Last year on December 5, the Carolina Panthers decided to waive Baker Mayfield, and the very next day, the Los Angeles Rams swooped in to pick him up. The Rams, who were recovering from a Super Bowl hangover, had a weakened roster as they entered the 2022 season. They managed to secure a 24-10 victory against Carolina in Week 6, bringing their record to 3-3 before facing a downfall with six consecutive losses. With Matthew Stafford injured and backup quarterbacks John Wolford and Bryce Perkins failing to deliver, the Rams must have been impressed by Mayfield’s performance in Week 6, leading them to sign him on Tuesday and play him against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday.
Mayfield did not disappoint. Despite a cross-country flight, he had a brief practice session with the Rams on Wednesday and proceeded to throw for 230 yards, completing 22 out of 35 passes, including a game-winning drive on Thursday. Reflecting on his performance, Mayfield said, “I don’t know if you could write it any better than that.” Following their 17-16 victory, he added, “Obviously, we’d like to be a little bit more stress-free, but it’s a pretty damn good story.” Rams coach Sean McVay praised Mayfield’s quick adaptability, stating, “What a quick study. He just got here five minutes ago and figured out a way to be able to do some special things tonight.”
However, the Rams’ success was short-lived. The following week, they were defeated by the Green Bay Packers. Although they had a resounding win against the Denver Broncos with a score of 51-14 in the subsequent match, they lost the next two games. Throughout his time with the Rams, Mayfield never surpassed 230 passing yards, and his quarterback rating was only above 60 in the game against Denver. As a result, the Rams concluded the season with a disappointing 5-12 record. Mayfield then became a free agent and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On Tuesday, Tampa head coach Todd Bowles announced Mayfield as the starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Reacting to the news, Mayfield expressed his confidence, stating, “I expect to be the starter. I know how talented I am. I know what type of leader I am. Now it’s time for the real thing.” Nonetheless, this opportunity might be Mayfield’s last chance to hold a starting position in the league.
Each former quarterback of the Cleveland Browns has their own unique story. Tim Couch faced challenges behind a weak offensive line, Brady Quinn’s promised potential did not fully materialize in the pros despite being pro-ready in college, and Johnny Manziel struggled with off-the-field issues and failed to replicate his college successes in the NFL. Ultimately, Cleveland never found the right quarterback to build their franchise around until they acquired Deshaun Watson, whom they appointed as their franchise quarterback last year.
However, Mayfield’s situation felt distinct. He was a confident 6’1″, selected overall as the first pick, with a Heisman win to his name and notable appearances in Progressive commercials. He was also a runner-up for Rookie of the Year and led the Browns to the playoffs in his third season, ending their long playoff drought. Under Mayfield’s leadership, the Browns achieved an 11-5 record in 2020 and even secured a playoff victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This triumph marked Cleveland’s first postseason win since 1994, during Bill Belichick’s tenure as coach.
The Browns exercised Mayfield’s fifth-year option, and he played through injuries in the 2021 season. However, his performance declined, and he requested a trade after the Browns acquired Watson. Cleveland subsequently traded Mayfield to the Panthers, where he had to compete with Sam Darnold for the starting role. Initially, Carolina seemed like a favorable landing spot for Mayfield with Christian McCaffrey in the backfield and receiving options like D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson. Moreover, the NFC South division was not a formidable force. Unfortunately, Mayfield suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 5, missing the next game and then serving as backup to P.J. Walker upon his return. Mayfield made an appearance in a lopsided loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9 and started in Week 11. However, following McCaffrey’s trade to the San Francisco 49ers, Darnold reclaimed the starting position in Week 12. Frustrated by the turn of events, Mayfield requested his release from the Panthers during their Week 13 bye week, which was granted.
Consequently, Mayfield found a new home with the Rams. Despite his impressive performance leading the team to victory against Las Vegas, the Rams opted to stick with 35-year-old Stafford as their starting quarterback for the current season. Mayfield had to earn the starting position over Kyle Trask, Tampa’s second-round pick in 2021, during camp. Now, he takes charge of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team post-Tom Brady. Many experts predict the Buccaneers to finish at the bottom of their division.
While Mayfield’s opportunity to be a full-time starter in the NFL may be dwindling, expectations for the team as a whole are low. Mayfield can secure his position by performing consistently, as he did in his first four seasons, and keeping the Buccaneers competitive within their weak division. ESPN projects the Vikings to have a 70% chance of defeating Tampa in Week 1, making it a game that the Buccaneers must win. Next, they face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2 before challenging Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers in the following week. Afterward, the Buccaneers will travel to face Carolina Panthers and then host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Minneapolis.
The Vikings must be defeated in their opening game, and Mayfield has nothing to lose. Even if he replicates last season’s pattern of a strong performance followed by regression, it will significantly impact Minnesota’s season. Tampa’s decision to start Mayfield in Week 1 may be easily disregarded, but the Vikings can’t afford to look past that matchup towards their Week 2 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Although Mayfield’s stock has dropped since his outstanding 2020 season, he still has the potential to cause disruption, even if only for one week.
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