Buccaneers have one major Baker Mayfield concern vs. Chiefs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hours away from taking on the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2 of the preseason. 

Baker Mayfield and the rest of the starters are set to take the field for the first time after being kept on the sideline in last season’s preseason opener.

Fans are eager to see how Mayfield and the offense perform, taking their first game reps in Zac Robinson’s system. Not to rain on the parade, but there’s quietly one key concern Tampa Bay must avoid.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers must protect Baker Mayfield with Tristan Wirfs out 

Tristan Wirfs injured his hamstring during a conditioning test at the start of training camp and missed nearly three weeks before finally returning earlier this week. 

The Bucs are ramping him up for an eventual return and aren’t going to rush him back for a preseason game. Wirfs missed the first three games of the regular season last year, and Tampa Bay isn’t going to risk losing their All-Pro tackle for extended time again. 

So while the rest of the starting offense takes the field against the Chiefs tonight, Wirfs will remain on the sideline.

Ben Chukwuma is also not expected to play tonight, per Aileen Hnatiuk, which means Justin Skule is likely to trot out with the starting offensive line and play significant snaps. Skule is an experienced six-year veteran, but he’s not nearly the same caliber of player as Wirfs, creating a significant downgrade at the most important position along the offensive line. 

He’ll be in charge of protecting Baker Mayfield’s blind side, a crucial assignment with the franchise quarterback taking his first game reps of the preseason. The Bucs don’t want Mayfield taking any unnecessary hits. He’s the heart and soul of the offense and the most important player on the team, making his protection a top priority. 

Having Mayfield out there without his top lineman against a formidable Chiefs defensive line is cause for concern. The Buccaneers have nothing to gain and everything to lose by exposing their quarterback to unnecessary risk in a preseason game, especially with the regular season just weeks away. It’s all the more reason why the starters shouldn’t see more than a couple of series. 

The best-case scenario for the Buccaneers is for Mayfield and the starting offense to march down the field, score on the opening drive and turn things over to the backups the rest of the way. 

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