No Tristan Wirfs? No problem. The quarterback knows he must speed up his delivery.
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield throws a pass during training camp last month in Tampa. With left tackle Tristan Wirfs sidelined to start the season, the quicker Mayfield can get the ball out of hand, the better.
TAMPA — Baker Mayfield remembers the day he learned he’d have to quicken his release time of the football this season or somebody may clean his clock.
It was mid-July when the Bucs quarterback was told left tackle Tristan Wirfs needed surgery to repair the medial collateral ligament in his right knee and could miss a month.
“Obviously, that time of year, you’re getting excited about, what kind of roster do we have? What kind potential do we have? And you wonder can we truly carry on with the foundation from last year and continue to build?” Mayfield said. “Then you hear news like that. The silver lining? We heard early enough to where we can adjust.”
Perhaps, but with Wirfs replaced by journeyman left tackle Charlie Heck, he who hesitates will be sacked. A quick release by Mayfield could become a weapon. Without it? He may need a wellness check.
Forget arm strength. Only his mental velocity will keep him upright.
Last season, it took Mayfield an average of 2.52 seconds to throw the football, according to SumerSports. Not horrible, but it still ranked 18 of out 19 quarterbacks with a minimum of 500 pass attempts.
A year ago, Mayfield was sacked 40 times, tying Aaron Rodgers for ninth most in the league.
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, left, speaks with offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard during training camp in July. Among their concerns this season: How can Mayfield get the ball into the hands of the team's playmakers more quickly? [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]
Under new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, Mayfield is trying to determine the fight-or-flight ratio.
“What are the quickest answers I can do here so we’re not getting negative plays? Easy things,” Mayfield said. “Like I tell you guys all the time, how can I get the ball in my playmakers hands quicker?”
Wirfs did not allow a sack last season. He missed only one game with a sprained medial collateral ligament. In the offseason, team doctors sent him for four MRIs to determine what was still causing him discomfort, but those tests didn’t reveal any significant damage.
Finally, Wirfs went for a second opinion, and a CT scan determined the injury was more severe than the initial diagnosis. Even though he is on the 53-man roster, Wirfs is not expected to be ready to play until October.
The Bucs’ opening-week opponent, the Falcons, recorded only 31 sacks in 2024, second fewest in the league. But they added edge rushers in the first round of the NFL draft: Georgia’s Jalen Walker with the 15th overall pick and then traded back into the first round to get Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. (26th).
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield won't have the protection of left tackle Tristan Wirfs to start the season. The silver lining? "We heard early enough to where we can adjust," Mayfield said.
“Say they have a bona fide edge rusher on the left side now,” Mayfield said. “You’ll always be game-planning for him anyway. Now, how do I take him out of the game? It’s made me overcommunicate with the young guys. Where we’re at receiver-wise, overcommunicate with them about what I’m trying to get done. And for the guys that have been here, reiterating, ‘Hey, this is the mindset we’re jumping back into,’ then we can develop and take our shots downfield when we have them. It’s about getting it in their hands early.”
Complicating matters is the loss of receivers Chris Godwin (dislocated ankle) and Jalen McMillan (neck), who is out until after the Week 9 bye.
“We’ll see what that looks like,” Mayfield said. “The thing we’ve been excited about is the depth at receiver. That’s been depleted a little bit. But then it goes back to what we did last year when we had some guys banged up. It was the pony package. Getting your best five out there and however you scheme that up and do that. That’s where it’s been really, really good training with Bucky (Irving) and Rachaad (White) in the offseason.
“Seeing them in really, really good shape. Just being able to communicate with them day-to-day stuff, whether it’s football or not. Bucky and Rachaad have developed even further in the pass game, so that’s going to be a thing that takes us to the next level, especially with where we’re at during the beginning of the year.”
Grizzard will have to use a tight end and/or running back to help in pass protection at times. But the terminology is the same, and Mayfield doesn’t anticipate any problems.
The faster he can get the ball out of his hand, the better.
Up next
SEASON OPENER
at Falcons, 1 Sunday TV/radio: Fox; 97.9-FM Line/OU: Team by xxx; xxx
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