SAD NEWS: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ head coach, Todd Bowles, has left.
When quarterback Baker Mayfield signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023, the detractors yelled at him. They reasoned that if they signed Mayfield, they would probably end up in NFL Draft purgatory—selected too low to make a big overall effect, but too high to choose a new franchise leader.
The Buccaneers’ supporters contended that since the team still had receivers like Chris Godwin and Mike Evans available, they had to take all the required actions to stay competitive while waiting for a long-term solution.
Few people were saying, “Tampa Bay is signing its franchise future in Mayfield,” when the transaction was made. All of that, though, has changed this summer, to the point where re-signing Mayfield may have been more crucial than landing Evans a new deal.
Eisen pondered on his most recent show, “At some point, instead of paying a quarterback what the market price is—40 million, 45 million—like the (New York) Giants paid Daniel Jones, and you’re still wondering if he’s the guy or not—will a team just say, ‘I know we used you a high draft position on you at some point, but we’re going back in the draft?'” We’re going to draft a running back in addition to the ones they draft. like the Giants did with Saquan Barkley not too long ago. It will be mailed to you at a separate address. Someone else may compensate you. But to choose running backs, cornerbacks, and wide receivers, we will go back to the draft pool. Will anyone ever manage the quarterback position in that manner?
Eisen points out that although though it hasn’t happened yet, he thinks an NFL team is getting closer to doing so given the latest quarterback class’s penchant for “chewing ’em up and spitting ’em out.”
“We’re seeing it again where Baker Mayfield has now turned around,” Eisen continued. “The Bucs have now paid him because he outperformed Daniel Jones, the person who got the market deal.”
Mayfield is not alone himself, either. In actuality, Mayfield is only the most recent of several highly expected and drafted quarterbacks who initially struggled before going on to have prosperous careers. On that list are quarterbacks Geno Smith of the Seattle Seahawks and Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions.
