Are Bucs concerned about Mayfield’s playing style after latest scare?

Before quarterback Baker Mayfield engineered a late game-winning drive to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a thrilling 20-19 win over the Houston Texans (0-2) on Monday night, he appeared to suffer a leg/ankle injury in the fourth quarter of the contest. 

That setback didn’t prevent Mayfield from picking up a key first down with his legs during Tampa Bay’s final possession, but it did spark new takes regarding whether or not he needs to do better to protect himself during games. On Tuesday, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles was asked if he has any concerns about Mayfield’s playing style. 

Are Tampa Bay Buccaneers comfortable with how Baker Mayfield plays? 

“My level of concern is fine,” Bowles responded, per the Buccaneers’ website. “Baker runs when he has to. He doesn’t run just to run. He runs when he has to. He runs when he sees something there, and we’re comfortable with that. We try to work on sliding here and there, but sometimes you don’t know if you’ve got the first down or not. He’s been playing that way his entire life. We’d like him to be careful, but we’re comfortable with him getting out of the pocket.”

While with the Cleveland Browns, Mayfield spent the majority of the 2021 season dealing with a serious injury to his non-throwing shoulder that left him needing surgery. He hasn’t missed a start during his Tampa Bay tenure, but he was slowed by injured ribs and a sore ankle over a pair of playoff games that occurred in January 2024. More recently, he appeared on the team’s injury report in December of last year because of a knee issue. 

Per Pro Football Reference, Mayfield ended Week 2 of the ongoing campaign ranked ninth in the NFL among qualified players with a 75.4 adjusted QBR and 10th with a 98.6 passer rating. He tossed five touchdown passes across back-to-back wins. 

Will Baker Mayfield be good to go for New York Jets game?

During his media availability on Tuesday, Bowles indicated he expects Mayfield will be in the lineup for the Buccaneers’ home game against the 0-2 New York Jets this coming Sunday. 

“I’m sure he’s sore,” Bowles said when asked about Mayfield’s status coming off the Houston contest. “Baker is a competitor … We’ll see how he’s feeling later today.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, ESPN Bet had the unbeaten Buccaneers as 6.5-point favorites over the winless Jets.