me. Hence the change in offensive coordinator and quarterback. If their offense can start clicking, and when you watch the offense, there’s a lot of play action, a lot of things that Seattle did.

“One of the things that made Seattle’s offense go a lot was that they had some pretty good running backs that could run the ball. They built that, and what Russell Wilson and even Geno Smith had last year was establishing the run game to take the shots and make big plays down the field. I think that is critical for them as they go forward, but if they can get that going and kind of replicate something where no one really gave Seattle much of a chance last year.”

Rick Spielman: Bucs Will “Surprise Some People”

One has to search the seas far and wide to find anyone giving Tampa Bay a chance this year. Look no further than Rick Spielman’s prediction for the Bucs’ over-and-under win total, currently listed at 6.5 wins.

“Oh I’m going to definitely go over 6.5 [wins]. I think they’re going to be battling New Orleans to win the NFC South,” Spielman said.

Wait what?! There’s someone outside of Tampa Bay who sees them having success? That is quite a surprise. But perhaps this team is destined to surprise, much like how the Seahawks were on their way to a 9-8 season in 2022.

“Now I know Baker Mayfield’s gotta prove it, but I think Tampa’s defense is pretty good,” Spielman said. “And if they can establish the run game and do offensively what they were able to do in Seattle – if Canales can replicate that – they’re going to surprise some people. I was surprised when I went down there and watched; I’ll just say that.”