Baker Mayfield has delivered three seasons of consistently solid quarterback play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, even generating MVP buzz during his best stretches.
He’s led the Bucs to a 27-24 regular season record and a playoff win in his three seasons, while playing some of the best football of his career.
Tampa Bay is sold on him as the long-term franchise quarterback, but outside Bucs circles, the jury seems to still be out on Mayfield. Skepticism seems to follow him no matter how well he performs.
Baker Mayfield named a “volatile veteran” in latest NFL QB rankings
CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo ranked every starting quarterback in the NFL by placing them into various tiers.
Mayfield was buried all the way in tier 4; the volatile veterans tier.
“This is the murky middle of the quarterback landscape, a mixed bag of talent. While each of these quarterbacks is capable of putting up big numbers, their Achilles heels -- whether it's age, a lack of consistency, or being turnover-prone -- can hold their respective teams back,” wrote DeArdo.
Mayfield landed in this tier along with Aaron Rodgers, Daniel Jones, C.J. Stroud, and Bryce Young.
“Mayfield followed up his impressive 2024 campaign with an underwhelming 2025 season that wasn't helped by all of the Buccaneers' injuries. The 2026 season will be a crucial one for Mayfield, who is slated to enter free agency next offseason.”
It’s a real snub for Mayfield, who can make a real case to jump all the way into the second tier, which houses the “borderline stars”.
Some of the quarterbacks in that tier include Trevor Lawrence, Jalen Hurts, Jordan Love, Brock Purdy, and Bo Nix.
Mayfield has a strong statistical case to be listed among, if not above some of those quarterbacks. Given his production that goes toe-to-toe with any quarterback in the NFL over the past few years, it’s puzzling why he’s ranked so low.
Mayfield had a down year last season, hampered by injuries both to himself and his supporting cast, but back in 2024, he finished top-three in the NFL in both passing yards and touchdowns.
He’s led the Bucs to the playoffs in two of his three seasons with the team and has been one of the league’s most productive quarterbacks — ranking second among all quarterbacks in touchdown passes since joining Tampa Bay.
Still, Mayfield continues to be overlooked and underrated on the national stage. The disrespect he’s faced this offseason has given him plenty of motivation entering 2026.
Mayfield has always played his best with a chip on his shoulder, and he’ll have a golden opportunity this season to remind the football world that his name belongs among the upper echelon of quarterbacks.
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