“Baker Mayfield is a top 10 quarterback in this league.” Ryan Clark dropped that bomb on ESPN with zero hesitation. The former NFL safety turned analyst went all-in on Tampa Bay‘s signal-caller heading into 2025. Clark sees something others might miss. He watched Mayfield transform from Cleveland‘s failed experiment into Tampa’s reliable starter. Two solid seasons with the Bucs changed everything. But do his observations match the reality?Clark believes Mayfield belongs in elite company now. The endorsement carries weight coming from a Super Bowl champion who faced top quarterbacks for years. But reality tells a different story. Mayfield’s numbers don’t scream top 10. His arm strength remains questionable. Decision-making still wavers under pressure. Clark might be wrong because Mayfield continues to struggle with the inconsistency that has defined his career.

This Tuesday brought another Baker Mayfield headache. Pewter Report delivered the crushing blow: “Baker Mayfield broke looks and scrambled on his own for about 20 yards, but then fumbled the ball on his own with nobody around him.” The report stung because it felt so familiar. Nobody was chasing him. No defender forced the turnover. Just Mayfield and the football, and somehow the football won.

The scene replayed January’s nightmare all over again. Wild-card weekend against Washington haunts Tampa Bay fans. Fourth-quarter pressure, defense delivering stops, momentum building. Then, Mayfield stepped up to make a play. Instead, he handed Washington the game. The botched jet sweep with rookie Jalen McMillan turned into a disaster. Mayfield and rookie wideout Jalen McMillan mistimed the handoff on a jet sweep from their own 15-yard line, causing the quarterback to fumble the ball to the Commanders.

Mayfield owned the mistake immediately. “That comes back to me, just timing it up correctly,” he admitted after the loss. “First one all year that it happened on. So obviously the timing of it not great, being backed up. Defense had done a hell of a job getting us the ball, another fourth-down stop and yeah, unfortunate, but that falls on me.” The accountability sounded genuine, but damage was already done. Tampa Bay rewarded him anyway.

The Bucs reworked his contract in March, guaranteeing $30 million for 2026. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the move gave Mayfield security in his final year. The three-year, $100 million deal already included incentives, pushing it to $115 million. Now he’s locked in through 2026.

But Tuesday’s fumble proved nothing’s changed. The same Baker who cost Cleveland games shows up at the worst moments. The same quarterback who bounced between Carolina and Los Angeles still lives inside Tampa’s starter. Todd Bowles watches his roster shuffle around injuries, knowing his quarterback remains the biggest question mark. Mayfield’s inconsistency forces difficult roster decisions when reliability should be guaranteed.

Rookie pass rusher’s ACL tear devastates Tampa Bay’s defensive plans

Friday’s practice ended in disaster for Tampa Bay’s defense. Fourth-round rookie David Walker blew out his ACL late effectively ending his 2025 season before it started. The Central Florida standout was supposed to bolster the Bucs’ pass rush rotation. Instead, he’s heading to injured reserve with surgery ahead. Todd Bowles delivered the brutal news on Monday. The head coach couldn’t hide his disappointment when discussing the rookie’s fate.

“He was making a big impact early. Obviously, we were counting on him doing a lot of things, but other guys are going to have to step up. I told him he has to look at this like a redshirt year. It’s unfortunate. It didn’t look like it was too much on film, but it ended up being that.” The frustration in Bowles’ voice was unmistakable.

Walker earned every bit of that confidence during his college dominance. The 6-foot-2, 260-pound edge rusher claimed the Buck Buchanan Award as FCS defensive player of the year. His 10.5 sacks and nation-leading 23 tackles for loss at UCF made him an immediate target for NFL scouts. Tampa Bay saw a steal in the fourth round. The injury forces immediate depth chart adjustments. Haason Reddick and Yaya Diaby remain the primary edge rushers.

Anthony Nelson and Chris Braswell must now absorb Walker’s expected snaps. The Bucs invested heavily in their pass rush this offseason, but losing a promising rookie this early stings. Jason Licht now questions what he regarded as a very strong draft. Walker’s injury represents more than lost potential – it’s a roster hole that forces Tampa Bay to lean harder on unproven depth players when they hoped to develop multiple options.