First look at Baker Mayfield Bucs jersey revealed by fans on Twitter (Photo)

Now that he’s officially a part of the plan in Tampa Bay, fans are eager to see what a Baker Mayfield Bucs jersey looks like in more than one way. 

What started out as an offseason that was predicted to be quiet in Tampa Bay, it didn’t take the Buccaneers long to get loud.

Fans were prepped ahead of time that the Bucs didn’t have a ton of money to spend and were still figuring out how to move out of the Tom Brady Era and begin a new chapter for the franchise. There was a $55 million salary cap snag to untie, uncertainty at key positions across the roster, and a sour taste in everyone’s mouth after how last season went.

In short order, the Buccaneers re-signed Jamel Dean and Lavonte David, brought back Aaron Stinne and Anthony Nelson, and signed Baker Mayfield to join the quarterback room.

All of this against the backdrop of low expectations, which made every move the Bucs have made so far feel even better.

The signing of Baker Mayfield might have been easy fodder for folks cracking jokes on Twitter, but what’s getting lost is the fact that it’s actually a fantastic deal for the Bucs. Mayfield is guaranteed $4 million and not a cent more, with the other $4.5 million of his reported deal attached to incentives that would require him to make the Bucs competitive this year.

Outsiders may be laughing, but Bucs fans are — and should be — excited about what the Baker Mayfield era might bring.

Fan art provides a first look at Baker Mayfield Bucs jersey (Photo)

Of course, Baker Mayfield hasn’t yet been introduced with the team and it might be a minute before we see him in a Buccaneers uniform. That doesn’t mean we can’t get a sneak peek at what he’ll look like as fans have begun putting together photoshops of Baker in a Bucs jersey

Folks have been manifesting this as far back as February, long before Mayfield emerged as a top target for the Buccaneers.

As far as fan art and photoshops go, this is pretty good and gives us the best idea of what Baker will look like in a Bucs uniform. How he looks, though, goes far beyond just appearing in a jersey as expectations are high for the former No. 1 overall pick to come to Tampa Bay and be useful in one way or another.

It’s incredibly misguided and unfair to be labeling Mayfield as Tom Brady’s replacement because he’s not. He might develop into that if Dave Canales can unlock in Baker what he unlocked in Geno Smith last year, but this is a slow play meant to illuminate what the future looks like under center for the Bucs.

Mayfield is expected to come in and compete for the starting job with Kyle Trask, which in itself will tell the Bucs all they need to know. If Mayfield wins the job, then the team can proceed knowing that Trask isn’t a franchise quarterback worth building around and can start planning accordingly.

This could mean Baker balling out and finally realizing his potential as a former No. 1 overall pick, or it could mean the Bucs starting to put together a draft strategy to land a franchise quarterback of the future next April.

Either way, the Bucs will enter the season with clarity under center and Mayfield is an important part of that plan.