A quarterback taken first overall in the NFL Draft is having a career resurgence after being traded by his original team.
No, we’re not talking about Jared Goff this time. We’re talking about Baker Mayfield, the former top pick of the Browns who is playing some of the best football of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After going to the Pro Bowl for the first time last year with the Bucs, Mayfield looked just as good in the season-opener last week as he led the Bucs to a decisive 37-20 win over Washington. Now, he heads to Detroit for a playoff rematch vs. the Lions on Sunday in Week 2.
Here’s what’s going on with the Bucs ahead of a 1 p.m. kickoff at Ford Field:
The Buccaneers’ offense started the season with a bang. Their 37 points were the second-most in the NFL in Week 1, while Mayfield’s passer rating of 146.4 led all NFL quarterbacks. The Bucs only had to punt once in a comfortable victory over the Commanders, as their 9-for-13 rate on third down was the best in the league.
Chris Godwin led the Bucs with eight catches in their opener, while Mike Evans caught two touchdown passes.
Only one game into the season, the Bucs already have serious personnel questions at one position.
Four Tampa Bay defensive backs left the team’s season-opener due to injury: safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and cornerbacks Josh Hayes, Zyon McCallum and Bryce Hall.
Hall was placed on injured reserve this week and replaced on the roster by Keenan Isaac, who played two games for the team last season but played exclusively on special teams.
The other three are all on the team’s injury report for this week, although ESPN already reported that Winfield, the All-Pro and top-rated PFF safety in 2023, will miss at least two weeks.
Hayes (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday and McCollum (concussion) was limited. Safety Christian Izien filled in last week at cornerback amid the injuries.
While most of the Bucs’ offensive fireworks on Sunday came through the air, there was one notable development on the ground, too.
Rookie Bucky Irving led the Bucs with 61 rushing yards on nine carries and had the longest run of the game at 31 yards. That production outpaced starter Rachaad White, who had 32 yards on 15 carries (although he had six catches for 75 yards as well).
Bucs coach Todd Bowles said on Monday that both backs will continue to get carries and said that Irving had more openings because he played later in the game. But the team could opt to up Irving’s workload if he continues to have success.
