Bucs Will Target Baker Mayfield When NFL Free Agency Begins

Life goes on for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they don’t plan on wasting any time finding a new quarterback when the NFL’s 2023 season officially begins on Wednesday. 

According to Ian Rapoport, Tampa Bay is expected to target Baker Mayfield as Tom Brady’s replacement.

Of course, the legal negotiation window starts on Monday, meaning the Bucs could have a deal in place as soon as tomorrow.

When free agency begins, the #Bucs are expected to target ex-#Rams QB Baker Mayfield as a potential starting QB option, per me and @MikeGarafolo. This could be competition for Kyle Trask, their former 2nd-round pick, who the team likes a lot. As TB plots life without Tom Brady? pic.twitter.com/9PmbTG0tYW

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2023

Mayfield had a brief renaissance with the Los Angeles Rams at the end of this season. The former first-overall selection appeared in five games with the Rams, completing 63.6% of his passes for 6.6 yards per attempt and four touchdowns. 

Still, his metrics have deteriorated year-over-year since his rookie campaign, resulting in Mayfield being released by the Carolina Panthers partway through the campaign.

Irrespective of the quarterback, the Bucs are on the edge of contending next year. FanDuel Sportsbook has Tampa Bay lined at +7500 on their Super Bowl futures board.