Baker Mayfield sent an absolutely perfect message as Buccaneers begin training camp

Despite all that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did last season, from outperforming insanely low expectations to establishing a new apth forward in the post-Tom Bray era, it seems the doubters are still lining up to knock them down.

It's not nealry as bad as it was last season, but the casual way in which experts are brushing the Bucs off almost feels worse. This is a team that won a third-straight NFC South title and went to the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season -- all without Brady this time around.

Baker Mayfield came to Tampa Bay amid relentless trolling, yet managed to live up to the hype and help the team find a new identity along the way. His chip-on-the-shoulder attitude mixed with the grittiness he plays with changed the locker room, and it's been something that his teammates have noted helped them rally around him in ways they didn't with Brady, despite all the legendary aura he brought with him.

It seems Baker is back at is, as the Bucs begin training camp this week with a message from their quarterback that reads like a warning to those who continute to cast doubt.

Bakery Mayfield has a message for the rest of the NFL as Bucs begin training camp

Mayfield kicked off Buccaneers training camp with an absolutely perfect message, letting the doubters know that they're still on the wrong side of the debate.

“I definitely am in the best shape I’ve been in a long time,” Mayfield said. “I just found my routine, found a gym and some trainers that I really like and it’s important. You learn that throughout the process [and as] the years go on. Honestly being able to stay in one place throughout the offseason helps, too. I found some great people to help me get to this point.”

Not only is that a perfect message to start training camp, but it feels like a not-so-subtle warning to the rest of the league. We hadn’t seen a version of Baker like we did last year, and if he’s saying he’ll be even better this year then that’s a problem for the rest of the NFL.

This is classic Baker, and the type of stuff that has seemingly made it easy for the rest of the Buccaneers to rally around him. There's a personable quality to him that was lacking with Brady, which is understandable considering the difference in quarterbacks.

Where Brady brought a legendary prestige with him, everything has felt more earned with Baker since the level of respect isn't as built-in. That's something that often gets overlooked when considering Mayfield's impact on Tampa Bay, as it goes beyond what he does on the field and is almost more about how he commands the locker room.

Tampa Bay doesn't climb out of a 1-6 hole the way it did in the middle of last season if there isn't the sort of buy-in and leadership from Baker. It was a team effort, but the more we learn about how attatched the locker room is to him, the more it's clear that he was the linchpin to the team's turnaround.

Hearing him give this sort of quote is a reminder of the new vibes in Tampa Bay, and just how much fun it has been -- and will continue to be -- to ride them.

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