As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepare for the upcoming season, it feels like we may be heading toward the pinnacle of quarterback Baker Mayfield's career.
The former number one overall pick is coming off of the best season he's ever had, throwing for over 4,500 yards and a career-high 41 touchdowns. Baker began to come out of his shell—and also mature—in Tampa, and began to show some of that flair the Browns were accustomed to seeing on a game-to-game basis during his tenure with the team. Before tearing his labrum a few years ago, Baker was a scrappy quarterback with a uniquely vigorous approach to the game.
It seems he's rediscovered that, but with the right amount of perspective to make it even better than before.
Baker Mayfield is perfectly poised to have an MVP season for the Buccaneers in 2025
During Baker's 2017 campaign at Oklahoma, the eventual Heisman winner threw touchdowns to thirteen different receivers on a loaded Big 12 offense with star players from all over the country. If there's anybody who can share the rock with a crowd on offense, it's Baker, which we saw in that Heisman campaign when he threw passes to a whopping 19 different pass catchers.
Fast-forward to 2024, a whopping ten different receivers caught a score from Mayfield in the Buccaneers' offense.
At the combine Baker threw a flaming 60MPH football flashing his impressive throw power, his arm talent paired with an insatiable ability to not be brought to the ground on QB run plays creates the perfect balance for a league transitioning to the run and gun style of QB play we as fans have began to become accustomed to in 2025.
In 2024, Baker mounted flashy play after flashy play, with his viral week 10 stiff arm to the all-powerful Nick Bosa, throwing the former defensive player of the year to the ground and going on to complete his pass on a dramatic fourth-down play to reset downs. This play was part of a Rolodex of impressive plays for the former Heisman trophy winner and 1st pick in 2018.
Last season was reminiscent of Baker's 2017 Heisman campaign, with Baker hitting highs in all passing categories for the first time in the professional era of his career. It's energy he's carrying with him into what could be a massive year where he takes an even bigger step than we all imagined he was capable of.
Thanks to using a first-round pick on wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, the Bucs will enter the 2025 season with yet another weapon for the offense for Baker.
Additionally, Jalen McMillan started to come into his own last season as a rookie. McMillan tied a record with a flash of four touchdowns on four consecutive weeks during the season, proving to be unguardable. With an already crowded star-studded receiver room including the likes of future Hall of Famer Mike Evans and veteran pass catcher Chris Godwin, this should prove to be Baker Mayfield's most star-studded offense in the NFL to date, a little reminiscent of that 2017 Heisman campaign.
We can only expect the same style and success from a now veteran NFL field general in Mayfield. If 2024 is any indicator for success this season Buccaneers fans should be jumping out of their shoes in anticipation of the upcoming 2025 campaign.
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