3 Buccaneers whose future depends on outcome of Wild Card game vs. Eagles

There's more than just a win or loss on the line for the Buccaneers in the Wild Card.
New Orleans Saints v Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New Orleans Saints v Tampa Bay Buccaneers / Julio Aguilar/GettyImages
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Baker Mayfield

Similar to the situation Bowles is in, Baker Mayfield has a chance to ensure he has a place in Tampa Bay next season beyond any shadow of a doubt. It could be that he's already done that, as all signs point toward Baker getting at least another year with the Bucs to see if he can build on the success he's had this season.

Baker has seemingly revived his career this year, putting up numbers that set new career highs in almost every meaningful category. The gamble on him paid off, as a full season of a healthy Baker was exactly the type of quarterback the team needed and he made a solid case that it's his job for the foreseeable future.

If he balls out against the Eagles, avenging a weak performance earlier in the year against Philly, it'll start adding zeroes to his future checks. Baker already has the support of key figures like Jason Licht and Dave Canales, with Todd Bowles going to bat for him throughout the year despite the offense's struggles. A win in the Wild Card would make it impossible for the Bucs to look any other direction for its quarterback of the immediate future.

A bad game could call things back into question, though. It seems Baker will at least be back in 2024 but another dud against the Eagles could set up a scenario where it's a shorter-term deal but would reignite the debate about whether the Bucs should draft a top quarterback or not.

Baker has a chance to quiet all of that and help the Bucs find clarity at quarterback.