On August 1, 2025, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ training camp pulsed with tension. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, fresh off Pro Bowl seasons with Tampa Bay, had missed practice after suffering a contusion on his right throwing hand during Thursday’s session. Head coach Todd Bowles described it as an “accumulation of soreness,” and Mayfield was listed day‑to‑day after precautionary scans showed no structural damage. Amid this, GM Jason Licht may be quietly signaling his unease with the current quarterback depth, as reports surface of veteran Teddy Bridgewater making an official visit to training camp, raising questions about what’s going on behind the scenes in Tampa.

Bridgewater, 32, was seen as experienced insurance, an established veteran who could steady the locker room. Notably, he retired in 2023. But after a brief stint coaching high school football, Teddy Bridgewater returned to the NFL with the Detroit Lions, appearing in one regular-season game in 2023 and their playoff loss, both without recording any stats. His last start came in 2022 with the Miami Dolphins, going 0-2 while throwing for 683 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions across his five appearances.

Tampa Bay Times insider Rick Stroud broke the news on the morning of August 5, revealing that the Buccaneers were meeting with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater: “Bucs are visiting with QB Teddy Bridgewater today, who is taking a physical.” Moments later, a wave of posts flooded X, hinting at a possible deal in the works between the Buccaneers and the former Pro Bowl quarterback. FOX Sports Bucs insider Greg Auman noted shortly after the news: “Teddy Bridgewater worked with Bucs OC Josh Grizzard in Miami. They’ve been without backup Michael Pratt all of camp and down to two QBs with Baker Mayfield sidelined for the last two practices. [Bridgewater] reportedly told his [high school] players in Miami he was returning to the NFL.” 

But the biggest detail on the backup QB’s role came from Stroud himself, who quoted GM Licht saying, “Teddy Bridgewater will be a big help to Baker Mayfield in the QB room.” For a team where Mayfield’s injury risk raises alarms, Bridgewater represents more than emergency depth; he’s a mentor figure: a calming veteran presence to keep the offense humming if Mayfield’s hand hiccups again. Stroud wrote on X, “Bucs GM Jason Licht said Teddy Bridgewater will be a big help to Baker Mayfield in the QB room. While Kyle Trask is entering his fifth season with the Bucs, he’s attempted 11 passes.”

Jason Licht’s endorsement isn’t merely lip service. Bridgewater boasts over 15,000 career passing yards, a Pro Bowl nod, and a track record as one of the league’s most trusted backup quarterbacks. Having started for the Vikings, Panthers, and Broncos during a ten-season career, he brings credibility, poise, and situational savvy. Licht’s public praise hints at Bridgewater’s potential value in both practice reps and locker room mentorship.

But while the front office moved rather quietly behind the scenes, all eyes at practice shifted to Baker Mayfield, who is back on the pitch and busy making headlines of his own.

The Buccaneers take a sigh of relief as Baker Mayfield is back on the pitch.

Just days after a minor hand injury briefly derailed training camp momentum, Baker Mayfield returned to practice, wasting no time jumping back into action. FOX Sports reporter Greg Auman relayed live from training camp, “Baker Mayfield is back practicing today after missing two days last week with a hand contusion.” The moment might have reassured some fans, but to others, it was a sign that Mayfield may be falling back into familiar territory: playing through pain with little regard for long-term caution. The injury itself occurred during a padded session late last week and was initially downplayed as ‘nothing serious’ by many insiders.

Captured in a now-viral clip shared by Alyssa Britton-Harr on X, the video showed Mayfield confidently slinging passes in team drills: his trademark fire and competitive edge fully intact. Alongside the video, Harr wrote, “Baker Mayfield is back and practicing after suffering a minor hand injury.” According to head coach Todd Bowles, Mayfield experienced soreness in his throwing hand due to repeated hits and an awkward landing, prompting the team to hold him out of at least one full practice. Despite being listed as day-to-day, Mayfield’s return came sooner than expected, and perhaps, sooner than advised.

His absence thrust backup Kyle Trask and Connor Bazelak into the spotlight, as their QB1 is yet to miss a game during their two Pro Bowl seasons with the Buccaneers. At 30 years old, Mayfield delivered the best season of his career in 2024, throwing for a personal-high 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns over 17 games. He also posted a career-best completion rate of 71.4 percent. As training camp continues, all eyes will remain on Mayfield, not just on how he throws, but on how his body responds in the days ahead. Will he continue to press forward at full speed? Or will the team, now possibly bolstering the depth chart behind him, subtly reel him in for the long haul? For now, Baker Mayfield is back. And as always, he’s not easing into anything.